Sampling

Question 1

What is meant by target population?

Answer 1

The group of individuals a researcher is interested in. If representative be able to generalise from sample to the target population.

Question 2

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 2

When the researcher uses people who are available at the time.

Question 3

What are the advantages of using opportunity sampling?

Answer 3

Easy and convenient

Question 4

What is a disadvantage of using opportunity sampling?

Answer 4

People may not be representative of the target population
Not everyone has an equal chance to take part (unfair)

Question 5

What is self selected sampling?

Answer 5

Using people who volunteer when asked or responded to adverts

Question 6

What are the advantages of using self selected sampling?

Answer 6

Willing participants

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of self selected sampling?

Answer 7

Can be highly unrepresentative as certain type of people are likely to participate in the study

Question 8

What is random sampling?

Answer 8

Each person has an equal chance of being picked. Every member of target population has to be available

Question 9

What are the advantages of using random sampling?

Answer 9

The fairest way to to select a sample

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of using random sampling?

Answer 10

Not the most representative

Question 11

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 11

List of target population is given, names are systematically taken e.g. every 10th person

Question 12

What are the advantages of using systematic sampling?

Answer 12

Tends to be representative as researcher has some control over who to select

Question 13

What are the disadvantages of using systematic sampling?

Answer 13

Not the fairest way as not everyone has an chance of being chosen

Question 14

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 14

Sample divided into groups, certain number chosen from each group

Question 15

What are the advantages of using stratified sampling?

Answer 15

Guarantees a representative sampling

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of using stratified sampling?

Answer 16

Time consuming as participants need to be assessed and categorised

Question 17

What is quota sampling?

Answer 17

Selects a sample by dividing into subgroups, then selects predetermined number from each group

Question 18

What are the advantages of using quota sampling?

Answer 18

Representative of sampling frame and may be quicker than stratified

Question 19

What are the disadvantages of using quota sampling?

Answer 19

Not as fair as stratified as only participants chosen by researcher have a chance

Question 20

What is difference between stratified and quota?

Answer 20

Stratified- participants are chosen randomly for each strata
Quota- participants are chosen by opportunity sampling for each strata

Question 21

What is snowball sampling?

Answer 21

Used when population isn’t easy to contact. Ask participants to give names of further appropriate participants

Question 22

What are the advantages of using snowball sampling?

Answer 22

Possible to include members of group where no lists or sources exist

Question 23

What are the disadvantages of using snowball sampling?

Answer 23

No way to know if the sample is representative of the population as is largely unknown

Question 24

What is observational sampling?

Answer 24

Observing a group of people recording the detail that happen

Question 25

What is event sampling?

Answer 25

Observe ongoing behaviours that vary over time in a naturally occurring environment

Question 26

What is time sampling?

Answer 26

Data collected from participants over a specific time.

Question 27

What are the advantages of using time and event sampling?

Answer 27

Event - recording observation of infrequent behaviours Time - recording observations of frequent behaviours that vary

Question 28

What are the disadvantages of using event and time sampling?

Answer 28

Event - if too many observations occurring may be difficult to record everything Time - some behaviours may be missed, may not be representative

Question 29

What is a cross sectional study?

Answer 29

Takes places at one specific time, compares different groups of people at that time. PPs tested once to find simple relationship between variables

Question 30

Advantages of a cross sectional study

Answer 30

Can be done quickly Participants only need to be tested once and are easily obtained Less ethical considerations

Question 31

Disadvantages of using a cross sectional study

Answer 31

Less rich detailed data collected Difficult to identify and analyse developmental trends

Question 32

What is a longitudinal study?

Answer 32

Following one group of people over a certain period of time

Question 33

Advantages of longitudinal study

Answer 33

Same group of PPs, so variables don’t affect data collected Best to spot developmental trends as repeat test in regular intervals

Question 34

Disadvantages of using longitudinal study

Answer 34

Certain PPs may move away/no longer want to participate (disrupts study) Can be expensive, time consuming, data can vary in strength