Exam 3 Flashcards
What is a parameter in survey research?
It refers to what we are estimating in the larger population, like average income, average exam grade, average height
What will your sampling distribution look like if you have a very small sample size?
Flat
Every time you increase your sample size, your distribution looks more like what?
A bell curve
What is systematic sampling?
When you randomly choose a number and select every “Kth” number on the list. For example, randomly choose the number 9 and select each 9th participant.
Name a few institutions that have good survey datasets.
NORC - The National Opinion Research Center at University of Chicago
ISR – Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan
The Gallup Organization, a private company but very established
What are the pros of using secondary data?
What are the cons of using secondary data?
Pros: less work, save time, convenient
Cons: data might not fit our research question
Sampling is the process of selecting __________ in social research.
observations
Probability sampling is used in ________ research whereas Non-probability sampling is used in ________ research.
Probability sampling is used in quantitative
research whereas Non-probability sampling is used in qualitative research.
What is more representative of the population, probability or non-probability sampling?
Probability
What is EPSM?
Equal probability of selection method, when all members of the population have an equal chance of being selected into the sample
What is a sampling frame?
A sampling frame is the list of elements from which a probability sample is selected
What is stratified sampling?
Procedure
1. Stratify subjects according to a specific variable (gender, major, race)
- Use systematic sampling method to choose subjects into the sample
True or false, when using probability sampling, our estimates are always going to be 100% accurate.
False, regardless of the survey method, statistically, there are always going to be sampling errors.
What is a confidence interval?
the range of values within a population parameter is estimated to fall into.
Name a few examples of purposive, or judgmental sampling.
pretests, visible subjects vs. all subjects, deviant cases
What does NORC stand for?
National Opinion Research Center
What is the problem in this research question: “The pace at our company is hectic”.
This is a biased question, it is assuming and misleading. The question is negative, and broadcasts a bad message about the company, resulting in skewed data.
What is the average reading level?
4th grade
What are four types of non-probability sampling?
Reliance on available subjects
Purposive or judgmental sampling
Snowball sampling
Quota sampling
When you choose subjects based on who you think will be the most useful or representative, what kind of sampling are you using?
Purposive or judgmental sampling
When you choose subjects based on prespecified characteristics, so that the total sample will have the same distribution of characteristics assumed to exist in the population being studied, what kind of sampling are you using?
Quota sampling
Someone well versed in the social phenomenon that you wish to study and who is willing to tell you what he or she knows about it is called a what?
Informant
What is EPSEM?
Equal probability of selection method, a sample design in which each member of a population has the same chance of being selected into the sample.
The unit of which a population is composed and which is selected in a sample is called what?
Element
A ________ is the summary description of a given variable in a population.
Parameter
What is a confidence level?
The estimated probability that a population parameter lies within a given confidence interval.
What is a confidence interval?
The range of values within which a population parameter is estimated to lie.
We express the accuracy of our sample statistics in terms of a ___________ that the statistics fall within a specified ________ from the parameter.
Level of confidence, interval
In this type of probability sampling, units composing a population are assigned numbers. A set of random numbers is then generated, and the units having those numbers are included in the sample.
Simple random sampling
In this type of probability sampling, every kth unit is selected for inclusion in the sample.
Systematic sampling
How do you compute “k” in systematic sampling?
You compute “k” by dividing the size of the population by the desired sample size. “k” is called the sampling interval.
_________ is the standard distance (k) between elements selected from a population for a sample.
Sampling interval
The ________ _____ is the proportion of elements in the population that are selected to be in a sample.
Sampling ratio
In general, survey is generally strong/weak on validity and strong/weak on reliability.
In general, survey research is comparatively WEAK on validity and STRONG on reliability.
True or false: the order of items in a questionnaire can influence the responses given.
True
Name three ways questionnaires can be adminstered
Self-administered
Face-to-face interviews
Telephone surveys
Should sensitive questions go at the beginning or end of the questionnaire?
End
When you want to ask a series of questions under the same theme, what kind of questionnaire question should you use?
A matrix question
How do you calculate sampling ratio?
Sample size / population size
Ex: 10/40 = 1/4 = 25%
How do you calculate sampling interval?
Population size / sampling size
Ex: 40/10 = 4
What is a drawback of quota sampling?
the quota frame must be accurate, but it’s often difficult to get up-to date info about the characteristics of the population, the selection of subjects for each cell in the matrix may be biased
