Suppose a researcher uses availability sampling to collect data for her study. Describe the pros and cons of availability sampling and explain its potential relation to random sampling error.
What will be an ideal response?
Ans: Varies.
Availability sampling is a nonprobability sampling method that relies on convenience and does not use a random selection procedure to obtain participants. While availability sampling is convenient and often relatively easy for researchers, it has no safeguards against resulting in a biased sample. Random sampling error refers to the random or chance difference between the population that a researcher is attempting to study and the sample he or she has gathered. Researchers expect some differences between a population and a sample, but wish to avoid systematic differences that are due to an unrepresentative sample. Availability sampling methods can result in differences between the sample and population that are systematic (i.e., not simply random sampling error). The sample may be fundamentally different, and not representative, of the broader population.
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