Research Methods and Sampling Techniques VOCABULARY

Front

Subject (general def/observational study)

Back

The person, animal, or thing being observed in the data collection study.

Front

Variable

Back

The trait being observed in the subjects.

Front

Census

Back

When the research group includes the entire population of interest.

Front

Representative Sample

Back

When the sample mirrors the population in all necessary ways.

Front

Non-Response Bias

Back

Occurs when an appropriate sampling method was chosen and a representative sample was selected, but the actual sample of data is not representative because a large portion of those selected chose not to participate.

Front

Undercoverage

Back

Occurs when the sampling method chosen was inappropriate and resulted in one or more subgroups in the population being omitted from the selected sample.

Front

Response Bias

Back

Occurs when the subjects in a study provide inaccurate responses for the variable of interest, possibly due to questioning or measurement issues.

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Voluntary Response Bias

Back

Occurs when people are allowed to self-select, and those in the sample generally fail to reflect the population because the group who would self-select have some sort of outside motivation, often having strong feelings about the issue being studied.

Front

Sampling Variability

Back

Samples naturally vary to some degree due to differences in the subjects in them.

Front

Convenience Sampling (identifying)

Back

Subjects that are readily available are prompted to participate in the observational study or survey.