Section outline

  • Course Overview

    This course introduces the fundamentals of selecting a sample for research involving human participants. It takes a practical approach to sampling and will provide you with a clear understanding of why samples are needed, an overview of common sampling techniques, and information around ethical research and minimizing bias.

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Explain the concept of sampling in research
    2. Grasp the ethical considerations in participant identification and contact
    3. Address challenges posed by ill-defined, wary, and hard-to-reach populations
    4. Define sampling variance and bias, and comprehend their distinctions
    5. Identify how sampling frames and non-response contribute to bias
    6. Explain the impact of sample size on sampling error and statistical power
    7. Assess strategies for drawing valid conclusions from imperfect samples to the broader population

    • Course Instructor: Paul Silvia

      • Paul Silvia

        Paul is the Lucy Spinks Keker Excellence Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA, where he teaches graduate-level statistics and research methods. His research explores the psychology of creativity and the arts, such as how people come up with good ideas and what makes art interesting and appealing. He has written many books, including Exploring the Psychology of Interest and How to Write A Lot.

        View Bio for Paul Silvia

      • Video Transcripts

        You can access all video transcripts here.

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence. 

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills. 

        • Module One: What Is Sampling?


          This module will help you to:

          1. Distinguish between populations, samples, and elements  
          2. Explain the relationship between samples and populations 
          3. Create a focused, specific definition of a population of interest 
          4. Evaluate the usefulness of samples from existing dataset 

            1. Module Two: What Are Common Sampling Methods?


              This module will help you to:

              1. Describe the difference between probability and non-probability sampling  
              2. Explain the role of sampling frames in probability sampling 
              3. Recognize the different kinds of non-probability sampling  
              4. Describe the limitations and virtues of convenience sampling methods 

                  1. Module Three: What Are the Practical and Ethical Challenges of Sampling?


                    This module will help you to:

                    1. Detect ethical issues related to identifying and contacting potential participants 
                    2. Describe the distinct challenges posed by populations that are ill-defined, wary, and hard to reach  
                    3. Evaluate the virtues and limitations of snowball sampling methods 

                  2. Module Four: How Can I Reduce Error and Bias in Sampling?


                    This module will help you to:

                    1. Define sampling variance and sampling bias and describe the differences  
                    2. Describe how sampling frames and non-response create bias 
                    3. Develop strategies for reducing sampling error and sampling bias 
                    4. Explain how the size of a sample influences sampling error and bias 

                  3. Glossary of Key Terms

                  4. Post-Course Self Assessment

                    Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills levels are at now. 

                    Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

                    You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

                    • Completion: Certificate

                      Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

                      If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

                      • Give Feedback About This Course

                        Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

                      • Accessibility

                        We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

                        For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

                        • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
                        • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus.