Research Paper on:
Questions on Research Methodology

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
not necessarily mean that non-probability samples are not representative of a specific population, but rather it means that the odds are against it. As this suggests, in a probabilistic sample,  the researchers know the odds, as they have selected a population sample that is represents the overall population and they can, therefore, "estimate confidence intervals for the statistic" (Trochim, 2006).  Non-probability sampling includes the "man on the street" sampling that news media will undertake to get a quick, non-representative of the public mindset. This methodology also includes convenience sampling as  well as volunteers. While non-probability sampling is appropriate for some research purposes, this type of sampling method cannot guarantee that the study  sample is representative of an entire population (Babbie, 2010). Therefore, researchers use probability sample when they want to be able to provide a statistical accurate statement about a specific population,  such as the "percentage of the population who are unemployed, plant to vote to Candidate X or feel a rape victim should have the right to an abortion" (Babbie, 2010,  p. 196). As this suggests, all "large-scale surveys use probability-sampling methods" (Babbie, 2010, p. 196). While the probability sampling analysis involves the utilization of sophisticated statistics, the basic logic behind  these methods is relatively simple. If all members of a population were identical, there would be no need for probability sampling, but, of course, this is not the case. Therefore,  the basic idea behind probability sampling is that in order to provide "useful descriptions of the total population, a sample of individuals," which represents that population, must have the "same  variations exist in the population" (Babbie, 2010, p. 196). Common problems that occur in data collection Grove (2005) points out that Murphys law -i.e., that anything that can