Deck 7: The Logic of Sampling

Question 1

You want to examine the relationship between family size and family cohesion. You use as your sample all the students in your research methods class. What kind of sampling design are you using?

A)Simple random sampling
B)Quota sampling
C)Cluster sampling
D)Stratified sampling
E)Reliance on available subjects

Answer 1

E

Question 2

A study population is:

A)the theoretical and hypothetical aggregation of all elements as defined for a given survey.
B)the theoretically specified aggregation of survey elements.
C)that aggregation of elements from which the sample is actually selected.
D)that aggregation or set of elements considered for selection in some stage of sampling.
E)that aggregation of elements from which information is collected.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

If possible, always sampling from the entire general population is preferable.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Every kth element in a list is chosen for inclusion in the sample in:

A)simple random sampling.
B)systematic sampling.
C)disproportionate sampling.
D)cluster sampling.
E)stratified sampling.

Question 5

Nonprobability sampling:

A)always produces samples that possess distorted characteristics relative to the population.
B)denies the researcher the use of statistical theory to estimate the probability of correct inferences.
C)should never be used under any circumstances.
D)includes stratified sampling.
E)requires the use of sampling frames.

Question 6

Dr. Chang is conducting a research study of undergraduate students at her college. She wants to ensure an equal number of students from each grade level, so she uses the list of all students provided by the registrar's office. From each list, she randomly selects 50 students from each group. What strategy of sampling is Dr. Chang using?

A)Simple random sampling
B)Quota sampling
C)Cluster sampling
D)Stratified sampling
E)Accidental sampling

Question 7

Which of the following statements about informants is FALSE?

A)An informant is a member of the group that you want to study.
B)You usually want to select informants who are somewhat typical of the group that you are studying.
C)Informants are often marginal within their group.
D)Informants are useful in field research.
E)The terms "informant" and "respondent" are interchangeable.

Question 8

______ is the general term for samples selected in accord with probability theory.

A)Probability sampling
B)Nonprobability sampling
C)Correlation
D)Theory
E)Snowball sampling

Question 9

In general, as sample size increases:

A)the standard error increases in size.
B)the standard error decreases in size.
C)the standard error will remain the same regardless of changes in sample size.
D)the standard error is a constant.
E)the standard error fluctuates in size.

Question 10

If a field researcher wanted to learn a political organization's pattern of recruitment over time, the researcher might begin by interviewing a fairly recent recruit and ask who introduced that person to the organization. Then the researcher might interview the person named and ask who introduced that person to the political organization. This would be an example of:

A)snowball sampling.
B)systematic sampling.
C)deviant cases sampling.
D)accidental sampling.
E)quota sampling.

Question 11

Professor Hall was planning to do a field study of hitchhikers. Hall wanted to be sure that persons representing all different age, racial, and sex categories were included in the sample of hitchhikers. What kind of sampling scheme would you recommend?

A)Deviant cases
B)Quota sampling
C)Stratified sampling
D)Snowball sampling
E)Cluster sampling

Question 12

Through a review of records, Rebecca was able to determine that the mean age of the population she was studying was 23.4 years. This is known as a(n):

A)statistic.
B)inference.
C)parameter.
D)confidence interval.
E)confidence level.

Question 13

Snowball sampling would be an effective strategy for a researcher to use if a researcher was interested in studying a population of gang members.

Question 14

To ensure a sufficient number of cases from strata of varying sizes, researchers use:

A)simple random sampling.
B)systematic sampling.
C)proportionate sampling.
D)disproportionate sampling.
E)quota sampling.

Question 15

Periodicity is particularly important in:

A)simple random sampling.
B)availability sampling.
C)stratified sampling.
D)quota sampling.
E)systematic sampling.

Question 16

Field researchers are often interested in studying deviant cases in order to improve their understanding of the more typical pattern.

Question 17

Statistical computations assume that you have done:

A)simple random sampling.
B)systematic sampling.
C)cluster sampling.
D)stratified sampling.
E)disproportionate sampling.

Question 18

A researcher who uses a list of registered voters as a sampling frame and selects every 5th person on the randomized list is engaging in what kind of sampling?

