Sep 30, 2017 itative research in nursing, which applied the snowball sampling method. Snowball sampling technique has strengths and weaknesses in its application. As the sample builds up, enough data are gathered to be useful for research. Oct 01, 2006 the most common sampling designs that can be used in social science research are discussed and is divided into two broad categories. For example, if you are studying the level of customer satisfaction among elite nirvana bali golf club in bali, you will find it increasingly difficult. The hermeneutics of snowball sampling in qualitative research, international journal of social research methodology, 11. Aspects of snowball chain sampling, unique sampling, and maximum variation sampling were used for this thesis. Despite its widespread use, especially for recruiting informants for multisource research, virtually no published research has addressed possible biases snowball sampling may. Nonprobability sampling focuses on sampling techniques that are based on the judgement of the researcher see our article nonprobability sampling to learn more about nonprobability sampling. The method yields a study sample through referrals. Probability sampling which include simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, multistage cluster sampling and probability proportionate to size ppa sampling, and non. The article provides the description and comparison of two nonrandom samplings which are snowball or chain referral sampling and sequential sampling. The snowball sampling is a research technique through survey and data registration which is.
It involves locating relevant organizations and experts who are. In snowball sampling for multisource studies, researchers ask target participants to recruit informants. Thus the sample group is said to grow like a rolling snowball. In the second and more current definition, snowball sampling has come to refer to a type of convenience sampling. This sampling method is often used when researchers wish to study a population where the subjects are particularly hard to identify or reach. International journal of economics, commerce and management, united kingdom licensed under creative common page 3 sampling sampling is an old concept, mentioned several times in the bible. Convenience sampling, random sampling, and snowball sampling. Snowball sampling can be applied for two primary purposes.
In spite of the fact that chain referral sampling has been widely used in qualitative sociological research, especially in the study of deviant behavior. On probability limits in snowball sampling agarwal. Snowball sampling is a nonprobability based sampling technique that can be used to gain access to such populations. Noticeably, the research participants are from government institutions, donor agencies, the private sector and public and private heis for an overview of participants see appendix. This sampling technique needs little planning and fewer workforce compared to other sampling techniques. Snowball sampling is a commonly employed sampling method in qualitative research. Snowball sampling developments used in marketing research.
The chain referral process allows the researcher to reach populations that are difficult to sample when using other sampling methods. The use of currently enrolled research participants to recruit additional research participants sometimes referred to as the snowball sampling may be approved by the irb under some. Quota sampling is a non random sampling technique in which participants are chosen on the basis of predetermined characteristics so that the total sample will have the same distribution of characteristics as the wider population davis, 2005. Mar 01, 2015 convenience sampling, random sampling, and snowball sampling. In this study, we performed the first quantitative, mediumn analysis of snowball sampling to identify. Since snowball samples are selected with unequal probabilities, the sample mean can no longer be used as a basis for making unbiased estimation about population characteristics. On probability limits in snowball sampling agarwal 1980 biometrical journal wiley online library.
Similarly, snowball sampling is an effective approach to fi nd informationrich participants and critical cases. Snowball sampling is a type of nonprobability sampling technique. Participants were injecting drug users, with or without hiv, followed up every six months between 1 may 1996 and 30 june 2007. Firstly, and most easily, as an informal method to reach a target population. Sep 17, 2019 snowball sampling is one of the most popular methods of sampling in qualitative research, central to which are the characteristics of networking and referral.
Geography in higher education, area, international journal of. Systematic errors can be defined as incorrect or false representation of the sample. Problems and techniques of chain referral sampling, authorp. This method relies on referrals from initially sampled. Researchers examined the association between plasma hiv1 rna concentrations and the incidence of hiv in injecting drug users. Hence snowball sampling and respondentdriven sampling allow participants to make estimates about the social network connecting the hidden population. In this blog you will read about the types and method of snowball sampling along with its advantages and disadvantages. Using social media and targeted snowball sampling to. The hermeneutics of snowball sampling in qualitative research chaim noy to cite this article. Purposive sampling is an informant selection tool widely used in ethnobotany table 1. In sociology and statistics research, snowball sampling or chain sampling, chainreferral sampling, referral sampling is a nonprobability sampling technique where existing study subjects recruit future subjects from among their acquaintances.
