Sampling Techniques

Question 1

What is self selecting sampling?

Answer 1

Self selected sampling is when participants volunteering to take part in the experiment

Question 2

What is snowball sampling?

Answer 2

The experimenter approaches a member of the target population and asks them to take part. That participant then recruits other people they know

Question 3

What is opportunity sampling?

Answer 3

It is when the experimenter just recruits anyone that is available at the time

Question 4

What is random sampling?

Answer 4

Putting a list of the population into a ‘hat’ then picking out names

Question 5

Give advantages of self selective sampling

Answer 5

• participants are less likely to drop out

* a good way to find willing participants

Question 6

Give disadvantages of self selective sampling

Answer 6

•participants may lie in their results because they’ve chosen to take part and won’t want to waste the experimenters time

Question 7

Advantages of snowball sampling

Answer 7

•allows the experimenter to locate groups of people that may be difficult to get to

Question 8

Disadvantages of snowball sampling

Answer 8

The sample is not likely to be a good cross-section from the population because it is friends of friends

Question 9

Advantages of opportunity sampling

Answer 9

• Easiest method because you just use the first participants you can find
• doesn’t take long to get your sample

Question 10

Disadvantages of opportunity sampling

Answer 10

•Inevitably biased because the sample is drawn from a small part of the target population

Question 11

Advantages of random sampling

Answer 11

Unbiased because all members have an equal chance of getting picked

Question 12

Disadvantages of random sampling

Answer 12

• takes more time and effort to locate a sample and get them to go along with your experiment
• may end up with participants that are all similar by coincidence