Question

HELP PLEASE
The owner of a large company is conducting a survey about job satisfaction, including questions about salary, hours, stress, and other conditions. There are about 800 employees in the company, including 100 executive positions, 650 middle-management positions, and 50 custodial positions. The owner wants to include about 10% of his employees in the survey sample.

Identify a sampling method that might produce a biased sample. Explain why using the method for this survey would be a poor choice.

Answer 1

there are what, 4 general sampling methods; maybe 5

Answer 2

the worst one for accuracy tends to be "sampling by convience"

Answer 3

But how would I do this question ?

Answer 4

cluster would seem a bad method as well, since it separates into groups and just picks one group

you simply go thru the definitions of the sampling methods, and pick the ones that you deem are bad for this circumstance

Answer 5

the question wants you to be able to understand the differences in the sampling methods.

Answer 6

well there is volunteer sampling, convenience sampling, simple random sampling, systematic sampling, and stratified sampling.

Answer 7

and can you define each one?

Answer 8

my class was never able to define a simple random sample for some reason; so the running gag was when we had to use a simple random sample to append it with; "whatever that may be". :)

Answer 9

volunteer sampling -
A method of choosing items for a sample in which all who wish to participate become members of the sample.

convenience sampling - An unstructured method of choosing, in which the sample is composed only of members that are reached easily.

Simple random sampling - A method by which a sample of a population is selected entirely by chance; each individual has the same probability of being selected.

systematic sampling - A method of selecting a population sample by means of a pattern; typically, every member is selected from an organized list.

stratified sampling - A way of selecting a population sample that includes a proportionate number of members from each subgroup

Answer 10

now, which of these seem to be a bad way to pick a sample the represents that diversity of the population?

Answer 11

im assuming the 10% wants to be representative of the population itself

Answer 12

convenience sampling ?

Answer 13

ok, now why would you assume that is a bad choice? give your reasoning

Answer 14

my class was never able to define a simple random sample for some reason;

That means pick each person to question based on a random criteria. For example, the last digit of their license plate is 2. Or assign numbers to everybody and roll a dice. If their number ends in the same number as the dice roll, pick them.