Sampling Flashcards
Why do sociologists need to sample?
- too expensive and time consuming for sociologists to involve the whole population in their research
Define gatekeeper
- point of contact who can put you into contact with the participants you wish to research
Which groups of people are harder to research?
- children/students
- prisoners
- gang members
- care home residents
Why are gatekeepers essential?
- to ensure safeguarding d the participants and the researcher
What are the steps to getting a sample?
- target population
- sampling frame
- sampling method
- sample
What are the 2 types of sampling?
- random and non random
Define random sampling
- where all people of the target population have an equal chance of being picked entirely but chance
What are the pros of random sampling?
- reduces risk of samples being biased
- increases representativeness unless samples consist of the same type of people
What are the cons of random sampling?
- sampling frame is needed
Define non random sampling
- where people in the target population do not have an equal chance of being picked
What are pros of non random sampling?
- sampling frame not needed
What are the cons of non random sampling?
- less likely to be representative
- biased through researcher choice
What are the conditions needed for sampling frames?
- must have general characteristics required for specific study
- must be recent
What are the random sampling methods?
- general random sampling
- systematic random sampling
- stratified random sampling
What are the non random sampling methods?
- quota non random sampling
- snowball non random sampling
- purposive non random sampling
- volunteer non random sampling
What is general random sampling?
- where all people in target population have an equal chance of being picked entirely by chance
What is systematic random sampling?
- every other nth number is selected from the sampling frame
What is stratified sampling?
- dividing the research population into a number of different sample frames and using systematic random sampling to select a group that will comprise the research sample
What is quota non random sampling?
- select the required population based on given criteria
What is snowball non random sampling?
- one contact recruits other participants to get involved in the research
What is purposive non random sampling?
- pick participants to meet their criteria
What is volunteer non random sampling?
- sample gathered through participants putting themselves forward to be studied
What are the pros of random sampling and systematic sampling?
- everyone has same chance (reliable)
- not biased (representative)
- preferred by positivists due to its scientific and objective nature (reliable)
What are the cons of random sampling and systematic sampling?
- time consuming (lowers representativeness and generalisability)
- sampling frame won’t always provide useful information so can be biased (lowers representativeness and generalisability)
- if greater number of one type of person is picked (lowers representativeness)
What are the pros of stratified sampling?
- not biased (representativeness)
- preferred by positivists due to its scientific, objective nature (reliable)
What are the cons of stratified sampling?
- time consuming (lowers representativeness and generalisability)
- sampling frame might not give specific groups to include (lowers representativeness and generalisability)
- if some groups have larger number of people then they’re more likely to be chosen (lowers representativeness and generalisability)
What are the pros of quota sampling?
- useful when there is no sampling frame
- easy to set targets
- increases representativeness
What are the cons of quota sampling?
- researcher may be biased towards certain group (lowers representativeness)
- no sampling frame, less scientific, more difficult to repeat (lowers reliability)
- numbers needed may not be representative of target population
What are pros of snowball sampling?
- useful when there is no sampling frame
- good for studies with difficult groups to access (validity and representativeness)
- easy if one person acts as gatekeeper (rapport and validity)
What are the cons of snowball sampling?
- no sampling frame (not representative)
- sample made up pf same type of people (lowers representativeness)
- biased/subjective (insider researchers)
What are the pros of purposive sampling?
- useful when there is no sampling frame
- good when specific type of person is needed
- easy/quick to get large sample (representativeness)
What are cons of purposive sampling?
- no sampling frame (not representative)
- sample made up of same type of people (lowers representativeness)
- biased/subjective (chosen by researcher)
What are the pros of volunteer sampling?
- useful when there is no sampling frame
- good when specific type of person is needed (representativeness)
- easy/quick large sample (representativeness and generalisability)
What are the cons of volunteer sampling?
- no sampling frame (not representative)
- sample made up of the same type of people (lowers representativeness)
- biased/subjective (chosen by researcher)
