COMM II

Sampling and External Validity

Key Terms:
 Population - the whole group that you want to study
 Sample – subsection of the population, chosen in such a way that their characteristics reflect those of the
group from which they are chosen
 Stratum - one or more specifications that divide a population into mutually exclusive segments
 Population element - single member of the population
 Sampling error - the deviation of the selected sample from the true characteristics, traits, behaviors,
qualities or figures of the entire population.

**recall validity refers to the approximate truth of propositions, inferences, or conclusions.

EXTERNAL VALIDITY
- refers to the approximate truth of conclusions the involve generalizations.
- degree to which the conclusions in your study would hold for other persons in other places and at other
times.

Threats to External Validity: people, place, time

How to improve external validity: replicate study

SAMPLING
- the process of selecting units (e.g., people, organizations) from a population of interest so that by
studying the sample we may fairly generalize our results back to the population from which they were
chosen. 

Two types of Sampling: nonprobability and probability

The difference between nonprobability and probability sampling is that nonprobability sampling does not
involve random selection and probability sampling does.

PROBABILITY SAMPLING - any method of sampling that utilizes some form of random selection

 Simple Random Sampling – random sample from whole population

 Stratified Random Sampling – random sample from identifiable groups or subgroups (stratum)
 Cluster Sampling - random samples of successive clusters of subjects (e.g. by institution) until small groups
are shosed as units
 Stage sampling – combination of cluster (randomly selecting clusters) and random or stratified random
sampling of individuals

NONPROBABILITY SAMPLING – any method that does not utilize random selection

 Purposive sampling – hand-pick subjects on the basis of specific characteristics

 Quota Sampling – select individuals as they come to fill a quota by characteristics proportional to
populations
 Snowball Sampling – subjects with desired traits or characteristics give names of further appropriate
subjects
 Volunteer, Accidental, or Convenience – either asking for volunteers, or the consequence of not all those
selected finally participating, or a set of subjects who just happen top be available