Sampling Techniques

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  • Sampling Techniques
    • Random Sampling
      • When everyone in a sample has an equal chance of being chosen
        • (e.g.) Names of participants may be drawn from a hat
      • Strengths
        • No researcher bias
        • Most unbiased method
      • Weaknesses
        • A representative sample is not always guaranteed
        • can be time consuming
        • Not all selected participants will want to take part
    • Opportunity Sampling
      • Selecting people that are readily available at the time
        • (e.g.) approaching people in an area and asking them to participate
      • Strengths
        • Quickest and easiest form of sampling
        • Most economical
      • Weaknesses
        • More likely to have a biased and unrepresentative sample
    • Self-Selecting
      • When participants volunteer themselves to participate in the research
        • (e.g.) Participants respond to posters seen online/in magazines/in university
      • Strengths
        • Participants are more willing to participate (less chance of withdrawal)
      • Weaknesses
        • Time consuming
        • Sample more unrepresentative
    • Snowball Sampling
      • When participants recruit other participants for the study
        • (e.g.) asking participants to recruit others and having those participants recruit others
      • Strengths
        • can be useful when researchers are researching niche target populations
      • Weaknesses
        • Not always reliable
        • May be unrepresentative

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