Sampling Techniques

Question 1

● What is a population in research?

Answer 1

The group of people the researcher is interested in

Question 2

● What is a sample?

Answer 2

A group taken from the population to participate in research

Question 3

● What is random sampling?

Answer 3

Every person has an equal chance of being selected

Question 4

● What is systematic sampling?

Answer 4

Using a system to choose participants, e.g., every 5th person

Question 5

● What is stratified sampling?

Answer 5

Sample reflects proportions of sub-groups in the population

Question 6

● What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 6

Using people who are available at the time

Question 7

● What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 7

Participants volunteer to take part in response to an advert

Question 8

● How do you conduct a random sample?

Answer 8

Select names randomly from a full list of the population

Question 9

● What is a sampling frame?

Answer 9

An organised list of the target population

Question 10

● How do you calculate a stratified sample?

Answer 10

Proportion of subgroup × sample size

Question 11

● What is one strength of random sampling?

Answer 11

It is unbiased

Question 12

● What is one strength of opportunity sampling?

Answer 12

It is quick and easy

Question 13

● What is one strength of volunteer sampling?

Answer 13

It is cheap and easy to carry out

Question 14

● What is one limitation of opportunity sampling?

Answer 14

It may not be representative

Question 15

● What is one limitation of volunteer sampling?

Answer 15

It may attract similar types of people

Question 16

● What is one limitation of random sampling?

Answer 16

It is time-consuming

Question 17

● What is one limitation of systematic sampling?

Answer 17

It may not be representative

Question 18

● What is one limitation of stratified sampling?

Answer 18

Time-consuming and complex

Question 19

● What is one strength of stratified sampling?

Answer 19

Most representative method

Question 20

● Why do researchers use samples?

Answer 20

It is not practical to study the entire population

Question 21

▲ Why is a stratified sample likely to be more representative?

Answer 21

It matches sub-group proportions in the population

Question 22

▲ Why might a systematic sample still be biased?

Answer 22

Not everyone has an equal chance of selection

Question 23

▲ Why is a volunteer sample potentially biased?

Answer 23

Only certain personality types volunteer

Question 24

▲ Why might opportunity sampling reduce generalisability?

Answer 24

Only includes people in one place at one time

Question 25

▲ How does a random sample reduce researcher bias?

Answer 25

Selection is made by chance, not the researcher

Question 26

▲ In what scenario would a stratified sample be most useful?

Answer 26

When studying views across different sub-groups

Question 27

▲ Why might a systematic sample be difficult to carry out?

Answer 27

You need a complete, ordered sampling frame

Question 28

▲ How can sampling method affect internal validity?

Answer 28

Unrepresentative samples can introduce bias

Question 29

▲ Why is collecting a sampling frame a limitation of random sampling?

Answer 29

It is time-consuming to compile

Question 30

▲ How does stratified sampling improve population validity?

Answer 30

It ensures proportional representation

Question 31

▲ Why might a researcher choose opportunity sampling?

Answer 31

It is fast and convenient

Question 32

▲ Why does a volunteer sample have low generalisability?

Answer 32

It may include only helpful, motivated individuals

Question 33

▲ How can stratified sampling still be unrepresentative?

Answer 33

Not all characteristics can be matched

Question 34

▲ What is a problem with asking for volunteers via an advert?

Answer 34

Attracts a biased sample

Question 35

▲ How is systematic sampling more objective than opportunity sampling?

Answer 35

It follows a rule rather than researcher choice

Question 36

✪ Why does volunteer sampling reduce internal validity?

Answer 36

Volunteers may share traits that affect the DV

Question 37

✪ How can opportunity sampling introduce researcher bias?

Answer 37

The researcher chooses who to ask

Question 38

✪ Why is stratified sampling not fully representative despite its strengths?

Answer 38

It cannot account for all possible sub-group variables

Question 39

✪ Why is systematic sampling not fully unbiased?

Answer 39

The system may unintentionally exclude certain individuals

Question 40

✪ How does the self-selection of volunteers impact external validity?

Answer 40

Findings may not generalise to the wider population

Question 41

✪ How does the time-consuming nature of stratified sampling affect its practical use?

Answer 41

It may not be feasible for large populations

Question 42

✪ Why is random sampling rarely used despite being unbiased?

Answer 42

It requires a full list and participant consent

Question 43

✪ Why might an opportunity sample bias findings?

Answer 43

It includes only those present and willing at the time

Question 44

✪ How does participant availability affect the reliability of opportunity samples?

Answer 44

Different participants might produce different results

Question 45

✪ Why is volunteer sampling especially vulnerable to social desirability bias?

Answer 45

Volunteers may want to please the researcher