Test Bank Docx Chapter 5 Sampling

1. Sampling allows us to determine the generalizability of research findings.

a. True

b. False

2. A sample is always drawn from the target population.

a. True

b. False

3. The individual members of the population whose characteristics are to be measured are called the elements.

a. True

b. False

4. The list of sample elements is called the sampling frame.

a. True

b. False

5. The difference between the characteristics of a sample and the characteristics of a population from which it was drawn is the sampling error.

a. True

b. False

6. The larger the sampling error, the more representative the sample.

a. True

b. False

7. Sampling is unnecessary if all units in the population are identical.

a. True

b. False

8. In a representative sample, some characteristics are overrepresented or underrepresented when compared to the population.

a. True

b. False

9. In a probability sample, the probability of selection is unknown.

a. True

b. False

10. Probability sampling methods have no systematic bias.

a. True

b. False

11. The fraction of the total population that a sample contains largely affects the sample’s representativeness.

a. True

b. False

12. Simple random sampling in a survey can be achieved by simply selecting the first people who walk by you on a street corner.

a. True

b. False

13. The demographic characteristics of people who use cell-phones only do not differ from the generational population.

a. True

b. False

14. The interval for a systematic random sample is calculated by dividing the total population size by the desired sample size.

a. True

b. False

15. If the calculated interval for a systematic random sample is 4.4, you would round down so that the interval is 4.

a. True

b. False

16. An advantage of proportionate stratified random sampling is that you can ensure that certain demographic characteristics are represented in the sample in exact proportion to those characteristics in the population.

a. True

b. False

17. Cluster sampling is a form of nonprobability sampling.

a. True

b. False

18. A cluster is often some geographic unit.

a. True

b. False

19. Nonprobability sampling methods allow for generalizations to be made to the broader population of interest.

a. True

b. False

20. We can mathematically calculate the sampling error using a nonprobability sampling.

a. True

b. False

21. Quota sampling requires that the researcher have some prior knowledge of characteristics in the population.

a. True

b. False

22. In a purposive sample, informants are selected (at least in part) because they have necessary characteristics for the study.

a. True

b. False

23. Qualitative research methods tend to use probability sampling methods.

a. True

b. False

24. Snowball sampling methods are sometimes employed when it is hard to identify participants.

a. True

b. False

25. A strength of snowball sampling is that you can ask people to identify other people without their consent.

a. True

b. False

26. When sampling distributions take a normal shape, we can determine confidence intervals around the most common value.

a. True

b. False

27. If researchers want to test a very strong relationship between variables, they will need to select a larger sample than if they are testing a weak relationship.

a. True

b. False

28. A problem with research studies with minority communities is that the research has not benefitted the community.

a. True

b. False

29. Match the key term with its definition.

[b] 1. Elements

[d] 2. Enumeration units

[a] 3. Population

[e] 4. Sample

[c] 5. Sampling frame

a. The entire set of individuals or entities to which study findings are to be generalized.

b. The individual members of the population whose characteristics are to be measured.

c. A list of all elements or other units containing the elements in a population.

d. Units that contain one or more elements and that are listed in a sampling frame.

e. A subset of a population used to study the population as a whole.

30. Match the key term with its definition.

[c] 1. Simple random sampling

[d] 2. Systematic random sampling

[a] 3. Cluster sampling

[b] 4. Stratified random sampling

a. Groups are randomly selected, and then elements are randomly selected from those groups.

b. Sub-groups within the population are identified as sharing some characteristic, and elements are randomly selected from with those sub-groups.

c. Elements are selected by use of a random number table.

d. Elements are selected by choosing every nth element on the sampling frame after a random starting point.

31. Match the key term with its definition.

[d] 1. Availability Sampling

[c] 2. Purposive Sampling

[a] 3. Quota Sampling

[b] 4. Snowball Sampling

a. A procedure that requires some prior knowledge of characteristics in the population.

b. A procedure that relies on getting information from respondents to find others.

c. A procedure that considers the knowledge of the informant in the selection process.

d. A procedure that uses accidental or convenience selection techniques.