A)Systematic
B)Stratified
C)Simple random
D)Quota
E)Multistage cluster

Question 19

Tammy wants to do a telephone survey and she turns to you for help. Which of the following statements would mislead her?

A)Cell phone numbers are typically not included in phone surveys.
B)People who use cell phones exclusively tend to be younger.
C)There is a class bias in using telephone directory samples.
D)Telephone directories are an excellent listing of a city's population.
E)Unlisted numbers are not included in telephone directories.

Question 20

When selecting variables for stratification, it is best to select variables that:

A)stratify based on gender.
B)stratify based on age.
C)stratify based on the variables you want to represent.
D)stratify in order to achieve equally sized group.
E)always stratify into at most three groups.

Question 21

Simple random sampling is the most effective way to further understand uncommon populations.

Question 22

Telephone directories are notorious for being inadequate sampling frames for public opinion polls. What problems are associated with using the telephone directory as a sampling frame in a public opinion poll?

Question 23

Stratifying a population prior to drawing a sample:

A)decreases the probable sampling error.
B)eliminates the need for simple random sampling.
C)is most useful for studying a homogeneous population.
D)eliminates the need for probability sampling.
E)is an alternative to systematic sampling.

Question 24

In a situation of perfect homogeneity there is little need to be concerned with careful sampling procedures.

Question 25

Findings based on a sample can be taken as representing the elements that comprise the sampling frame.

Question 26

A summary description of a given variable in a survey sample is called a:

A)variable.
B)parameter.
C)confidence level.
D)confidence interval.
E)statistic.

Question 27

You are doing research on hospital personnel-orderlies, technicians, nurses, and doctors. You want to be sure you draw a sample that has cases in each of the personnel categories. You want to use probability sampling. An appropriate strategy would be:

A)simple random sampling.
B)quota sampling.
C)cluster sampling.
D)stratified sampling.
E)accidental sampling.

Question 28

Each stage in cluster sampling adds additional sampling error that must be taken into account.

Question 29

The chief aim of probability sampling is to be able to select:

A)a sample whose parameters are representative of an unknown population parameter.
B)a sample whose statistics will accurately portray an unknown population parameter.
C)a sample whose parameters will accurately portray an unknown population statistic.
D)a sample whose statistics will accurately portray a known population parameter.
E)a sample whose unknown statistics will accurately portray a known parameter.

Question 30

Multistage sampling designs tend to have smaller sampling errors than single-stage sampling designs.

Question 31

Drawing a judgmental sample:

A)allows researchers to use their prior knowledge about the population.
B)enlists the aid of uninformed respondents.
C)results in a sample that has no researcher bias.
D)ensures a representative sample.
E)requires the development of a quota matrix.

Question 32

When would it be preferable to use a nonprobability sample? Why would we need to do so? What concerns or limitations would we have to deal with? Give examples.

Question 33

Sampling error is reduced through an increase in the sample size and an increased homogeneity of the elements being sampled.

Question 34

What is Probability Proportionate to Size (PPS)sampling? Provide one example of a research question that would be effectively addressed using PPS sampling.

Question 35

The unit about which information is collected and that provides the basis of analysis is called a(n):

A)universe.
B)sampling unit.
C)statistic.
D)sampling frame.
E)element.

Question 36

What are some of the potential ethical implications of a poorly designed sampling strategy? How can researchers avoid presenting their research outcomes in a misleading way?

Question 37

Dr. Smith is instructing his graduate students to put together a sample for an upcoming research study of college students. The graduate students were asked to stand outside of the student union to solicit participants, finding 50 freshmen, 50 sophomores, 50 juniors, and 50 seniors. What sort of sampling method is being used?

A)Simple random sampling
B)Quota sampling
C)Cluster sampling
D)Stratified sampling
E)Accidental sampling

Question 38

Generally, the more heterogeneous the population, the more beneficial it is to use stratified sampling.

Question 39

A sampling interval of 5 was used to select a sample from a population of 1000. How many elements are to be in the sample?

A)5
B)50
C)100
D)200
E)1000

Question 40

Your friend is trying to decide whether to select a small probability sample or a large availability sample. He asks for your recommendation. What do you recommend?