sampling

Question 1

What is a sample ?

Answer 1

The selected sample for the research

Question 2

What is a sampling frame ?

Answer 2

An organised list of the target population from which the sample is literally drawn

Question 3

What is a target population ?

Answer 3

Need to identify who they are interested in - usually the human population

Question 4

What is random sampling ?

Answer 4

Sophisticated firm of sampling where all members of the target population have an equal change of being selected.
1. A list of all members are obtained
2. Names are assigned a number
3. Sample is generated through a computer based randomiser
Strengths: Unbiased, high internal validity
Limitations: difficult and time consuming
May end up with a sample thats unrepresentative

Question 5

What is systematic sampling ?

Answer 5

Participants are chosen mathematically, done by taking every nth person in the sampling frame for the sample
1. list the sampling frame into alphabetical order then select every nth number
2. keep selecting until sample is complete
Strengths: researcher has no choice who’s chosen
Limitations: time costuming

Question 6

What is stratified sampling ?

Answer 6

Sampling frame is divided into groups (strata) that the researcher wanted to make sure are represented
A certain number of participants are selected to make sure its proportional
Strength: representative + accurate
Limitations: cant reflect all ways that people are different

Question 7

What is opportunity sampling ?

Answer 7

Consists of participants who have been chosen because they are convenient
They have been selected because:
-actively volunteered
- they are in the locality
- they are known to the researcher
Strengths: not costly with time or money
Limitations: bias

Question 8

What is volunteer sampling ?

Answer 8

Self-sampling sample
Participants volunteered to take part
Strengths: easy to collect, participants more engaged
Limitations: volunteer bias (people may want to please)