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Chapter 11

Sampling: Design and Procedures


True/False Questions
1. The inferences that link sample characteristics and population parameters are
estimation procedures and tests of hypotheses.
(True, difficult, page 314)
2. A census can greatly decrease nonsampling error.
(False, moderate, page 315)
3. It is not always possible to reduce nonsampling error sufficiently to compensate for
sampling error.
(True, moderate, page 315)
4. Examples of a sampling frame include the telephone book, an association directory, a
city directory, or a map.
(True, moderate, page 316)
5. The Bayesian approach to sampling is theoretically appealing, however, it is not
widely used in marketing research because much of the required information on costs
and probabilities is not available.
(True, difficult, page 317)
6. The statistical distinction between sampling with replacement and sampling without
replacement is important only when the sampling frame is not large compared to the
sample size.
(True, difficult, page 317)
7. If the sampling unit is different from the element, selecting the person within the
sampling unit with the next birthday is an appropriate way to precisely specify which
element to sample.
(True, moderate, pages 317-318)
8. The larger the sample, the greater the gain in precision by increasing the sample size
by one unit.
(False, moderate, page 318)
9. Sample size is influenced by the average size of samples in similar studies.
(True, moderate, page 318)
10. Nonprobability samples do not allow for objective evaluation of the precision of the
sample results.
(False, moderate, page 320)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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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51. Which statement is not true about judgmental sampling?


a. It does not allow direct generalizations to a specific population.
b. It may be useful if broad population inferences are not required.
c. Each population element has a known and equal probability of selection.
d. An extension of the technique involves the use of quotas.
(c, difficult, page 323)
52. Which of the following statements is not true about quota sampling?
a. There is no assurance that the sample is representative.
b. Many sources of selection bias are potentially present.
c. Under certain conditions, quota sampling obtains results close to those for
conventional probability sampling.
d. An important decision involves the use of proportionate or disproportionate
sampling.
(d, difficult, page 324)
53. Which of the following statements is true about snowball sampling?
a. In snowball sampling a decision rule is used to indicate whether sampling should
be continued or whether enough information has been obtained.
b. Snowball sampling is used in industrial buyer-seller research to identify buyerseller pairs.
c. In snowball sampling, an initial group of respondents is selected, usually at
random.
d. Both b and c are true.
(d, difficult, page 324)
54. All of the following statements are true about snowball sampling except:
a. Snowball sampling can result in samples that are very large or spread over large
geographic areas, thus increasing the time and cost of data collection.
b. A major objective of snowball sampling is to estimate characteristics that are rare
in the population.
c. The major advantage of snowball sampling is that it substantially increases the
likelihood of locating the desired characteristics in the population.
d. Snowball sampling results in relatively low sampling variance and costs.
(a, difficult, page 324)
55. The efficiency of a probability sampling technique may be assessed by comparing it
to that of _____.
a. nonprobability sampling
b. systematic sampling
c. simple random sampling
d. stratified sampling
(c, difficult, page 325)

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56.

57.

_____ is a probability sampling technique in which each element in the population


has a known and equal probability of selection. Every element is selected
independently of every other element and the sample is drawn by a random procedure
from a sampling frame.
a. Stratified sampling
b. Simple random sampling
c. Systematic sampling
d. Cluster sampling
(b, moderate, page 325)
The _____ method is equivalent to a lottery system in which names are placed in a
container, the container is shaken, and the names of the winners are then drawn out in
an unbiased manner.
a. nonprobability sampling
b. systematic sampling
c. simple random sampling
d. stratified sampling
(c, moderate, page 325)

