Survey Sampling of Community College Students: For Better or for Worse.

This paper provides an overview of common sampling methods (both the good and the bad) likely to be used in community college self-evaluations and presents the results from several simulated trials. The report begins by reviewing various survey techniques, discussing the negative and positive aspects of each method. The increased accuracy and cost-effective nature of probability, as opposed to nonprobability, sampling is discussed, as are the different types of probability sampling-simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, systematic sampling, and cluster sampling. The types of nonprobability samples, including quota sampling and convenience sampling, are also described. The paper then reviews the methods and subsequent results of the simulation sampling. It concludes that, though not the same as collecting fresh data, simulations offer valuable guidance and insight to selecting sample populations. Researchers also found that random sampling is preferable to in-class surveys, and questionnaires should come as close to probability samples as possible. Appendices include data tables. (YKH) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Survey Sampling of Community College Students: For Better or For Worse