The concept of sampling methods and the various types of sampling

It is critical how we select a sample of people to be research participants. The population to which we can generalize our research findings will be determined by how we select participants (random sampling). The method we use to assign participants to different treatment conditions (random assignment) will determine whether there is bias in our treatment groups (Are the groups equal on all known and unknown factors?).

The integrity of the entire project is jeopardized if we perform poorly during the sampling stage of the research process. Which children will we observe if we are interested in the effect of TV violence on children? Where do they originate? How many are there? How will they be chosen? These are critical questions.

Before we begin discussing sampling procedures, we must first define a few key terms. The term population refers to all members who meet a set of criteria or specifications. For example, the population of the United States is defined as all people who live there. An element is a single individual in any given population. A sample is defined as a subset of a population that is chosen at random.

Source: Datta, Sanjoy. (2018). Sampling methods. 10.13140/RG.2.2.22856.57605

Question 1

Assume we wanted to compare the differences in career goals between male and female students at MANCOSA. If this were the case, we would want to ensure that the sample we chose included a balanced mix of male and female students. However, in accordance with this sampling technique, the total number of male and female students included in our sampling frame would be equal only if 5,000 MANCOSA students were male and the remaining 5,000 students were female.

Because this is unlikely, the number of units chosen for each sample (i.e., the number of male and female students chosen) will differ. Discuss the sampling technique used and the advantages and disadvantages of this sampling technique.

Question 2

A pharmaceutical company wishes to test a novel medicine. Volunteers are assigned to one of two groups at random. The new medicine will be given to the first group, while the placebo will be given to the second. Discuss the four steps involved in this sampling technique.

Question 3

An organization decides to conduct research to determine the causes of voter apathy in a specific district. To collect the necessary data, the researcher decides to conduct a survey in one of the region's most expensive shopping malls. This sampling method already excludes various groups of eligible voters in the region.

For example, it excludes people who cannot afford to shop at the mall, as well as people who will not be in the mall at the time the survey is administered. The data resulting from convenience sampling, as seen here, is an inaccurate representation of the larger population's thoughts and experiences with voter apathy. As a result, the findings of this study will be severely flawed and cannot be considered valid.

Discuss how to avoid sampling bias during a research study.