Scholars have posited several anecdotally based recommendations for enhancing the diversity of snowball samples. May 19, 2020 snowball sampling is also sometimes referred to as chainreferral sampling. Two of us sb and sn traveled to parts of central, western, and eastern ladakh and using snowball sampling or chain sampling naderifar et al. Similar snowball sampling methods have been used to contact difficulttoreach populations in studies using facetoface interviews, 6 9 but we found no published study using snowball recruitment in a mail survey of a general population. Enhancing the sample diversity of snowball samples plos. This article explains a what snowball sampling is, b how to create a snowball sample, and c the advantages. Sampling process may encounter the problem of systematic errors and sampling biases. From the listed the researcher has to deliberately select items to be sample. Convenience sampling, random sampling, and snowball. Insights from an overview of the methods literature abstract the methods literature regarding sampling in qualitative research is characterized by important inconsistencies and ambiguities, which can be problematic for students and researchers seeking a clear and coherent understanding. Dec 20, 20 researchers examined the association between plasma hiv1 rna concentrations and the incidence of hiv in injecting drug users. Pdf comparision of snowball sampling and sequential.
The article provides a description and analysis of some of the problems that were encountered and resolved in the course of using the method in a relatively large exploratory study of exopiate addicts. Enhancing the sample diversity of snowball samples. Problems and techniques of chain referral sampling. Adding the distinction between traditional and virtual sampling in snowball sampling definition. Journal of the royal statistical society b series, no 8, pg. Estimating the size of the homeless population in budapest. Target populations, sampling frames, and coverage error. Purposive sampling as a tool for informant selection. It involves locating relevant organizations and experts who are knowledgeable about a given research. The use of culturally sensitive recruitment strategies is both appropriate and effective in enlisting the involvement of members of vulnerable populations. Snowball sampling is undertaken when a qualified participant shares an invitation with other subjects similar to them who fulfill the qualifications defined for the targeted population berg, 2006. A manual for selecting sampling techniques in research 4 preface the manual for sampling techniques used in social sciences is an effort to describe various types of sampling methodologies that are used in researches of social sciences in an easy.
The population cannot be exactly delimited or enumerated e. Pdf background and objectives snowball sampling is applied when samples. Despite its widespread use, especially for recruiting informants for multisource research, virtually no published research has addressed possible biases snowball sampling may cause in findings of this type of research. Snowball sampling also known as chainreferral sampling is a nonprobability nonrandom sampling method used when characteristics to be possessed by samples are rare and difficult to find. Field research housing sector become the case study to explain this sampling technique. Snowball sampling is a wellknown, nonprobability method of survey sample selection that is commonly used to locate hidden populations. Nov 18, 2015 the article provides the description and comparison of two nonrandom samplings which are snowball or chain referral sampling and sequential sampling.
Aug 22, 2018 snowball sampling is a commonly employed sampling method in qualitative research. Snowball or chain sampling is the most common form of purposeful sampling. Guidelines for investigators using snowball sampling. Snowball sampling is a research method using surveys and data registering, usually helpful in the case of sociological, psychological or management studies, and is recommended when. Understanding the complex components of communitybased. Using this approach, the sample size snowballs bigger and bigger as each additional subject recruits more subjects.
Using the snowballing technique johnson, 2014, we carefully scanned the references of all the journal articles, book chapters and agency. Historically, snowball sampling has been used in qualitative research where a qualified subject is contacted by the researcher and a social. Sociology at surrey university of surrey research socialupdate. Snowball sampling international journal of doctoral studies ijds.
