Understanding Research Sampling Methods

You think all research is super scientific, but sometimes it's just asking whoever is walking by.

It's a real method called convenience sampling—it's fast and cheap, but can be biased.

The gold standard is random sampling, where everyone has an equal chance of being picked,

but that's expensive and time-consuming. Then there's snowball sampling, where one person

leads you to others, which is perfect for finding hidden communities. The method a researcher

picks depends on their time, money, and what they're trying to discover.

So next time you read a study, think about who they actually asked.