Research Design
Business Research Methods
RESE1170
Workshop 2
January, 2023
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
By the end of today, you will:
1. Be able to recognise the different
types of probability and nonprobability sampling strategies that
are available, and outline their
strengths and weaknesses.
Today’s learning
outcomes
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Activity 1: Knowing about probability
sampling (40mins)
Break.
Activity 2: Knowing about nonprobability sampling (40 mins).
Schedule
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Lecture Recap
In small groups (3-5) people, answer the following questions. You
can review the lecture slides if you have a laptop / phone with you.
(10mins)
1. What is a ‘research population’?
2. What is a ‘sample’?
3. What would we take a sample in research?
4. What are the two main approaches to sampling?
Warm up questions
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Probability sampling
This activity will help you recognise the different types of
probability sampling that are available to researchers. It also helps
you identify possible strengths and weaknesses of such sampling.
You will be given a briefing sheet which outlines the sampling
strategies, and a handout that outlines 4 studies that uses
probability sampling strategies.
In small groups (3-5) answer the questions on the following slide.
(40 mins)
Activity 1: Probability sampling
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
For each of the four studies outlined in the handout, and in small
groups:
1. Outline the research population criteria (i.e. who are included in
the study)
2. Name the sampling strategy
3. Highlight the possible strengths and weaknesses of that
strategy for this study.
(40 mins)
Activity 1: Probability sampling (con’t)
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Probability sampling types
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Table 1: Probability sample types,
from Saunders et al (2019): 297.
1. What is/are the criteria for inclusion in this study?
2. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
3. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 1: Fast food outlets – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Dan Leveille is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. The research population includes those which meet two criteria:
1. fast food restaurant outlets
2. Inside London
2. This is a random sampling technique. It gives each
member of the research population an equal chance
of being chosen.
3. Advantage is that selection is independent of other
selections, and each member of the population has
an equal chance of selection. A weakness is that we
don’t know if those who refuse to participate are a
sub-population. E.g. if all McDonald’s managers refuse,
it will bias the results
Study 1: Fast food outlets – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Dan Leveille is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. What is/are the criteria for inclusion in this study?
2. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
3. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 2: Hospital nurses – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Luke Jones is licenced under CC BY 4.0
1. The research population includes those which meet four criteria:
1. Currently practicing nurse
2. Working the UK
3. Working in a hospital
4. Covers night-shift duties.
2. This is a ‘cluster sampling’ strategy. This is used when it is
impossible to compile an exhaustive list of all elements within a
study population. Instead, the elements are ‘clustered’ (e.g. by
health board) One the clusters are make up, a subpopulation is
chosen through random process.
3. Advantage is that it helps researchers draw reasonable boundaries to
work within. Finding a list of every single nurse who meets the criteria
would be impossible. Better to group them into districts and then
approach management to ask for access. A weakness is the research
has to choose which clusters to work within.
Study 2: Hospital nurses – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Luke Jones is licenced under CC BY 4.0
1. What is/are the criteria for inclusion in this study?
2. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
3. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 3: Lunchtime at the car plant – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Marek Slusarczykis licenced under CC BY 3.0
1. The research population includes those which meet just 1 criteria:
1. Current employees who work at this car plant.
2. This is a systematic (sampling called interval)
sample. The employees are ordered in some way
(in this case, alphabetically), and every 15th
employee is invited to participate in the research.
3. An advantage is the simplicity, choosing every 15th
(or 10th, or 100th) is straightforward.
The weakness is that depending on how the
population is organised (alphabetically, age, height)
might contain a pattern or some type of periodic trait that is hidden
(although this is very, very unlikely in this case that every 15th person
has some unusual trait about them – like they eat lunch hanging upside
down like a bat or something like that).
Study 3: Lunchtime at the car plant – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Marek Slusarczykis licenced under CC BY 3.0
1. What is/are the criteria for inclusion in this study?
2. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
3. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 4: Student sports – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Logan Simpson licenced under CC BY 3.0
1. The research population includes those which meet two criteria:
1. Currently enrolled student
2. At the University of Greenwich
2. This is a ‘stratified sampling’ strategy which involves dividing the
population in ‘strata’ (layers). In this case, the strata are the
subjects they are studying. From within those layers, individuals
are randomly chosen.
