1. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Random Sampling

2. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Systematic Random Sampling

3. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Cluster Random Sampling

4. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Stratified Random Sampling

5. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Quota Random Sampling

6. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Convenience Sampling

7. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Snowball Sampling

8. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners This involves selecting anybody from the sample frame entirely at random. Random means that each person within the sample frame has an equal chance of being selected. In order to be random, a full list of everyone within a sample frame is required. Random number tables or a computer is then used to select respondents at random from the list.

9. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners This selection is like random sampling but rather than use random tables or a computer to select your respondents you select them in a systematic way. E.g. every tenth person on the college list is selected.

10. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners An appropriate group is decided upon i.e. female, male, 16 –18 year olds and the participants are picked randomly from within the strata

11. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Similar to stratified sampling but the groups are selected for their geographical location i.e. school children within a particular school. The school is the cluster with the children being selected randomly from within the cluster

12. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners Having decided on the characteristics of the sample frame, a sample is selected to meet these characteristics. E.g. if the sample frame is car drivers and the car driving population is 55% male and 45% female then the quota would require the same proportions. Participants would be selected to fill this quota using the random method

13. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners This involves selecting the nearest and most convenient people to participate in the research. This method of selection is not representative and is considered a very unsatisfactory way to conduct research.

14. Teaching Research Methods: Resources for HE Social Sciences Practitioners This type of sampling is used when the research is focused on participants with very specific characteristics such as being members of a gang. Having identified and contacted one gang member the researcher asks to be put in touch with any friends or associates who are also gang members.