Deck 6: Sampling: Case Selection as a Basis for Inference

Question 1

According to Box 6.1, computer programs for random selection such as RANDOM.ORG typically use _______; in social research, case selection involves _______.

A) sampling with replacement; sampling with replacement
B) sampling with replacement; sampling without replacement
C) sampling without replacement; sampling with replacement
D) sampling without replacement; sampling without replacement

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is a characteristic of the sampling distribution of a mean or proportion?

A) Its standard error increases as the size of the sample increases
B) Its standard error increases as the size of the population increases
C) It has the shape of a normal curve
D) Its shape depends on the shape of population distribution

Answer 2

C

Question 3

You plan to draw a sample of 1,000 from the population of a large state in order to estimate the average value of individual life insurance coverage. A list of all state residents and their incomes is available from the state revenue department. Which sampling design should produce the smallest margin of error?

A) A simple random sample that uses a computer program to generate random numbers
B) A stratified random sample that uses income categories as strata
C) A multistage cluster sample that uses counties as clusters
D) None of the above

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Nonprobability sampling usually involves two steps, which are

A) selecting cases or research sites and selecting observations within sites.
B) defining the target population and creating a sampling frame.
C) identifying the population of cases and selecting cases for comparison.
D) determining what or whom to observe and then selecting cases for observation.

Question 5

According to Box 6.4, which of the following best describes crowdsourcing as a sampling method? It generates a

A) simple random sample.
B) purposive sample.
C) self-selected convenience sample.
D) snowball sample.

Question 6

According to Box 6.4, which of the following is not an advantage of crowdsourcing and online panels as methods of sampling?

A) Respondents are easily accessible
B) Relatively low cost
C) Greater diversity than college student samples traditionally used in experiments
D) Minimize bias in generalizing from the sample

Question 7

What sampling technique is used in qualitative studies to select cases that will elaborate and refine emerging explanations?

A) Purposive sampling
B) Snowball sampling
C) Theoretical sampling
D) Judgmental sampling

Question 8

By using purposive sampling to select women members from 30 racist groups representing every region of the country, Blee was able to

A) estimate the percentage of women members of racist groups.
B) make reasonable inferences about the factors that attract women to racist groups.
C) determine which racist groups were most attractive to women.
D) describe the typical sex ratio (men versus women members) in racist groups.

Question 9

With random selection (with replacement), the chances of selecting one case has no effect on the chances of selecting another.

Question 10

Constructing a sampling frame often amounts to finding an adequate list of all cases in the population.

Question 11

In research that uses nonprobability sampling, cases or research sites may be chosen because they are extreme or deviant.

Question 12

According to Box 6.4, studies show that crowdsourcing samples of US workers closely resemble the US population.

Question 13

According to Box 6.4, the evidence shows that online panels are less accurate than probability samples.

Question 14

Describe the key differences between probability and nonprobability sampling. What defines a probability sample? For what purposes and under what conditions is it appropriate to use each of these sampling strategies? What kind of inferences are possible with each?

Question 15

Suppose you want to draw a probability sample of all U.S. intercollegiate athletes who are competing during the current academic year. Describe how you might use each of the basic probability sampling designs: simple random, stratified random, and multistage cluster. Then indicate which sampling design you think is best to use and why.

Question 16

To study how satisfied Americans are with the electoral process, a social scientist conducts a mail questionnaire survey. First, he obtains a list of all political precincts in the United States (which covers all areas of the U.S.) and randomly selects a number of precincts from this list. He then obtains a list of registered voters for each selected precinct, and from each list he selects a random sample of voters. Finally, he mails each selected voter a survey in which he asks questions about their satisfaction with the electoral process.
a. What type of sampling design is this?
b. There are two sampling frames. What are they?
c. Carefully evaluate the adequacy of each frame in terms of meeting the objective of the study.

Question 17

Following a senatorial election in California, a Los Angeles Times article pointed out that the polls are not as reliable as media portrayals would suggest. The author gave several examples of seemingly contradictory poll results in pre-election surveys; for example, one poll had one candidate ahead by 10 points and another poll had her trailing by 2. Suppose someone asks you to explain how this could occur. Assuming that all the polls were telephone surveys that used probability sampling, identify and briefly describe three possible sources of sampling error in the polls.