Sampling

Question 1

Sampling population:

Answer 1

The whole group being studied

Question 2

Sampling frame:

Answer 2

Material which lists everyone in the population from which the sample is taken

Question 3

Sample:

Answer 3

• The group of people taken from the sampling frame
• The people who actually do the research tasks

Question 4

Quota sampling

Answer 4

• Researcher decided how many of each category of person should be included in the sample
• The researcher goes out looking for the right number of people in each category until the quota is filled

Question 5

Limitations of quota sampling:

Answer 5

• Not truly representative - researcher decides the quota
• Lacks randomness

Question 6

Purposive sampling:

Answer 6

• Researcher chooses individuals that fit the nature of the research
• A particular group is chosen because it is the type of person wanted

Question 7

Purposive sampling: Goldthorpe

Answer 7

• Researched manual workers with high income to see if they become middle class
• Purposely studied people from Luton as they were known to be well-paid

Question 8

Opportunity sampling:

Answer 8

• Sampling that makes the most of situations where the sample population can be found
• Researchers identify places or times that they may come into contact with the sample

Question 9

Snowball sampling:

Answer 9

• Used when researchers experience difficulty in gaining access to a group of people because there is no sampling frame
• Also used when researching illegal activity
• Researcher finds 1 person who fits their sample and asks them to suggest someone else who may fit the sample
• Sampling gradually grows as it builds up

Question 10

Volunteer sampling:

Answer 10

• Variation of snowball sampling
• Sociologists advertise for volunteers in magazines, newspapers and the internet
• Fails to produce a representative sample

Question 11

Limitation of volunteer sampling:

Answer 11

The people who take part may not actually fit what the researchers wants to study and it is open to social desirability

Question 12

2 different sampling techniques:

Answer 12

• Random sampling
• Non-random sampling

Question 13

Random sampling:

Answer 13

• Sampling technique which is defined as a sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen
• Involves identifying everyone in the targeted population and then selecting the number of participants you need
• This way gives everyone an equal chance of being chosen

Question 14

Two types of random sampling:

Answer 14

• Systematic
• Stratified

Question 15

Systematic sampling:

Answer 15

• Randomly choosing a number between 1 and 10
• Then picking every tenth number, starting from the original sample
• Doesn’t always guarantee a representative sample but is more likely with a larger sample
• Not likely to biased due to randomisation

Question 16

Stratified sampling:

Answer 16

• Dividing the population into different sampling frames
• Then using systematic sampling to select the sample
• Examples of strata: Age, race, location and gender