Data Collection Flashcards
What is a population?
- the whole set of items that are of interest
What is a census?
- observes or measures every member of a population
What is a sample?
- a selection of observations taken from a subset of population which is used to find out information about the population as a whole
What are the advantages and disadvantages of censuses and samples?

What is a sampling unit?
- individual units of a population
What is a sampling frame?
- sampling units of a population are individually named or numbered to form a list which is the sampling frame
What are the three methods of random sampling?
- simple random sampling
- systematic sampling
- stratified sampling
What is systematic sampling?
- the required elements are chosen at regular intervals from an ordered list
What is stratified sampling?
- the population is divided into mutually exclusive strata and a random sample is taken from each
What is simple random sampling?
- a simple random sample of size n is one where every sample size n has an equal chance of being selected
What are the advantages and disadvantages of systematic sampling?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of stratified sampling?

What are the two types of non-random sampling?
- quota sampling
- opportunity sampling
What is quota sampling?
- a sample is selected that reflects the characteristics of the whole population
What is opportunity sampling?
- taking samples from people who are available at the time the study is carried out and who fit the criteria you are looking for
What are the advantages and disadvantages of quota sampling?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of opportunity sampling?

What are quantitative variables/data?
- variables or data associated with numerical observations
What are qualitative variables/data?
- variables or data associated with non-numerical observations
What is a continuous variable?
- a variable that can take any value in a given range
What is a discrete variable?
- a variable that can take only specific values in a given range