
List of the Disadvantages of Convenience Sampling
- A convenience sample doesn’t provide a representative result. The information you receive from a convenience sample doesn’t reflect the way a generalized population group feels about anything specific.
- It is easier to provide false data with a convenience sample. ...
- Some researchers don’t understand the specificity of convenience sampling. Although media outlets don’t typically report the results of convenience sampling as a demographic reflection, some organizations will report this ...
- It is challenging to replicate the results of convenience samples. ...
- Researcher bias can enter into the sampling technique. Researchers that perform convenience sampling soon find out that the average person doesn’t want to speak with them or fill out ...
- Convenience sampling does not identify subgroup differences. Researchers can structure a convenience sampling effort to identify subgroups within their targeted population area.
- This research method has a significant problem with dependence. Dependence in convenience sampling means that the sample items have connections to each other in some way.
What are the problems with convenience sampling?
The disadvantages:
- Convenience samples do not produce representative results. If you need to extrapolate to the target population, convenience samples aren’t going to get you there. ...
- The natural tendency is to extrapolate from convenience samples. ...
- The results of convenience samples are hard to replicate. ...
What are the advantages and disadvantages of sampling methods?
Some of the advantages are listed below:
- Sampling saves time to a great extent by reducing the volume of data. ...
- Sampling Avoids monotony in works. ...
- When you have limited time, survey without using sampling becomes impossible. ...
What are disadvantages of sampling?
What are the disadvantages of non probability sampling?
- Higher complexity compared to non-probability sampling.
- More time consuming.
- Usually more expensive than non-probability sampling.
What are the four basic methods of sampling?
Sampling Methods | Types and Techniques Explained
- Population vs sample. First, you need to understand the difference between a population and a sample, and identify the target population of your research.
- Probability sampling methods. Probability sampling means that every member of the population has a chance of being selected. ...
- Non-probability sampling methods. ...

What is convenience sampling advantages and disadvantages?
The key advantages of convenience sampling are that it is cheap, efficient, and simple to implement. The key disadvantage of convenience sampling is that the sample lacks clear generalizability.
What are advantages of using convenience sampling?
What are the advantages of using Convenience Sampling?Provides results quickly: In cases when time is limited and you need to collect data fast, convenience sampling is used by many researchers. ... Cheap method of sampling: Money is another factor it saves. ... Easy to use: ... Provides Qualitative Information:
What is the biggest limitation of convenience sampling?
List of the Disadvantages of Convenience SamplingA convenience sample doesn't provide a representative result. ... It is easier to provide false data with a convenience sample. ... Some researchers don't understand the specificity of convenience sampling. ... It is challenging to replicate the results of convenience samples.More items...•
What's the problem with convenience samples?
Convenience sampling may produce biased data. Since you're conducting your survey with a group of easily accessible participants (i.e., only people who have already attended your restaurant), your results may not be representative of the entire population.
Why is convenience sampling the weakest?
CONVENIENCE SAMPLING – Subjects are selected because they are easily accessible. This is one of the weakest sampling procedures. An example might be surveying students in one's class. Generalization to a population can seldom be made with this procedure.
Why is convenience sampling unreliable?
Why is convenience sampling biased? Because researchers are usually unable to generalize the results of the survey to the population as a whole, the estimates derived from convenience samples are often biased.
Why are convenience samples not desirable in statistics?
Convenience samples refer to a method of sampling that is not based on probability. The samples are usually taken from people who are easily accessible. This is why it is not desirable because the data maybe biased and therefore the result may not be a representation of the entire population.
How effective is convenience sampling?
It allows researchers to generate more samples with less or no investment and in a brief period. Easy to do research: The name of this surveying technique clarifies how samples are formed. Elements are easily accessible by the researchers and so, collecting members for the sample becomes easy.
How can you prevent bias in convenience sampling?
One effective way to avoid sampling bias is to select your study participants at random. This way, every individual has an equal chance of being included in the sample group.
Does convenience sampling decreases internal validity?
There is no reason why convenience sampling would have threatened the internal validity of the above trial (c is false). Internal validity was promoted by the random allocation of the sample members to the intervention or control group.
Why is random sampling better than convenience sampling?
Simple random sampling eliminates sample bias because it spells out the method of selecting the research variables. On the other hand, convenience sampling leaves a lot to the researcher's discretion, which leads to several biases. Convenience sampling speeds up the research process, helping you to save time and cost.
Why are convenience samples not desirable quizlet?
The problem with convenience sampling is that people who are readily available might be atypical of the population, and so the price of convenience is the risk of bias.
Which of the following is an advantage of convenience samples quizlet?
probability that an item is selected for the sample is the same for all population items. An advantage of convenience samples is that: distinguishable strata can be identified in the populations.
Why is convenience sampling good for qualitative research?
Convenience sampling is popular because it is not costly, not as time consuming as other sampling strategies, and simplistic. When used to generate a potential hypothesis or study objective, convenience sampling is useful.
