Ch. 11 Sampling Flashcards
The use of random procedures to select a sample that can allow us to estimate the expected degree of sampling error in a study and determine or control the likelihood of specific units in a population being selected for the study.
probability sampling
A precise, unbiased, scientific procedure for selecting research population elements for a sample that guarantees an equal probability of selection of each element when substantial samples are selected from large populations
random sampling
A type of nonprobability sampling in which units are selected into the sample on the basis of prespecified characteristics so that the total sample will have the same distribution of characteristics as are assumed to exist in the population being studied.
quota sampling
The unit selected in a sample about which information is collected
element
The theoretically specified aggregation of study elements.
population
The aggregation of elements from which the sample is actually selected.
study population
A sampling method in which each element has an equal chance of selection independent of any other event in the selection process.
random selection
An element or set of elements considered for selection in some stage of sampling.
sampling unit
The summary description of a given variable in a population.
parameter
The difference between the true population parameter and the estimated population parameter.
sampling error
The list or quasi-list of elements from which a sample is selected.
sampling frame
Using a table of random numbers to select sampling units after assigning a single number to each element in the sampling frame list.
simple random sampling
An efficient alternative to random sampling, in which every kth element in the sampling frame list—after a random start—is chosen for inclusion in the sample.
systematic sampling
The standard distance between elements selected in systematic sampling.
sampling interval
The proportion of elements in the population that are selected in a systematic sample.
sampling ratio
The grouping of the units making up a population into homogeneous groups (or strata) before sampling.
stratification
Stratified random sampling with a uniform proportion of cases drawn from each homogeneous grouping.
stratified proportionate sampling
To take a larger proportion of the very small homogeneous groupings than of the larger ones.This sampling procedure gives cases from specified small subgroups a disproportionately better chance of being selected than cases from larger subgroups.
stratified disproportionate sampling
A multistage sampling procedure that starts by sampling groups (clusters) of elements in the population and then subsampling individual members of each selected group afterward.
cluster sampling
The use of procedures to select a sample that does not involve random selection.
nonprobability sampling
A sampling method that selects elements simply because of their ready availability and convenience. Frequently used in social work because it is usually less expensive than other methods and because other methods may not be feasible for a particular type of study or population
availability sampling
Selecting a sample based on your own judgment about which units are most representative or useful.
purposive sampling
A form of purposive sampling in which cases that don’t fit into regular patterns are selected to improve understanding of regular patterns.
deviant case sampling
a non-probability sampling technique that constructs sample subgroups reflecting their proportional representation in the population. These predetermined quotas ensure the inclusion of key subpopulations in the correct proportions.
quota sampling
A nonprobability sampling method used when the members of a special population are difficult to locate. Each selected member of the target population whom one is able to locate is asked to provide the information needed to locate other members of that population that they happen to know.
snowball sampling
A qualitative sampling technique similar to deviant case sampling in which cases are selected that are more or less intense than usual, but not so unusual that they would be called deviant.
intensity sampling
aims to capture the diversity of a phenomenon within a small sample to be studied intensively.
maximum variation sampling
A sampling method associated with the grounded theory paradigm of qualitative research, in which new cases are selected that seem to be similar to those that generated previously detected concepts and hypotheses, but once the researcher perceives that no new insights are being generated from observing similar cases, a different type of case is selected, and the same process is repeated until the observation of different types of cases seems to be generating no new insights.
theoretical sampling
