Question 1

In a systematic sampling study, if the sampling frame has 1,500 names and the desired sample size is 50, the "skip interval" should be:

Accepted Answer

D

Question 2

In order to use this sampling method, a researcher has to first order all members of the defined target population in some way (say, as in a phone book). Which method is this researcher most likely using?

Accepted Answer

Systematic random sampling involves ordering the target population and selecting every nth member from the list. This requires the population to be systematically ordered, as described in the question stem.

Question 3

Which one of the following is a nonprobability sample method?

Accepted Answer

Snowball sampling is a nonprobability sample method where existing study participants recruit other participants from their network, making it a nonrandomized and nonrepresentative sample. The other options listed are all probability sampling methods.

Question 4

If the estimated population standard deviation based on previous studies is $20, and the acceptable error is plus or minus $5, and the z-value for a 95 percent level of confidence is 1.96, the needed sample size is approximately:

Accepted Answer

The answer of If the estimated population standard deviation based...

Question 5

Probability sampling is undertaken to achieve all of the following, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Probability sampling is undertaken to achieve all...

Question 6

In a defined target population, there are 1,950 small firms, 45 medium sized firms, and 5 large firms. A researcher is interested in drawing a probability sample from this population. However, given the greater economic significance of the five large firms, he wants to draw more heavily from that group. Given this objective, the researcher should use:

Accepted Answer

Disproportionately stratified sampling allows the researcher to allocate different sampling fractions to different strata based on their importance. In this case, the larger firms are more economically significant, so the researcher wants to draw more heavily from that group. By using disproportionately stratified sampling, the researcher can allocate a larger sampling fraction to the stratum of large firms and therefore increase the likelihood of selecting more large firms in the sample. This method ensures that the sample is representative of the population while also taking into account the differences in importance between the strata.

Question 7

When a market researcher asks if a project will be international, national, or regional in nature, the researcher is trying to determine:

Accepted Answer

The question is asking about the scope of the research, specifically whether it will focus on multiple countries (international), one country (national), or a specific region within a country (regional). This information helps the researcher to determine the appropriate methodology and resources needed for the project.

Question 8

Toyota Corporation is interested in determining the satisfaction of Lexus users. Instead of sampling the entire population of car owners, Toyota samples those who owned a Lexus. Toyota is drawing its sample from a:

Accepted Answer

Toyota is sampling from the defined target population, which in this case is specifically Lexus owners, rather than the entire population of car owners.

Question 9

A researcher wants to find out the average age of population in two cities, A and

Accepted Answer

The researcher desires a higher degree of precision for City A, indicating that they want to reduce the margin of error and obtain more accurate results. This suggests that a larger sample size may be needed for City A to achieve the desired level of precision.

Question 10

Sampling units are:

Accepted Answer

Sampling units are the individual elements that are available for selection during the sampling process. This means that they are the specific individuals, items, or units that can potentially be included in the sample, and are the basis for the selection of the sample. Option A correctly defines the sampling units as the target population elements available for selection during the sampling process.

Question 11

A college professor wants to find if students in the U.S. colleges will find the new textbook that he has written to be useful and interesting. He decides to sample all marketing majors at the school he teaches. He believes that this group of students will be representative of the U.S. college student population. His method of sampling is most probably:

Accepted Answer

Judgment sampling is a non-probability sampling method in which the researcher selects the sample based on their judgment about which individuals would be most representative of the population. In this case, the professor believes that marketing majors at his school will be representative of the U.S. college student population, so he decides to sample all of them.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about cluster sampling is true?

Accepted Answer

Area sampling is a form of cluster sampling where geographical areas are used as clusters.

Question 13

Which method of sampling relies on the assumption that rare groups of people tend to form their own unique social circles?

Accepted Answer

Snowball sampling relies on the assumption that rare groups of people tend to form their own unique social circles. This sampling method involves starting with one or a few participants who fit the rare criteria and then using them to identify other members of their social circle who may also fit the criteria. This method is useful for reaching populations that are difficult to access or whose members are hesitant to participate in research.

Question 14

An instructor teaching an introductory course in marketing has 300 students enrolled in her class. Some students in the class request the instructor to cancel her class on Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She agrees to do so if 70 percent of the students agreed with the proposal to cancel the class. Instead of asking every student to participate in the poll, she asks students to write their names on index cards and put them in a collection basket. She then asks a student to pull out 30 cards from the basket without looking at the basket or the cards. The instructor is practicing what kind of sampling technique?

Accepted Answer

The instructor is using a simple random sample by having a student randomly select 30 cards from the basket, ensuring each student has an equal chance of being chosen.

Question 15

Jamie Nelson is interested in determining the satisfaction of people with the service provided by their telephone company (for landline customers only). She decides to draw her sample from the telephone directory. For Jamie's research, the telephone directory is serving as a(n):

Accepted Answer

The telephone directory is serving as a sampling frame, as it provides a list of potential individuals who can be sampled for Jamie's research. It is not a sampling unit (as each individual phone number would be a sampling unit) or an element (as an element would refer to the actual individuals being sampled). It is also not an element chart, as that is not a commonly used term in sampling. A census is a complete enumeration of all individuals in a population, which is not relevant to Jamie's sampling approach.

Question 16

Which one of the following statements about convenience sampling is false?

Accepted Answer

Convenience sampling is not used to generalize results to the target population. It is used when it is difficult to gather a representative sample from the target population or when time and resources are limited. This type of sampling is generally not recommended for research purposes as it may bias the results.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about sampling error is false?

Accepted Answer

As we increase sample size, the sampling error tends to decrease, not increase. Sampling error is the difference between the true population parameter and the statistic estimated from the sample, and it is affected by various factors such as sample size, representativeness of the sample, and measurement error. A larger sample size usually leads to a more accurate estimate of the population parameter, and therefore, a smaller sampling error.

Question 18

Before polling students in the School of Business, the researcher divides all the current students into groups based on their class standing (freshman, sophomores, etc). Then, she randomly draws a sample of 50 students from each of these groups to create a representative sample of the entire student body in the School. The researcher is practicing which of the following sampling methods?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is practicing stratified random sampling, as they have divided the population into different strata (groups based on class standing) and randomly sampled within each stratum to create a representative sample of the entire population. This is a more efficient and accurate method of sampling compared to simple random sampling or cluster sampling. Systematic random sampling involves selecting every nth individual from a list, which is not evident in this scenario, and snowball sampling involves selecting individuals based on referrals or recommendations from existing participants.

Question 19

All of the following are examples of sampling as witnessed in everyday life, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Buying a house is not an example of sampling as it involves a major commitment and is not a decision made based on a small subset of options like the other examples given. The other options all involve sampling - making a judgment based on a small subset of information or options before making a decision.

Question 20

A researcher does not have the resources or time to do a probability sample. She wants to do a convenience sample, but she also wants to make sure that all ethnicities are fairly represented in her sample. What kind of sampling would you recommend to her?

Accepted Answer

Quota sampling would be the best choice for this researcher as it allows her to select participants based on specific quotas, such as ethnicity, without having to do a probability sample. This allows for some control over obtaining a sample that is representative of the population of interest.

Quiz 6: Sampling: Theory and Methods