sampling

Question 1

what is the research population?

Answer 1

the whole group you are studying

Question 1

what is the sampling frame?

Answer 1

list of everyone in the research population i.e. the electoral register

Question 2

what is the sample?

Answer 2

the group of people taken from the sampling frame

Question 3

representativeness of samples

Answer 3

• sociologists try to make their samples representative of the population that they are studying
• with a representative sample the researcher can make generalisations

Question 4

what is random sampling?

Answer 4

• when everyone in the sampling frame has an equal chance of being selected e.g. names out of a hat
• quasi-random / systematic random samples select every other nth person
• not all samples are representative but can remove bias

Question 5

what is a stratified random sample

Answer 5

• research population is put into segments called ‘strata’ based on things such as gender, age, ethnicity etc
• names are often selected at random from within each segment
• this will select the most representative sample

Question 6

what is quota sampling?

Answer 6

• selection is made by the researcher, who will have a quota to meet
• selection is based on the necessary characteristics to fit the research
• this type of sampling is quick, cheap and easy to select
• told to find particular people of age, gender etc
• very unlikely to be representative

Question 7

what is non-representative sampling? (snowball sampling)

Answer 7

• snowball sampling = when the researcher finds an initial contact and then gets introduced to more people
• usually used when no sampling frame is available e.g. studying deviant groups

Question 8

what is an opportunity/convenience sample?

Answer 8

• selecting people because they are available
• an example is stopping passers-by
• choosing a class of children for a captive audience
• unlikely to be representative