3. Advantage is that it tends to be more representative by ensuring that
each elements of the strata are represented. In this case, that each
subject is represented. A weaknesses is that by using certain strata
(e.g. subjects), you may be ignoring others (e.g. ethnicity, or age, or
disability).
Study 4: Student sports – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Logan Simpson licenced under CC BY 3.0
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2023
This activity will help you recognise the different types of nonprobability sampling that are available to researchers. It also helps
you identify possible strengths and weaknesses of such sampling.
You will be given a briefing sheet which outlines the sampling
strategies, and a handout that outlines 3 studies that uses nonprobability sampling strategies.
In small groups (3-5) answer the questions on the following slide.
(40 mins)
Activity 2: Non-probability sampling
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
For each of the three studies outlined in the handout, and in small
groups, answer the two following questions:
1. Name the sampling strategy
2. Highlight the possible strengths and weaknesses of that
strategy for this study.
(40 mins)
Activity 2: Probability sampling (con’t)
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Non-Probability sampling types
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Table 1: Probability sample types,
from Saunders et al (2019): 297.
1. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
2. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 1: Chocolate bar research – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Eniko Kis is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. This is a quota sampling – The researcher has several
characteristics that he wants to represent in his
sample (sex, age, ethnicity), and wants a minimum
sample for each one (a quota). This method is popular
for market researchers.
2. An advantage of this approach is that you can
represent sections of the population (although not
ever possible characteristic). It is cheap and each to administer. The
weakness is that it can create biased where the research assistants
might choose people based on physical appearance alone, ignoring
sections of the population in favour on the quotas. Like all nonprobability sampling, you cannot make generalisations.
Study 1: Chocolate bar research – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Eniko Kis is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
2. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 2: Glasgow Graffiti – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by James Garmen is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. This is a snowball sample. The researcher is relying on personal
networks and referrals to access the participants, with each
interviewee putting the researcher into contact with another
(potential) interviewee.
2. An advantage of this approach is that you can access
difficult-to-reach populations. The fact that the research is
being referred by someone the (potential) contact knows
makes it easier for some people to trust the researcher, and
this can be a huge advantage. The weakness of this approach
is that it is time-consuming, can lead to dead-ends. This leads to a very
biased sample as the entire population in the research will all be
known to each other. It also has ethical implications, as participants
will know each other.
Study 2: Glasgow Graffiti – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by James Garmen is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. What type of sampling strategy is it using?
2. What are the possible strengths and limitations of
this approach for this study?
Study 2: Student coffee shops – Q
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Clifford is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
1. This is a convenience sample where participants are
chosen based on convenient access.
2. An advantage is the simplicity, it is easy and cheap to use
this approach. The downsides is that it is heavily biased in
terms of where the student is standing, who she approaches,
and who accepts are all a product of subjective choices.
It is important that the researcher recognises that this takes
places, and that some groups may be overrepresented
(i.e. perhaps a sub-group of students go to the library on
that specific day of the week that the data was collected),
and others underrepresented.
Study 2: Student coffee shops – A
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
This image by Clifford is licenced under CC BY-SA 3.0
Enhance your grades
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Both assessments of this module both require you to write a
small amount on research methodology. The second part of the
assessment requires you to:
2. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the research
approach and design
Sampling is an important part of research design. You can use
your learning this week to start answering this by writing a few
paragraphs outlining probability and non-probability sampling
strategies, their strengths and weaknesses. Use your reading of
proper references (see Moodle) to support your work.
Assessment homework
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Next week we start on topic: Qualitative research design.
Come prepared by having watched/attended the lecture, read
the ‘briefing sheet’, and the core reading.
We will be designing an interview schedule during the workshop.
Next week’s workshop is important for your first assessment!
Next week
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022
Further
help with
studying
1. Study skills:
https://libguides.gre.ac.uk/academicskil
ls
2. Referencing:
https://libguides.gre.ac.uk/referencing
3. Proof-reading and feedback:
https://libguides.gre.ac.uk/studiosity
4. Wellbeing, mental health and
counselling:
Your personal tutor, or
https://www.gre.ac.uk/studentservices/support/student-wellbeing
Created by: Dr Scott Tindal, 2022