Professional Documents
Culture Documents
148
11. Every potential nonprobability sample needs to have the same probability of
selection.
(False, moderate, page 320)
12. Confidence intervals, which contain the true population value with a given level of
certainty, can be calculated from nonprobability samples.
(False, difficult, page 321)
13. Convenience sampling is the least expensive and least time consuming of all
sampling techniques.
(True, moderate, page 321)
14. The second stage in quota sampling is to develop the control categories, or quotas, of
population elements.
(False, moderate, pages 323)
15. Quota sampling ensures that the composition of the sample is the same as the
composition of the population with respect to the characteristics of interest.
(True, easy, page 323)
16. Quota sampling permits assessment of sampling error.
(False, moderate, page 324)
17. Probability sampling is used to select the initial respondents for snowball sampling.
(True, difficult, page 324)
18. Sampling efficiency is a concept that reflects a tradeoff between sampling cost and
precision.
(True, moderate, page 325)
19. Systematic sampling is different from systematic random sampling in that only the
permissible samples of size n that can be drawn have a known and equal probability
of selection. The remaining samples of size n have zero probability of being selected.
(True, difficult, page 326)
20. Only systematic random sampling should be employed in selecting the elements for
each stratum.
(True, difficult, page 327)
21. Stratified sampling differs from quota sampling in that the sample elements are
selected probabilistically rather than based on convenience or judgment.
(True, moderate, page 327)
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22. The number of strata to use is a matter of judgment, but experience suggests the use
of no more than eight.
(False, moderate, page 327)
23. The logic behind proportionate sampling is simple. Strata with larger relative sizes
are more influential in determining the population mean, and these strata should also
exert a greater influence in deriving the sample estimates.
(False, difficult, page 328)
24. A common form of cluster sampling is area sampling, in which the clusters consist of
geographic areas, such as counties, housing tracts, or blocks.
(True, easy, page 329)
25. If the same sampling procedures are used in each country, the results should be
comparable.
(False, easy, page 334)
26. The researcher has an ethical responsibility to the client to develop a sampling design
that is appropriate for controlling the sampling and nonsampling errors.
(True, moderate, page 335)
27. It is ok to treat nonprobability samples as probability samples and to project the
results to a target population.
(False, moderate, page 335)
28. Nonprobability as well as probability sampling techniques can be implemented on the
Internet.
(True, easy, page 336)
Multiple Choice Questions
29. There are several basic questions involved in sampling design. Should a sample be
taken? If so, what process should be followed? are two such questions. Which of the
following questions is also involved in sampling design?
a. What kind of sample should be taken?
b. How large should the sample be?
c. What can be done to control and adjust for nonresponse errors?
d. All of the above are correct.
(d, difficult, page 313)
150
The aggregate of all the elements, sharing some common set of characteristics, that
comprises the universe for the purpose of the marketing problem is the _____.
a. population
b. target population
c. element
d. census
(a, moderate, page 314)
30. A complete enumeration of the elements of a population or study objects is a _____.
a. population
b. target population
c. element
d. census
(d, easy, page 314)
32. A subgroup of the elements of the population selected for participation in the study is
a _____.
a. judgmental sample
b. sample
c. sampling unit
a. sampling frame
(b, moderate, page 314)
33. Which of the following situations does not favor the use of a census (Table 11.1)?
a. There is high variance in the characteristic to be measured.
b. The cost of nonsampling errors is low.
c. The population is large.
d. The cost of sampling errors is high.
(c, difficult, page 315)
34. The collection of elements or objects that possess the information sought by the
researcher and about which inferences are to be made is a _____.
a. population
b. target population
c. element
d. census
(b, moderate, page 315)
35. The object that possesses the information sought by the researcher and about which
inferences are to be made is a _____.
a. population
b. target population
c. element
d. census
(c, difficult, page 315)
151
36. The basic unit containing the elements of the population to be sampled is the _____.
a. judgmental sample
b. sample
c. sampling unit
d. sampling frame
(c, moderate, page 315)
37. Which statement is correct about defining the target population?
a. Imprecise definition of the target population will result in research that is
ineffective at best and misleading at worst.
b. Defining the target population involves translating the problem definition into a
precise statement of who should and should not be included in the sample.
c. The target population should be defined in terms of elements, sampling units,
extent, and time.
d. All of the above statements are true.
(d, moderate, page 315)
38. The target population should be defined in terms of all of the following except:
a. sampling units
b. extent
c. time
d. size
(d, difficult, page 315)
39. The target population for the department store project was defined as male or female
head of household responsible for most of the shopping at department stores in metro
Atlanta in 2003. Metro Atlanta is what part of the target population definition?
a. elements
b. sampling unit
c. extent
d. time
(c, moderate, page 316)
40. The target population for the department store project was defined as male or female
head of household responsible for most of the shopping at department stores in metro
Atlanta in 2003. Male or female head of household responsible for most of the
shopping at department stores is what part of the target population definition?
a. elements
b. sampling unit
c. extent
d. time
(a, moderate, page 316)
152
41. A representation of the elements of the target population consisting of a list or set of
directions for identifying the target population is a _____.
a. judgmental sample
b. sample
c. sampling unit
d. sampling frame
(d, moderate, page 316)
42. Decisions concerning whether to use a Bayesian or traditional sampling approach, to
sample with or without replacement, and to use nonprobability or probability
sampling pertain to which step in the sampling design process (Figure 11.1)?
a. Determine the sampling frame.
b. Select a sampling technique(s).
c. Determine the sample size.
d. Execute the sampling process.
