Learn Before
Determinants of Survey Sample Size
The optimal sample size for a survey generally depends on two primary factors: the researcher's desired level of statistical confidence and the practical constraints of the study's budget. While larger samples yield statistics that are closer to the true population value and provide greater confidence, they also require more time, effort, and money to collect. Researchers frequently use power analyses to balance these theoretical and practical considerations.
0
1
Tags
KPU
Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
Related
Relationship Between Sample and Population
A team of researchers wants to understand the typical sleep habits of all adults in a country of 50 million people. Since they cannot survey every individual, which of the following approaches would be the most practical and scientifically sound first step for their investigation?
Random Sample
Example of a Sample: Talkativeness Study
Representative Sample
Inferential Statistics
Probability Sampling
Non-probability Sampling
Determinants of Survey Sample Size
Convenience Sampling
Survey Non-responder
Simple Random Sampling
Sampling Bias
Measures of Central Tendency
Which of the following best explains why a psychology researcher would choose to study a sample rather than an entire population?
A researcher is investigating the exercise habits of all 5,000 employees at a corporate headquarters. Arrange the steps of the research process in the correct logical order to show how a sample is used to understand the entire group.
A psychologist investigates the study habits of all first-year college students by surveying 200 first-year students at a single university. Match each part of this study to its functional role in the sampling process.
A researcher concludes that a sample of 1,000 volunteers recruited from a specialized tech-support website is a methodologically sound group for evaluating the computer literacy of all adults in a nation. This conclusion is justified because a sample size this large () automatically guarantees that the subset will closely resemble the entire group of interest.
Imagine you are a researcher designing a study to assess the prevalence of academic burnout among the students in a statewide public university system. To construct a sampling plan that yields a highly representative subset () while ensuring that students from 'commuter', 'residential', and 'online-only' campuses are proportionally represented, which of the following sampling architectures should you create?
In psychological research, the primary goal of measuring variables in a sample is to generalize the findings back to the broader population of interest.
To conduct a study, researchers typically select a smaller subset of individuals from a broader group of interest. This smaller subset is referred to as a _____.
A psychology researcher wants to study the relationship between screen time and sleep quality among undergraduate students at a large university. Match each component of their study design to its corresponding concept in the sampling process.
A researcher measures academic anxiety in a group of 100 college students, intending to apply these results to all college students nationwide. In research methodology, the ultimate scientific goal of measuring these variables within a sample is to _____ the findings back to the broader population.
A researcher is planning a study on student stress. Evaluate and arrange the steps of the sampling and measurement process in the correct logical order, starting with the broadest scope and ending with the final application of the research findings.
Learn After
Confidence Interval
Sample Size and Population Size
When determining the optimal sample size for a survey, what are the two primary factors a researcher must generally balance?
A psychology researcher is planning a survey to study community health habits. Match each factor involved in determining their sample size with the specific role it plays in the planning process.
A social psychologist planning a survey on community resilience determines that 900 participants are required to achieve their desired level of statistical confidence. However, after realizing that the recruitment costs for 900 people would exceed their $500 research grant, they decide to survey only 400 people. In this scenario, the researcher has prioritized the study's budget over their initial goal for statistical confidence.
A psychology researcher is planning a survey on community mental health. Arrange the following steps in the logical sequence required to analyze and balance the determinants of their study's sample size.
When determining survey sample size, researchers frequently use a power analysis to balance the desired level of statistical confidence with the practical constraints of their study's budget.
When planning a survey, a researcher must understand how sample size relates to both statistical confidence and practical constraints. Which statement best describes the trade-off a researcher faces when determining their survey's sample size?
A psychology researcher finds that increasing their survey sample from to participants would cost an additional $1,500 but only provide a negligible increase in statistical confidence. By deciding that the marginal gain in precision does not justify the extra expense, the researcher has performed a/an _____ of the trade-off between the study's theoretical goals and its practical budget constraints.
A research methods instructor asks students to apply their understanding of survey sample size principles to concrete research situations. Match each scenario to the principle of survey sample size determination it best illustrates.
A researcher plans a large-scale health survey and determines through a power analysis that 1,000 participants are needed to reach her desired level of statistical confidence. After reviewing her grant award, she discovers she can only afford 400 participants. By breaking down what is preventing her from achieving her ideal sample size, a careful reviewer would conclude that the binding determinant in this scenario is the study's _____.
A research methods instructor asks students to critically evaluate whether a researcher made well-justified decisions when determining her survey sample size. Arrange the following evaluative steps in the order that would allow a reviewer to reach the most defensible judgment about the appropriateness of the researcher's chosen sample size.