Sampling gordon lynchi introduction one of the aspects of research design often overlooked by researchers doing fieldwork in the study of religion is the issue of sampling. Nov 01, 1981 in spite of the fact that chain referral sampling has been widely used in qualitative sociological research, especially in the study of deviant behavior, the problems and techniques involved in its use have not been adequately explained. This article attempts to rectify this methodological neglect. Sampling and sampling methods online journal publishing groups. Snowball sampling has been widely used in qualitative sociological research, especially in the study of deviant behavior and is used in the place where the population is hard to reach. The procedures of chain referral sampling are not selfevident or obvious. Using social media and targeted snowball sampling to survey a. Probability sampling is any sampling scheme in which the probability of choosing each individual is the same or at least known, so it can be readjusted mathematically. Although snowball sampling is used extensively, particularly in relation to research on sexualities bell, 1997, there are few reflexive accounts of how. The researchers usually start with a small number of initial contacts seeds who fit the research criteria and are invited to become participants within the research. Types of nonprobability random sampling quota sampling. Snowball sampling snowball sampling is a non random sampling method that uses a few cases to help.
Mendeley users who have this article in their library. The purposive sampling technique, also called judgment sampling, is the deliberate choice of an informant due to the qualities the informant possesses. This is a sampling technique, in which existing subjects provide referrals to recruit samples required for a research study for example, if you are studying the level of customer satisfaction among the members. For example, respondents who have many links are more likely to be recruited into the sample. It was widely believed that it was impossible to make unbiased estimates from snowball samples, but a variation of snowball sampling called respondentdriven sampling has been shown. Snowball sampling or chainreferral sampling is defined as a nonprobability sampling technique in which the samples have traits that are rare to find. If the aim of a study is primarily explorative, qualitative and descriptive, then snowball sampling offers practical advantages hendricks, blanken and adriaans, 1992.
Sampling and sampling methods online journal publishing. Common types of nonprobability sampling methods include quota sampling, purposive sampling, selfselection sampling, and snowball sampling. The hermeneutics of snowball sampling in qualitative research. The use of snowball sampling for multi source organizational. This research describes snowball sampling as a purposeful method of data collection in qualitative research. Sru 33 summer 2001 social research update university of surrey. Snowball sampling is applied when samples with the target characteristics are not easily accessible. One of the most wellknown forms of nonprobability sampling is the snowball sampling method, which is particularly suitable when the population of interest is hard to reach and compiling a list.
Snowball sampling is defined as a nonprobability sampling technique in which the samples have traits that are rare to find. If youre interested in researching a specific group of people, like restaurant managers or crime victims, you need to recruit participants for your study. A manual for selecting sampling techniques in research. Creating a snowball sample to create a snowball sample, there are two steps.
Cohort members were recruited from an inner city community in vancouver, canada, using the method. The adaptation of snowball sampling techniques, as described in this article, helped the authors to gain access to each of the more. The name reflects an analogy to a snowball increasing in size as it rolls. Dec 27, 2012 snowball sampling uses a small pool of initial informants to nominate other participants who meet the eligibility criteria for a study. Quota sampling, accidental sampling, judgemental sampling or purposive sampling, expert sampling, snowball sampling, modal instant sampling.
Snowball sampling in qualitative research sampling knowledge. This sampling technique needs little planning and fewer workforce compared to other sampling. However, the use of the method is not adequately explained in most studies. International journal of social research methodology. Snowball sampling is a recruitment technique in which research participants are asked to assist researchers in identifying other potential subjects. They require more work, but are much more accurate. For example, if you are studying the level of customer satisfaction among elite nirvana bali golf club in bali, you will find it increasingly difficult to find primary data sources unless a member is. Since the choice of an eligible secondary survey recipient is not a random process, such a procedure. Snowball sampling in qualitative research sampling. Sampling and sampling design journal of public administration. It is relatively commonplace for books and articles in the field particularly written from a humanities perspective to present their empirical data as being of self. Comparision of snowball sampling and sequential sampling. Abstract the limits on probabilities under which usual sampling model is to be preferred over binomial sampling model have been worked out.
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