32. The list from which elements of a populations are selected for a sample is known as the:

a. Population

b. Sample

c. Element

d. Sampling frame

e. Sampling unit

33. The entire set of individuals or other entities to which study findings will be generalized is the:

a. Population

b. Sample

c. Target population

d. Sampling frame

e. Sampling unit

34. A subset of the population used to study the population as a whole is known as a(n):

a. Target population

b. Sampling frame

c. Sample

d. Element

e. Sampling unit

35. How can a researcher test the validity of cross-population generalizations?

a. Setting higher confidence intervals

b. Conducting more research in other sites

c. Reducing sample error

d. Selecting a larger sample

e. Estimating the population parameter

36. The individual members of the population whose characteristics are to be measured are known as:

a. Samples

b. Elements

c. Sampling units

d. Primary sampling units

e. Targets

37. To conduct a survey on current undergraduate social work majors, a researcher gets a list of all students who have declared a social work major from the registrar from which a sample will be drawn. This list is known as what?

a. A sample

b. A population

c. A target population

d. An aggregation

e. A sampling frame

38. A researcher conducts a survey of students randomly selected from Introduction to Social Work classes at State University. The researcher then attempts to generalize these findings to all college students. In this example, the target population is:

a. All social work students

b. All social work students at State University

c. All college students

d. All college students at State University

e. Cannot be determined given the information available

39. The difference between the characteristics of a sample and the characteristics of the population from which it was drawn is known as:

a. Sampling frame

b. Sampling error

c. Sampling heterogeneity

d. Sampling randomness

e. Sample fit

40. In the population of New Town, 30 percent of the people work for Bigg Corporation, 30 percent work in the public sector (including education), and 40 percent are self-employed. In a survey of 100 residents of New Town, 40 people worked for Bigg Corporation, 40 people worked in the public sector, and 20 people were self-employed. This sample was:

a. Overrepresented

b. Underrepresented

c. Nonprobabilistic

d. Unrepresentative

e. Representative

41. If one-third of all elements in a population will be selected for a simple random sample, the probability of selection for each element in the population is:

a. 0.05

b. 0.13

c. 0.33

d. 0.67

e. 1.33

42. Which of the following is FALSE about probability sampling methods?

a. The probability of selection is known for all elements.

b. The probability of selection is greater than zero for all elements.

c. There is no systematic bias in selection.

d. There is no sampling error.

e. Probability sampling increases the ability to generalize findings.

43. Which of the following is TRUE:

a. In most cases the raw size of the sample is less important than the fraction of the population that the sample represents.

b. A smaller sample tends to be more representative of a population than a larger drawn from the same population.

c. A sample of 3 percent of the population is always more representative of the population than a sample of 2 percent of the population, regardless of the size of the sample drawn.

d. The more heterogeneous a population is, the more likely a sample will be representative of it.

e. All of the above are true.

44. In Metropolitan Region Y, 75 percent of the population lives in suburban areas, while only 25 percent remain in the central city. We draw a sample 40 city residents and 50 suburban residents. This sample is:

a. Invalid

b. Unreliable

c. Proportionate

d. Unrepresentative

e. Inappropriate

45. Which of the following is NOT a procedure for simple random selection of elements?

a. Assigning consecutive numbers to elements, and selecting on the basis of a random number table

b. Selecting every nth element from a sampling frame, after the starting point has been randomly selected

c. Using a computer to dial random digits after a phone prefix

d. Writing all elements down on small pieces of paper, mixing them up, and selecting them like they do in the lottery

e. Programming a computer to select a random sample

46. Which of the following is FALSE regarding simple random sampling?

a. This procedure identifies cases strictly on the basis of chance.

b. A random number table can be used to draw a simple random sample.

c. Computers can generate random numbers, cases, or phone numbers.

d. Simple random sampling must be done with replacement sampling.

e. Flipping a coin or rolling a six-sided die are both methods of selecting cases in a simple random procedure.

47. A researcher gets a list of all 500 members of the National Association of Social Work in Yourtown that she wants to include in her study. She only has the funding and time to survey 50 members. She takes her list of members, randomly selects a starting point, and then selects every tenth name from the list to be included in her sample. In this example, the sampling interval is:

a. The list of all 500 members

b. 500

c. 50

d. 10

e. Cannot be determined

48. Sampling bias known as periodicity occurs in which type of sampling design?

a. Simple random

b. Systematic random

c. Stratified random

d. Multistage cluster

e. Non-probability

49. A social work researcher studying small town religiosity in the United States randomly selected ten states. From these states, he randomly selected one tenth of all counties. From these counties, he randomly selected one tenth of cities with populations smaller than 10,000. From these towns, he obtained lists of all houses of worship and randomly selected three. From these, he selected ten practitioners to be interviewed. In this example, which is NOT a cluster?

a. States

b. Counties

c. Cities with populations less than 10,000

d. Houses of worship

e. Practitioners

50. Which two sampling methods require that the researcher know something about the salient characteristics of the population (such as race, ethnicity, or gender) before selecting samples?

a. Simple random and stratified random

b. Stratified random and quota

c. Quota and multi-stage cluster

d. Multi-stage cluster and purposive

e. Purposive and simple random

51. Which of the following is NOT a procedure for simple random selection of elements?

a. Assigning consecutive numbers to elements, and selecting on the basis of a random number table

b. Selecting every nth element from a sampling frame, after the starting point has been randomly selected

c. Using a computer to dial random digits after a phone prefix

d. Writing all elements down on small pieces of paper, mixing them up, and selecting them like they do in the lottery

e. Programming a computer to select a random sample

52. A list of registered voters in City X show that 30 percent of the population is registered Democrat, 50 percent is registered Republican, and 20 percent is registered Independent/Other. Which of the following would be closest to a proportionate stratified random sample of 100 voters in City X?