What are the disadvantages of convenience sampling?
Some experts hold the view that a lack of credibility is a major disadvantage of convenience sampling. Sampling error, and lack of representation of population make it harder for the researchers to generalise the results of their study to the population as whole. Examples of convenience sampling.
Why is convenience sampling important?
It is very useful when a researcher decides to conduct a quick study. Similarly, it can be also useful to collect pilot data (LaMorte, 2016).
What is convenience sampling?
According to Saunders et al. (2007) convenience sampling involves selecting haphazardly those samples that are the easiest for the researchers to obtain , such as the person interviewed at random in a shopping mall for a radio programme. The process continues until the researchers have obtained the number of samples they have aimed for.
Why do researchers use convenience sampling?
Convenience sampling may sometimes turn out to be the only option for the researchers. They use it when they cannot get a list of all the people in a population. It can also be a useful tool to understand the respondents’ views, habits, likes, and dislikes.
What are the Benefits and Drawbacks of Convenience Sampling?
The main advantage of convenience sampling is that it's fast and easy, which makes it a very attractive option for researchers on a budget. Often, they can't afford to spend lots of time recruiting participants or paying them for their time and services.
Why Would Someone Want To Use it?
Convenience sampling is best suited for studies that involve developing new ideas or testing theory, such as attitude surveys and case studies. It's also used when researchers don't have the time or resources to implement probability sampling techniques because these research projects tend to be smaller in scope.
What Can Skew the Results?
Convenience samples are often skewed toward groups of people who are willing and able to take time out of their busy schedules to participate in research studies.
What is convenience sampling?
Convenience sampling is a sampling technique in which you collect samples of data from people who are easily accessible to you.
What does a survey give you?
Based on the response you get, you can draw conclusions. Thus, a survey can give you an idea about the views and opinions of the people. It can also give you the necessary facts and information about a particular issue, product, or event.
Can sampling be reached to completion?
Although this sampling technique can be reached to completion, how much we can learn from it is a debatable topic. You should first weigh the pros and cons of this method. Hence, we discuss them further in this BusinessZeal article.
Why is convenience sampling important?
Convenience sampling speeds up the research process, helping you to save time and cost. You don't need to invest lots of resources to collect responses from the members of the research population. It also allows for immediate research outcomes.
What is Convenience Sampling?
Convenience sampling or accidental sampling is a non-probability sampling method where the researcher selects sample members from only available and easily accessible participants.
Why do researchers use convenience sampling?
The researcher might opt for convenience sampling if the population of interest is large, with numerous clusters or strata. Also, if they need to complete the systematic investigation in a short timeframe or do not have access to all the sub-groups, they can collect responses from only the subsets they find.
What is the easiest sampling method?
Convenience sampling is the easiest sampling method, and you don't need expert skills or complex procedures to pull it off. Here's a simple guide on how to use this method in your systematic investigation.
What are the types of biases in research?
It is prone to several forms of bias, including selection bias, researcher bias, and sampling bias. All of these biases can distort your research outcomes significantly.
What is the best method for collecting data from a large population of interest?
Simple random sampling is the best method for collecting data from a large population of interest. It gives a fair representation of the variables in the target population and helps you eliminate researcher bias.
When should you use convenience sampling as opposed to other methods like stratified sampling or cluster sampling?
When should you use convenience sampling as opposed to other methods like stratified sampling or cluster sampling? One of the most obvious answers is you should opt for convenience sampling when dealing with a large sample size within a limited timeframe.
What is convenience sampling?
Convenience sampling is also known as grab, opportunity, accidental or haphazard sampling. With this method, the researcher uses subjects that are easy to reach. As the name describes, the researcher chooses subjects because of convenience. Some examples of convenience sampling are when students use their classmates in a research study or a television reporter interviews people on the street.
What is another method similar to convenience sampling?
Another method that is similar to convenience sampling is called snowball sampling. This is another nonprobability method, in which current participants refer or identify other possible subjects. Snowball sampling is often used when members of a particular population are difficult to find.
What are the two types of sampling methods?
In research methods, there are two primary classifications for sampling methods: nonprobability and probability. With probability sampling methods, all possible subjects out of a population have some chance of being included in the sample. Researchers can even calculate the mathematical probability of one of them being selected. They can also calculate sampling error, which is the degree to which the sample might differ from the actual population.
Is random sampling a good method?
Random sampling, a probability method, is considered the gold standard for research. With random sampling, every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected, thus the sample is a good representation of the population. A convenience sample is not representative of the population, and the method is not as structured or rigorous as probability methods. Studies that utilize this method of sampling should be evaluated critically for possible bias and limits on generalization of the results.
Is convenience sampling more accurate than nonprobability sampling?
With nonprobability sampling, researchers have no way of calculating how well their sample represents the population as a whole. In general, probability sampling is considered to be more stringent and accurate than nonprobability sampling, but it is not always feasible .
