statistical analysis

Riverside County Human Society

Riverside County Humane Society like a lot of nonprofits is being expected to do more (services) with less (funding and donations). In an effort to halt further decline in the quality of its services and to provide better care for the pets at the center, the Membership Committee of the board of directors began making plans for a member/contributor drive. The organized drive was the first of its kind for the local chapter and the committee members wanted it to be as productive as possible. As the plans began to evolve, the committee realized that the organization had only scattered bits and pieces of information about its current members. It did have a list of members and contributors for the last five years that had been compiled by the RCHS staff. In addition, it had access to the results of a survey that had been done by a staff member several years earlier that focused on member usage of shelter facilities and their opinions of shelter services and programs. However, the organization had only sparse knowledge of the profile of its typical member and contributor, why they belonged or contributed, how long they had been associated with the humane society, how the services of the humane society could be improved, and so on. The committee members believed information on these issues was important to the conduct of a successful membership drive, and thus they commissioned research to secure it. Initial contacts with other humane society chapters and interviews with some RCHS staff and board members produced a number of hypotheses regarding who is likely to become a member or contributor, why, how much people are likely to give, and so on. The researchers are interested in examining these hypotheses through an online survey that would be sent via email to current members and contributors receiving the newsletter that is sent via email.

Both lists were alphabetical. The contributor list included the amount received from each person or business, but not the number of times the person or business had given during the last five years. The member list showed the number of years each organization or person had belonged. For purposes of the study, all names of businesses or other organizations were deleted and a separate sample was taken from each list. Approximately 1,050 people were on the member list and 300 on the contributor list. The researchers decided to take 120 names from the member list and 50 from the contributor list. They identified those to be sent questionnaires by drawing two random numbers 3 and 5 using a random number table. They then sent questionnaires to the 3rd, 11th, 19th, and so on, person on the member list, and the 5th, 11th, 17th, and so on, person on the contributor list.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the sampling frame?

2. Is it a good sampling frame for the target population? Explain.

3. What type of sampling procedure is being used?

4. Can you think of some ways in which the sample could be improved?