a. 33 Democrats, 33 Republicans, and 34 Independent/Others

b. 40 Democrats, 40 Republicans, and 20 Independent/Others

c. 50 Democrats, 30 Republicans, and 20 Independent/Others

d. 30 Democrats, 50 Republicans, and 20 Independent/Others

e. 50 Democrats, 50 Republicans, and 0 Independent/Others

53. Quota sampling is advisable when:

a. Salient characteristics about the population are known before the sample is drawn

b. A sampling frame is unavailable

c. Salient characteristics about the population are unknown

d. The diversity of a population needs to be assessed

e. Both a and b

54. A social work researcher attends several different meetings of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, in which she listens to speakers and introduces herself as a researcher. She identifies several people who seem to know a lot about the gay and lesbian community in Yourtown, including people from two apparently different “factions” within the group, and she asks them for interviews. This sampling procedure is associated with:

a. Probability sampling

b. Quota sampling

c. Availability sampling

d. Purposive sampling

e. Convenience sampling

55. A social work researcher has decided to do a study of people who have adopted children from outside the United States. He asks a friend, whom he knows to have recently adopted and asks if he would consent to an interview. He interviews his friend, and then asks his friend if he could name other people who have recently adopted children from outside of the United States. His friend provides him with five names. The researcher contacts those five people, interviews them, and asks each of those people for names of other families. This sampling technique is known as:

a. Casual sampling

b. Personal sampling

c. Key informant interviewing

d. Snowball sampling

e. Qualitative sampling

56. Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding sample quality?

a. Sample quality cannot be evaluated if population is not specified.

b. Sample quality cannot be evaluated if selection technique is not specified.

c. Sample quality is determined by the selection method itself, not the actual sample obtained.

d. Cross-population generalizations are conjecture, no matter how strong the sample generalization.

e. A sample that allows for comparisons involving theoretically important variables is better than one that does not allow for such comparisons.

57. Which of the following is FALSE regarding normal curves?

a. Sampling distributions for many statistics have a normal shape.

b. A normal distribution looks like a bell.

c. A normal distribution is asymmetric.

d. The shape of a normal distribution is produced by random sampling error.

e. In a normal distribution, a predictable proportion of cases falls within certain ranges.

58. Which of the following are considered effective strategies for recruiting marginalized participants?

a. Demonstrate that there is a benefit to the community

b. Have an appreciation for cultural barriers

c. Go where there are potential participants

d. Involve key community members

e. All of the above are effective

59. In social work research, what is the importance of sampling? Why are probability sampling techniques superior to non-probability sampling in achieving this end? When might non-probability samples be superior?

Varies

60. How does a social work researcher increase participation from diverse populations?

Involve key community members and organizations, use culturally adapted procedures, demonstrate a community benefit, understand cultural barriers, choose local interviewers.

61. You have been hired by the Department of Institutional Research to find out if students at State University work while they are in school. You have access to the entire list of students registered this semester. Design a stratified random sample and a quota sample of students at State University, where the student population has the following salient characteristics: 50 percent male, 50 percent female; 75 percent white, not Hispanic, 25 percent racial or ethnic minority. Discuss the different procedures for each and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Varies

62. In what circumstances is a simple random sample possible? Describe at least four techniques you can use to draw a simple random sample? How does this contrast with drawing a systematic random sample? In what situations is a systematic random sample as good as a simple random sample, and in what situations is it clearly worse?

Varies

63. You have been assigned a research project for the state child welfare system in which you have been asked to conduct interviews with caseworkers from different units throughout the state. Your supervisor suggests that you use either a simple random sample or a cluster sample. Outline how you would conduct this research given the sampling technique you select, explaining your preference for this method.

Varies

64. What is availability sampling? In what circumstances is it appropriate for social scientific research? How does availability sampling compromise generalizability? Does the proliferation of availability samples in popular research change the way that social scientific research is conducted or accepted by the general public?

Varies

65. List the five points about sample quality stated in Chapter 5.

Researchers cannot evaluate the quality of a sample if they do not know what population it is supposed to represent; researchers cannot evaluate the quality of a sample if they do not know how cases in the sample were selected from the population; sample quality is determined by the sample actually obtained, not just by the sampling method itself; researchers need to be aware that other researchers who obtain very good samples may talk about the implications of their findings for some group that is larger than the population they actually sampled; a sample that allows for comparisons involving theoretically important variables is better than one that does not allow such comparisons.