Sampling

Sampling

• Sampling is a way of finding a small number of people on whom to conduct research, who ideally form a representative cross section of the population in general

Simple random sample

• This is like drawing names from a hat. Most are often done by a computer program that selects names randomly
• PROS
• Every member has an equal chance of getting picked
• CONS
• Could end up with a disproportionate group (e.g. all males)

Systematic Random Sample

• Taking every nth name from the sampling frame
• e.g. picking every 10th person from an electoral roll
• PROS
• Avoids bias as the sample is random
• Quick to do
• CONS
• Doesn't always guarantee a representative sample
• The larger the sample the more likely it is to be a representative sample and less likely to be in favor of a particular group

Stratified Random Sample

• The population under study is divided into sub-populations i.e. by age, gender and class.
• A sample is then drawn up randomly based on these groups. So, if females aged 30 and under were 40% of the stratified sample would need to be females under 30 too, to be representative.
• PROS
• Removes disproportion
• Can make it specific to the hypothesis
• CONS
• Complicated to do
• Takes longer

Snowball Sampling

• A sociologist may be interested in studying a private/secret/deviant population group.
• Using a snowball sample, the researcher would begin by making contract with one member of the population, gaining his/her confidence until the person is willing to give names of the others they know, their friends, family or contacts.
• The researcher would then approach these people and hope they would have more contacts too, to get the sample they needed
• PROS
• Can be any size
• The only way to access difficult groups
• CONS
• Little validity
• Takes too long
• Could be easily bias

Slide 6

Purposive Sampling

• A sociologist selects people on the basis that they are likely to be relevant to the subject being studied.
• Anyone thought to be significant and useful to the research may be included.
• E.g. Hodkinson knew he wanted goths for his sample so diliberatley found them to use in his sample
• PROS
• Correct info for research
• Saves time
• CONS
• Could be bias

Quota Sampling

• A decision made by the researcher about the numbers of people that they want from certain social characteristics and then select the personally.
• This method is often used by researchers "on the street"
• PROS
• Can be used by market researchers, TV companies and newspapers
• Choosing a specific person
• Can be representative
• CONS
• Take time as the researcher goes out to look for the number of people instead of selecting them randomly

Volunteer and Opportuity Sampling

• Volunteer
• Non representative people who volunteer not to be typical of the research population
• Is quick and easy
• Opportunity
• Making the most of an opportunity to go out to the place and collect the data
• Takes a long time
• Not representative

Access

• A gatekeeper is someone who knows the people requested for the sample and they have it within their power to let the sociologist have access to them.
• Headteacher
• Police
• Bosses/Employers
• Prison owners