4.4. Sampling methods

In most cases of primary data collection it is possible and affordable (cheap) to ask the ‘entire population’.

• True

• False

In data collection, the term population does not mean ‘the population of the region/country/world’ but the total number of people under study, as defined by the objectives of the market research.

• True

• False

‘All people aged 21–25 years old still in full-time education’ - is an accurate example for date collection for the term ' population'.

• True

• False

group of people taking part in a market research survey selected to be representative of the target market overall

• sample

• sampling error

• quota sampling

• random sampling

errors in research caused by using a sample for data collection rather than the whole target population

• sample

• sampling error

• quota sampling

• random sampling

• stratified sampling

gathering data from a group chosen out of a specific sub-group, e.g. a researcher might ask 100 individuals between the ages of 20 and 30 years

• sample

• quota sampling

• random sampling

• cluster sampling

this draws a sample from a specified sub-group or segment of the population and uses random sampling to select an appropriate number from each stratum

• sample

• quota sampling

• cluster sampling

• stratified sampling

using one or a number of specific groups to draw samples from and not selecting from the whole population, e.g. using one town or region

• quota sampling

• sampling error

• cluster sampling

• convenience sampling

drawing representative selection of people because of the ease of their volunteering or selecting people because of their availability or easy access

• quota sampling

• stratified sampling

• snowball sampling

• convenience sampling

using existing members of a sample study group to recruit further participants through their acquaintances

• quota sampling

• cluster sampling

• convenience sampling

• snowball sampling