Continuing the clear-out of stuff-I’ve-found-but-never-posted, today’s offering covers sampling techniques (plus a bit on questionnaire design if you’re interested).
The 4 Presentations are from “various authors” (one of whom must remain anonymous for the deceptively-simple, but hopefully-plausible, reason that I’ve no idea who they are) and contain a variety of ideas and information – from time-saving Notes and Diagrams to practical ways to teach sampling (using everyone’s favourite jelly-like sweets).
Although this presentation covers a range of useful things, such as initially identifying some of the key concepts in and around sampling, the main focus is on getting students involved in drawing different types of sample using Jelly Babies (other sugary products are, of course, available). The whole thing has been put together by Molly Rose (as was) and is completed by asking students to apply their new-found knowledge of sampling techniques to a series of school scenarios.
This functional set of slides combine to create a sampling presentation that outlines and illustrates a range of sampling techniques: 3 types of random sampling (Systematic, Stratified and Cluster) and 2 types of non-random sampling (Quota and Snowball).
As an added bonus, the author takes students through worked examples of the Systematic and Stratified techniques – although, to be honest, these reach a level of complexity that might fairly be described as overkill. There are much easier ways to illustrate these techniques, so you may want to substitute examples of your own.
A simple, one-slide animation I put together sometime that illustrates the basic idea behind snowball sampling. Simple? maybe, but effective? Probably.
Last but by no means least, this Presentation by Louise Archer focuses on both “key sampling methods” and, as an added extra, different types of questionnaires. The Presentation is, in this respect, split into two separate parts, so you can focus on one or the other if you like. A further useful feature of the Presentation is a short video that illustrates different Sampling Techniques in a simple visual way (although you’ll need to live Internet connection to watch it because it’s linked to YouTube).
Update
Added a further PowerPoint Presentation (How Do Sociologists Choose Samples?) thanks to Nell Johnson pointing me in the right direction.
In basic terms it’s a complete Sampling Lesson created by a Person or Persons Unknown (it originated, apparently, on Sociology Exchange, a web site that has since disappeared to That Place where all discarded web sites go. So there’s no point looking for it) and driven by a series of slides containing information and practical activities on sampling techniques (using Skittles – a “popular fruit-flavoured sweet”. Apparently).
Makes a change from Jelly Babies, although I guess you could combine the two.
Or just eat the Jelly Babies.
