You can use each of the sampling methods we’ve discussed so far with any survey distribution mode: face-to-face, online, phone, or mail. Once you’ve decided which one(s) suits the needs of your project, it’s time to take your sample! Click through the following pages for considerations and suggestions for each mode.
Remember, regardless of how you distribute your survey, it is extremely useful to first create or acquire a directory of the population you’re studying. From there, it’s much easier to organize contact information into a spreadsheet and then randomize the entries in order to select your sample. Of course, this may not always be feasible — for example, if you are snowball sampling, you won’t have access to information about your population in advance. Whenever possible, gather as much contact information as you can before you start.
Ethics Check
Once you’ve selected a sample, and as you begin to gather responses, think about how many people will actually respond to the survey. Is everyone equally likely to complete the survey? Probably not, right? There is a certain type of person, perhaps with more time, or more interest, who is more likely to take an optional survey, especially if there’s no reward. This phenomenon is called non-response bias. To guard against non-response bias, you want to make it as easy as possible for participants to respond to your survey. You can find more information about how to do this in the following pages.
