Sampling
Sampling refers to a way of selecting research subjects from the whole population. For example, if anthropologists study a village with a population of 750, they may select 100 representative people as interviewees. Sampling methods affect the quality of research because good samples provide researchers with useful data.
Benefit
When anthropologists use appropriate sampling methods, they can obtain a high quality of data in a short period of time with a low cost. It is almost unrealistic to spend a lot of time and money to study every single individual. Dealing with too many subjects can lower the quality of data for various reasons. For example, if research took longer than expected and researchers needed to rush in the latter half of the project, their data would not be consistent between the beginning and the end. Or, if researchers interviewed everybody, people might start to compare their answers. This will ruin the results. In short, sampling can avoid these problems.
Methods
There are various sampling methods, and anthropologists apply the appropriate ones to their research depending on specific purposes. This exhibit introduces the following sampling methods.
· Random sampling
· Stratified sampling
· Cluster sampling
· Quota sampling
· Judgment sampling
· Snowball sampling
This page was created by a Minnesota State University, Mankato student. Last updated 11/14/04.