CONVENIENCE SAMPLING – Subjects are selected because they are easily accessible. This is one of the weakest sampling procedures. An example might be surveying students in one’s class. Generalization to a population can seldom be made with this procedure.

“Researchers often need to select a convenience sample or face the possibility that they will be unable to do the study. Although a sample randomly drawn from a population is more desirable, it usually is better to do a study with a convenience sample than to do no study at all– assuming, of course, that the sample suits the purpose of the study” (Gall, Borg, & Gall, 1996, p. 228).

Gall, M. D., Borg, W. R., & Gall, J. P. (1996). Educational Research: An Introduction. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Del Siegle, Ph.D.
Neag School of Education – University of Connecticut
del.siegle@uconn.edu
www.delsiegle.com