Question

Identify the sampling techniques​ used, and discuss potential sources of bias​ (if any). Explain. Chosen at​ random, 490 customers at an appliance shop are contacted and asked their opinions of the service they received. What type of sampling is​used?

A. Convenience sampling is​ used, since the business is selecting from its customers that are easiest to reach.
B. Stratified sampling is​ used, since the population of customers is divided into groups and a random sample is selected from each group.
C. Systematic sampling is​ used, since customers are selected at fixed intervals.
D. Cluster sampling is​ used, since the population of customers is divided into groups and several groups are selected and all of their members sampled.
E. Simple random sampling is​ used, since the business is selecting from its customers at​ random, and all samples of 490 customers have an equal chance of being selected.

Answer 1

The correct answer is option E. Simple random sampling is used in this case. There are no potential sources of bias in this sampling technique.

Step-by-step explanation:

Simple random sampling is a method of selecting a sample where each individual in the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample. In this scenario, the business is selecting 490 customers at random to contact and ask their opinions of the service they received.

There are no potential sources of bias in this sampling technique. Since the customers are selected at random, all samples of 490 customers have an equal chance of being selected, which ensures that the sample is representative of the population. This reduces the likelihood of any bias in the results.

To explain further, simple random sampling is a technique where each member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample. This means there is no bias in the selection process, unlike convenience sampling where the ease of reaching respondents can introduce bias. In the appliance shop scenario provided, customers are not chosen based on location or convenience, and there is no mention of specific intervals as with systematic sampling, nor is there division into groups or strata as with stratified sampling, or selection of entire groups as with cluster sampling.