5. Sampling (AS) Flashcards
What does the term population mean?
A group of people who were the focus of the research is interest, from which a small sample is drawn.
What does the term target population mean?
The target population is a subset of the general population. This is the group the researcher wants to make a statement about.
What is the sample?
A group of people who take part in a research investigation. The sample is drawn from a population and is presumed to be representative of the population (it stands fairly for the population to be studied)
Why is the sample used?
The practical and economic reasons it is not usually possible to include all members of the target population in an investigation.
What do we aim to do when creating a sample?
We aim to make the sample representative of the target population so the generalisation of findings becomes possible.
What are sampling techniques?
The method used to select people from the population.
What are the five sampling techniques?
Random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified something, opportunity sampling, volunteer sampling.
What is a stratified sample?
A sample in which the composition of the sample reflects the proportions of people in certain subgroups within the target population.
What are the evaluation points for stratified something?
It avoids researcher bias
Produces a representative accurately reflects the composition of the population.
Good ability to generalise.
What is a random sample?
A sample where all members of the target population has an equal chance of being selected.
What are the evaluation points for a random sample?
Free from research of bias.
It’s very difficult and time-consuming to conduct.
You may end up with a with a sample that is still unrepresentative.
If some participants refuse to take part you may end up with volunteer sampling.
What is the systematic sample?
I sample when every nth member of the target population is selected, the interval is determined randomly to reduce bias.
What are the evaluation points for systematic sampling?
The something avoid researcher bias
It is also usually fairly representative
What is an opportunity sample?
When the researcher simply decides to select anyone who happens to be willing and available to take part in the investigation.
What are the evaluation points for an opportunity sample?
It is a convenient method to save time and effort.
Its unrepresentative of the target population so cannot be generalised and the researcher has complete control over the participants.
What is the volunteer sample?
This involves participants selecting themselves to be part of the sample.
What are the evaluation points for a volunteer sample?
It’s a very easy process and use minimal input from the researcher is less time-consuming.
Volunteer bias however there is a problem as you attract a certain profile of person.
What is a bias?
When certain groups maybe over or under represented within the sample selected. This limits the extent to which generalisations can be made
What is generalisation?
The extent to which findings and conclusions from the ticket investigation can be broadly applied to the population.
