Sampling and generalizing

Discussion: Sampling Structures

Probability and nonprobability are the two general categories of sampling. Probability sampling uses random selection, whereas nonprobability sampling does not. For example, if you wanted to study the effects of divorce on the psychological development of adolescents, you could gather a population of a certain number of adolescents whose parents were divorced. Then, out of that population, you could randomly select 25 of those people. If you wanted to use nonprobability sampling, you would choose specific people who had met predetermined criteria. For this Discussion, consider how samples would be chosen for both probability and nonprobability sampling structures.

Post your explanation of the following:

·  Using your research problem and the refined question you developed in Week 4, develop two sampling structures: probability and nonprobability.

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·  Explain who would be included in each sample and how each sample would be selected.

·  Be specific about the sampling structures you chose, evaluating both strengths and limitations of each.

Please use the resources to support your answer.

Generalizing Study Results

Generalizability is the extent to which research findings from your sample population can be applicable to a larger population. There are many best practices for ensuring generalizability. Two of those are making sure the sample is as much like the population as possible and making sure that the sample size is large enough to mitigate the chance of differences within the population. For this Discussion, read the case study titled "Social Work Research: Program Evaluation" and consider how the particular study results can be generalizable.

Post your explanation of who the sample is. Also explain steps researchers took to ensure generalizability. Be sure to discuss how the study results could possibly be generalizable. Please use the resources to support your answer.