Sampling strategy and sample size in quantitative research

Sampling Strategy and Sample Size for a Quantitative Research Plan

[To what extent do African-American men who live in an urban setting and exhibit aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression receive a diagnosis at local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression?]

The question posed in this study is one asking 'To what extent do African-American men who live in an urban setting and exhibit aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression receive a diagnosis at local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression?' Therefore, the population being studied is identified and a sampling must be chosen which defines the unit of analysis in this study.

Population

The population that will be utilized for the sampling in this study is comprised of an urban population of African-American men who have exhibited aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression and who have received a diagnosis at a local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression.

III. Sampling

The sampling conducted in this study will involve a non-probability convenience sampling of an urban population of African-American men who have exhibited aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression and who have received a diagnosis at a local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression.

The non-probability sampling will be in the nature of a convenience sampling since it will be fairly easy to locate this population of individuals through a clinic or hospital database. This type of sampling has also been chosen for the purpose of ensuring that each African-American male who have exhibited aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression and who have received a diagnosis at a local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression will have the same chance of being chosen for the study as the other potential participants who meet the same criteria. This type of sampling will enhance the researcher's ability to study this specific population of individuals since they have already been diagnosed and are patients at an urban hospital or clinic.

IV. How Sample to Be Drawn

The non-probability convenience sampling in this study will be in the form of a volunteer sampling and will involve a flyer being distributed at a local urban hospital and clinic that invites African-American men who have exhibited aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression and who have received a diagnosis at a local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression.

V. Sample Size in Relation to Population Size

Affecting the sample size in relation to the population rate will be the response and refusal rates. The response rate is the percentage of the portion of individuals included in the sampling in this study compared to the number of individuals that the study desires to include. To motivate the response rate in this study an incentive will be offered in the form of a gift certificate to a local restaurant for dinner for two. Those who participate in the study will receive the gift certificate upon completion of the study.

VI. Summary

This study focuses on the extent to which African-American men who live in an urban setting exhibit aggressive behavior due to early development factors associated with depression and who have received a diagnosis at local medical facilities of conduct disorder as opposed to depression. The sampling method utilized in this quantitative study will be a non-probability convenience volunteer sampling in which study participants will be targeted through flyers that invite their participation in this research study.