Session 9 Flashcards
Target population
the population being studied
Sampling
process of deciding what or whom to observe when you cannot observe and analyze everything or everyone
Sampling unit
elements considered for selection in sampling (i.e; people, cities, organizations, documents, departments)
Sampling frame
the full list of sampling units from which the sample is selected
Probability sampling
large
statistically representative (or proportional) samples of a population
more common in quantitative
qualitative: research is usually for large-scale interview based studies
non-probability sampling
gather better data from non-representative samples (more in depth) but is not generalizable
type of sample we choose depends on the purpose of our research (purposive sampling)
Factors that affect sample choice
time and money
2 reasons for sample selection
ability to exemplify the population we are interested in
their relevance to the research questions
Purposive sampling
researchers choosing the case and participants they believe will be informative for RQ
Convenience sampling
sampling whoever is available by chance because it’s cheap and convenient
2 types of purposive samples
sequential (evolving)
non-sequential (fixed from the outset)
Context purposive sampling
extreme sampling
typical sampling
critical case sampling
Population sampling
maximum variation
criterion
theoretical sampling
snowball
opportunistic
stratified
generic
Extreme sampling
sampling cases that are unusual
demonstrate exceptional qualities
Sequential purposive sampling
refining sampling criteria or selecting additional participants
Non-sequential purposive sampling
selecting all participants at once based on pre-determined criteria
What is theoretical sampling
associated with grounded theory approach
emphasis theoretical saturation
Theoretical saturation
data collection does not support any more theoretical concepts
Snowball sampling
useful when there is no sampling frame
initial small group of people selected on research relevance than these participants propose others with similar characteristics or experience
How much is enough for sample size
difficult to determine in advance
larger the scope and more comparisons, large the sample
goal: saturation
typical interview-based studies: at least 20-30
maximum variation
participants/cases that represent a wide range of diverse characteristics based on certain criteria
criterion sampling
participants or case are selected based on specific pre-determined criteria important to RQ
opportunistic sampling
adaptive approach where researcher takes advantage of unexpected opportunities that arise during the study
stratified purposive sampling
participants selected based on specific subgroups that are relevant to RQ
equal number for each strat up
eg; work-life balance study – stratify sample by job type (eg; healthcare, teachers, etc.)
generic purposive sampling
selection of participants based on their relevance to the RQ - no focus on specific strategies
