Sampling Techniques

Question 1

What types of sampling techniques are there?

Answer 1

• Random sampling
• systematic sampling
• Stratified sampling
• volunteer sample
• Opportunity sample

Question 2

What is random sampling?

Answer 2

It is a sampling method which involves anyone from the target population to having an equal chance to be selected to take part in the study

Question 3

What is the strength of a random sample?

Answer 3

-It prevents researcher bias as the researcher cannot pick participants that will support their hypothesis

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of a random sample?

Answer 4

• It is difficult and time consuming to get all the names from the target population and assign them numbers for a lottery method
• The sample can still end up being biased as there is a chance that similar participants that don’t represent the target population as a whole get picked
• Participants may refuse to take part in the study therefore this would produce a biased sample and wont be representative of the target population as a whole

Question 5

What is a systematic sample?

Answer 5

It is a sampling technique where every nth member of the target population is picked to take part in the study
-This is done by picking a sampling from out (such as alphabetical order) and then choosing a system (such as every 5th person)

Question 6

What is the disadvantage of systematic sampling?

Answer 6

-Participants can still refuse to retake part and it can produce a biased sample that does not represent the target population

Question 7

What is stratified sampling?

Answer 7

• A sampling technique that represents the sub-groups in the target population
• Random sampling is used to allocate participants to the sub groups and they are the same percentage of people that make up the sub group in the real target population

Question 8

What are the advantages of stratified sampling?

Answer 8

• It prevents researcher bias as the sub groups are filled through random allocation
• It is very representative of the target population as it displays the composition of the target population

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of stratified sampling?

Answer 9

-It is expensive and time consuming

Question 10

What is an opportunity sample?

Answer 10

-participants who are willing and able when they are asked to take part in the study

Question 11

What Is the advantage of an opportunity sample?

Answer 11

-It is convenient as there is not much effort or time required and money required compared to other sampling techniques

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Question 12

What are the disadvantages of opportunity sample

Answer 12

• Researcher bias can occur as researcher has complete control over sampling technique
• The sample can be unrepresentative of the target population as it is drawn from very specific areas so the findings cannot be generalised to the target population

Question 13

What is a volunteer sample?

Answer 13

It is a sampling technique which involves gathering participants who volunteer themselves or select themselves for an experiment by seeing an advertisement with contact details on them, the advertisement would be placed where the target population would see them.

Question 14

What is the advantage of a volunteer sample?

Answer 14

-It requires minimal effort from the researcher, it is less time consuming and costly compared to other sampling techniques

Question 15

What is the disadvantage of a volunteer sample?

Answer 15

-Volunteer bias is a problem as more interested participants will volunteer and there behaviours may not represent the behaviours of the target population which decrease the validity of the findings