What are the advantages of convenience sampling?
Advantages of Convenience Sampling 1 Simplicity of sampling and the ease of research 2 Helpful for pilot studies and for hypothesis generation 3 Data collection can be facilitated in short duration of time 4 Cheapest to implement that alternative sampling methods
Why is convenience sampling important?
Convenience sampling technique may prove to be effective during exploration stage of the research area, and when conducting pilot data collection in order to identify and address shortcomings associated with questionnaire design.
How to use convenience sampling?
In its basic form, convenience sampling method can be applied by stopping random people on the street and asking questionnaire questions. ‘Pepsi Challenge’ marketing campaign can be referred to as a relevant example for this sampling method. ‘Pepsi Challenge’ is occasionally held in large shopping centres and other crowded locations and all members of population are invited to participate in the contest without any discrimination.
Which is the easiest sampling method?
Application of convenience sampling is the easiest compared to other sampling methods. Suppose, your dissertation is devoted on the following topic: A study into the sustainability of viral marketing as a marketing tool in the future.
Why is the primary data method used in business studies?
In business studies this method can be applied in order to gain initial primary data regarding specific issues such as perception of image of a particular brand or collecting opinions of perspective customers in relation to a new design of a product.
Can you send a questionnaire to a mobile phone?
Using convenience sampling method, you can send a link to the online questionnaire to individuals on your mobile phone’s contact list, to individuals you are connected to via social networking websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and to individuals whom you know in person.
What is convenience sampling?
Convenience sampling is a method of collecting samples by taking samples that are conveniently located around a location or Internet service. We have all seen studies that leverage students in the computer science classes.
What is the unfortunate reality of convenience sampling?
The unfortunate reality of convenience sampling is that you cannot be positive that the information you collect is truly representative of your entire population. We are certainly not condoning sloppy data collection, but as experienced user research professionals are aware, we must strike a balance between rigor and practicality. For example, you should not avoid doing a survey because you cannot obtain a perfect sample. However, when using a convenience sample, still try to make it as representative as you possibly can. Other nonprobability-based sampling strategies we see used are snowball sampling, where previous participants suggest new participants, and purposive sampling, where participants are selected because they have a characteristic of interest to the researcher. One problem with snowball sampling is that you tend to get self-consistent samples because people often know and suggest other potential participants who are similar to themselves.
What is nonprobability sampling?
Nonprobability sampling means that respondents are recruited from an opt-in panel that may or may not represent your desired population.
What are the two types of sampling?
The two major types of sampling are probability and nonprobability (Bailey, 1994; Levy & Lemeshow, 1999; Robson, 2002). In probability sampling, the probability of selection of each participant is known. In nonprobability sampling, the interviewer does not know the probability that a person will be chosen from the population. Probability sampling is expensive and time-consuming and may not even be possible because there is no complete list of everyone in a population. For many interview studies, you are likely to be dealing with nonprobability samples where you can use one or a combination of the following approaches (Bailey, 1994; Robson, 2002 ):
What are the key areas of methodological difficulty in cross-cultural online community comparative analysis?
The findings from the literature review demonstrated five key areas of methodological difficulty in cross-cultural online community comparative analysis; sampling form, country selection, number of cultures used, participant type, and interpretation of data.
Why is snowball sampling useful?
Snowball sample is useful when there is some difficulty in identifying members of a population. For example, if you are looking for cosmologists who use complex visualization tools, you might find one and then ask him or her about any friends or colleagues in the field who might want to be interviewed.
Why is a culture deliberately chosen?
A culture is deliberately chosen because of some characteristic, such as in Segall et al.'s (1966) study in which cultures were chosen on the basis of features of the ecological environment such as openness of the vista. In survey research there is a well-developed theory of subject sampling (Kish 1965).

What Are The Benefits and Drawbacks of Convenience Sampling?
- The main advantage of convenience sampling is that it's fast and easy, which makes it a very attractive option for researchers on a budget. Often, they can't afford to spend lots of time recruiting participants or paying them for their time and services. There are also some other obvious advantages: you don't need permission from any official bodie...
Why Would Someone Want to Use It?
- Convenience sampling is best suited for studies that involve developing new ideas or testing theory, such as attitude surveys and case studies. It's also used when researchers don't have the time or resources to implement probability sampling techniques because these research projects tend to be smaller in scope. For example, let's say we needed to conduct a short study on colleg…
What Can Skew The Results?
- Convenience samples are often skewed toward groups of people who are willing and able to take time out of their busy schedules to participate in research studies. Suppose you want your findings to apply only to college students, for example, but your convenience sample includes more working adults than this age group (which isn't unlikely given that most college kids aren't …
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- Convenience sampling is best suited for studies that involve developing new ideas or testing theory, such as attitude surveys and case studies. It's also used when researchers don't have the time or resources necessary to implement probability sampling techniques, because these types of research projects tend to be limited in scope and involve only a few people, limiting the potent…