(b, difficult, page 317)
43. _____ is a selection method where the elements are selected sequentially. It explicitly
incorporates prior information about population parameters as well as the costs and
probabilities associated with making wrong decisions.
a. Bayesian approach
b. Sampling with replacement
c. Sampling without replacement
d. Simple random sampling
(a, moderate, page 317)
44. _____ is a sampling technique in which an element cannot be included in the sample
more than once.
a. Bayesian approach
b. Sampling with replacement
c. Sampling without replacement
d. Simple random sampling
(c, easy, page 317)
45. If the researcher is concerned about the number of variables, the nature of the
analysis, and completion rates, then, he/she is at which stage of the sampling design
process (figure 11.1)?
a. Determine the sampling frame.
b. Select a sampling technique(s).
c. Determine the sample size.
d. Execute the sampling process.
(c, difficult, page 318)
153
46. The sample size decision should be guided by a consideration of which of the
following:
a. the resource constraints
b. the average size of samples in similar studies
c. if sophisticated analysis of the data will be done
d. all of the above
(d, difficult, page 318)
47. _____ requires a detailed specification of how the sampling design decisions with
respect to the population, sampling frame, sampling unit, sampling techniques, and
sample size are to be implemented.
a. Determination of the sampling frame
b. Selection of a sampling technique(s)
c. Determination of the sample size
d. Execution of the sampling process
(d, difficult, page 319)
48. _____ is a sampling procedure in which each element of the population has a fixed
probabilistic chance of being selected for the sample.
a. Nonprobability sampling
b. Probability sampling
c. Convenience sampling
d. Judgmental sampling
(b, moderate, page 320)
49. _____ attempts to obtain a sample of convenient elements. The selection of sampling
units is left primarily to the interviewer.
a. Nonprobability sampling
b. Probability sampling
c. Convenience sampling
d. Judgmental sampling
(c, easy, page 321)
50. _____ is a form of convenience sampling in which the population elements are
selected based on the judgment of the researcher.
a. Nonprobability sampling
b. Probability sampling
c. Convenience sampling
d. Judgmental sampling
(d, easy, page 322)
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56.
57.
58. All of the following statements are limitations of simple random sampling except:
a. It is often difficult to construct a sampling frame that will permit a simple random
sample to be drawn.
b. Simple random sampling often results in lower precision with larger standard
errors than other probability sampling techniques.
c. Simple random sampling may or may not result in a representative sample.
d. The sample results may be projected to the target population.
(d, moderate, page 326)
59. _____ is a probability sampling technique in which the sample is chosen by selecting
a random starting point and then picking every ith element in succession from the
sampling frame.
a. Stratified sampling
b. Simple random sampling
c. Systematic sampling
d. Cluster sampling
(c, moderate, page 326)
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71. All of the factors listed below favor the use of probability sampling except:
a. Nonsampling errors are likely to be an important factor.
b. The nature of the research is conclusive.
c. The population is heterogeneous with respect to variables of interest.
d. Highly accurate estimates of population characteristics are required.
(a, difficult, page 333)
72. Probability sampling techniques are uncommon in international marketing research
because of all of the following reasons except:
a. lack of suitable sampling frames
b. the inaccessibility of certain respondents, such as women in some cultures
c. the dominance of personal interviewing
d. lack of trained researchers
(d, moderate, page 334)
73. If Internet sampling is the methodology of choice, the researcher should be concerned
with which of the following?
a. generating a sample that is representative of the target population.
b. trying to avoid sampling errors by controlling the pool from which respondents
are selected
c. ensuring that respondents do not respond multiple times
d. all of the above
(d, moderate, page 335)
Essay Questions
74. Discuss the advantages of convenience samples and when it is appropriate to use
them.
Answer
Convenience sampling is the least expensive and least time consuming of all
sampling techniques. The sampling units are accessible, easy to measure, and
cooperative. In spite of these advantages, this form of sampling has serious
limitations. Many potential sources of selection bias are present, including respondent
self-selection. Convenience samples are not representative of any definable
population. Hence, it is not theoretically meaningful to generalize to any population
from a convenience sample, and convenience samples are not appropriate for
marketing research projects involving population inferences. Convenience samples
are not recommended for descriptive or causal research, but they can be used in
exploratory research for generating ideas, insights, or hypotheses. Convenience
samples can be used for focus groups, pretesting questionnaires, or pilot studies. Even
in these cases, caution should be exercised in interpreting the results. Nevertheless,
this technique is sometimes used even in large surveys.
(moderate, page 321)
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