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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60. Systematic sampling is similar to systematic random sampling. Which of the


statements below about systematic sampling does not relate to the systematic
sampling and simple random sampling similarity?
a. Each population element has a known and equal probability of selection.
b. If the population elements are arranged in a manner unrelated to the characteristic
to interest, systematic sampling will yield results quite similar to simple random
sampling.
c. The random numbers do not have to be matched with individual elements.
d. Systematic sampling is a type of probability sampling.
(c, difficult, page 326)
61. _____ is a probability sampling technique that uses a two-step process to partition the
population into subpopulations, or strata. Elements are selected from each stratum by
a random procedure.
a. Stratified sampling
b. Simple random sampling
c. Systematic sampling
d. Cluster sampling
(a, easy, page 327)
62. The criteria for the selection of stratification variables consist of all of the following
except:
a. heterogeneity
b. relatedness
c. cost
d. order
(d, difficult, page 327)
63. Which of the statements below is not true about stratified sampling?
a. Stratified sampling can ensure that all the important subpopulations are
represented in the sample.
b. The researcher assumes that the population elements are ordered in some respect.
c. Most approaches to statistical inference assume that the data have been collected
by stratified sampling.
d. Both b and c are not true.
(d, difficult, page 328)
64. In _____, the target population is first divided into mutually exclusive and
collectively exhaustive subpopulations, or clusters.
a. stratified sampling
b. simple random sampling
c. systematic sampling
d. cluster sampling
(d, easy, page 328)

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65. Which of the following is not a form of nonprobability sampling?


a. convenience sampling
b. cluster sampling
c. quota sampling
d. snowball sampling
(b, difficult, page 328)
66. Which of the following is not a stage of cluster sampling?
a. one-stage sampling
b. two-stage sampling
c. three-stage sampling
d. multi-stage sampling
(c, moderate, page 329)
67. Cluster sampling and stratified sampling differ in all of the following ways except:
a. the number of subpopulations chosen
b. their objectives
c. classification of sampling technique
d. with respect to homogeneity and heterogeneity
(c, difficult, page 329)
68. Which statement is not true about cluster sampling?
a. The two major advantages of cluster sampling are feasibility and low cost.
b. Cluster sampling is the most cost-effective probability sampling technique.
c. It can be difficult to compute and interpret statistics based on clusters.
d. All of the statements are true.
(d, difficult, page 330)
69. _____ has been used to determine preferences for two competing alternatives.
a. Area sampling
b. Double sampling
c. Probability proportionate to size sampling
d. Sequential sampling
(d, difficult, page 331)
70. The choice between nonprobability and probability samples should be based on all of
the following considerations except:
a. the nature of the research
b. size of the population
c. relative magnitude of nonsampling versus sampling errors
d. statistical and operational considerations
(b, difficult, page 331)

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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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75. Discuss the advantages of systematic sampling.


Answer
Systematic sampling is less costly and easier than simple random sampling, because
random selection is done only once. Moreover, the random numbers do not have to be
matched with individual elements as in simple random sampling. Because some lists
contain millions of elements, considerable time can be saved. This reduces the costs
of sampling. If information related to the characteristic of interest is available for the
population, systematic sampling can be used to obtain a more representative and
reliable (lower sampling error) sample than simple random sampling. Another relative
advantage is that systematic sampling can even be used without knowledge of the
composition (elements) of the sampling frame. For example, every ith person leaving
a department store or mall can be intercepted. For these reasons, systematic sampling
is often employed in consumer mail, telephone, and mall intercept interviews.
(difficult, page 326)
76. Discuss the uses of nonprobability and probability sampling.
Answer
Nonprobability sampling is used in concept tests, package tests, name tests, and copy
tests, where projections to the populations are usually not needed. In such studies,
interest centers on the proportion of the sample that gives various responses or
expresses various attitudes. Samples for these studies can be drawn using methods
such as mall intercept quota sampling. On the other hand, probability sampling is
used when there is a need for highly accurate estimates of market share or sales
volume for the entire market. National market tracking studies, which provide
information on product category and brand usage rates, as well as psychographic and
demographic profiles of users, use probability sampling. Studies that use probability
sampling generally employ telephone interviews. Stratified and systematic sampling
are combined with some form of random-digit dialing to select the respondents.
(difficult, page 334)

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