ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the various approaches to recruiting or otherwise obtaining the research units that provide data to the researcher. Probability sampling procedures are those where the determination of who or what provides data to the researcher is determined by a random process. Probability sampling methods are better suited to research where population inference is the goal. The simplest form of random sampling is simple random sampling. To conduct a simple random sample, all members of the population are identified and enumerated in the form of a list or database of some kind. Random sampling also never results in a sample that is verifiably and unequivocally representative, so perhaps it shouldn’t be put on a pedestal as the ideal method of recruiting research participants.
