Data Collection

Sampling

Target Population
The group of people to whom the researcher wishes to generalize the results of the study

Accessible Population


-The smaller portion of the target population to whom the researcher actually has access

Target Accessible
Sample

Sample
 -The

group of people who supply data for the study (Study group)

Sampling


the process of selecting a portion of the target population (sample) in such a way that the individuals chosen represent, as nearly as possible, the characteristics of the target population.

Sampling Unit


-A single member of the target population.

Sampling Bias
-An overrepresentation or underrepresentation of some characteristic in the sample relative to the target population Unconscious Conscious

The extent to which bias is a concern is a function of the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the target population. When a variation (relevant to the research question) occurs in a population, then it must occur in the sample

Strata


-Subpopulations of the target population

Sampling error


-the fluctuation of a statistic from one sample to another drawn from the same population. (Can be estimated with probability sampling) Note: the larger the sample, the less sampling error.

Probability Sampling


-Sampling procedures use some form of randomization to select samples from the population.

Non Probability Sampling

Sampling procedures using other than random procedures.


NON PROBABILITY SAMPLING



CONVENIENCE SAMPLING PURPOSIVE SAMPLING QUOTA SAMPLING

Convenience Sampling (Accidental Sampling)



Involves the use of the most convenient and readily available subjects for the sample.
Man on the street interviews Teacher uses students Volunteers

Convenience/accidental sampling


Problem: Sample bias because of self selection--available subjects may be highly atypical of the population with regard to critical variables.

SNOWBALL SAMPLING


Variation of above, used when subjects are hard to find. One subject recommends another. Even more prone to bias.

Convenience sampling is the most widely used yet weakest form of sampling. There is no way to evaluate all of the biases that may be operating.

QUOTA SAMPLING


Researcher uses some knowledge of the population to build some representativeness into the sampling plan divides population into different strata and samples from each of them USUALLY BETTER THAN JUST CONVENIENCE

THE BASIS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS CHOSEN SHOULD REFLECT IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES IN THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE
age gender ethnicity socioeconomic status education medical diagnosis occupation

Quota Sampling
 Problem:

you cant always determine which characteristics in the sample are going to be reflected in the dependent variable

PURPOSIVE SAMPLING Judgmental Sampling



PROCEEDS ON THE BELIEF THAT THE RESEARCHER KNOWS ENOUGH ABOUT THE POPULATION AND ITS ELEMENT TO HANDPICK THE SAMPLE
selects typical persons selects widest variety

Purposive or Judgemental Sampling

 

Assumption: judgemental errors will tend to balance out. Risk of conscious bias greatly multiplied Should be avoided if the population is heterogeneous.

 

PROBABILITY SAMPLING
SIMPLE RANDOM  STRATIFIED RANDOM  CLUSTER The probability of any member of the target population being included in the sample can be calculated.  SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING

(Can be either probability or non probability)

SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING

identify population establish sampling frame number elements in sampling frame consecutively randomly select from list

 Random

sampling does not guarantee representativeness, it does guarantee that difference between the sample and the population are purely a function of chance.

STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLE



The population is divided into two or more strata by relevant characteristics and subjects are randomly chosen from these strata Slightly better than simple random, especially if the sample is not very large.

CLUSTER SAMPLING
 

Multistage sampling process Used when target population is very large Results in more sampling error Statistical analysis more complicated

SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING


Selection of every Kth case from a list of possible subjects. ( K represents any number)

SAMPLE SIZE
 

N Determined by: COHENS POWER ANALYSIS

Determine effect size of treatment Use in power analysis formula Achieves the least measurement error

N DETERMINED BY CONVENTION
The bigger the better cost and convenience 10% minimum for descriptive studies 15 subjects/group for experiments 5 for each cell in factorial