Convenience Sampling
Convenience sampling is also known as Haphazard Sampling which is a type of non-probability or non-
random sampling where members of the target population that meet certain practical criteria, such as
easy accessibility, geographical proximity, availability at a given time, or the willingness to participate
are included for the purpose of the study.
One of the most common examples of convenience sampling is using student volunteers as subjects for
the research. Another example is using subjects that are selected from a clinic, a class or an institution
that is easily accessible to the researcher. A more concrete example is choosing five people from a class
or choosing the first five names from the list of patients.
Application:
Researchers use convenience sampling not just because it is easy to use, but because it also has other
research advantages. In pilot studies, convenience sample is usually used because it allows the
researcher to obtain basic data and trends regarding his study without the complications of using
a randomized sample.
This sampling technique is also useful in documenting that a particular quality of a substance or
phenomenon occurs within a given sample. Such studies are also very useful for detecting relationships
among different phenomena.
A gaming company wants to know how one of their games is doing in the market one day after its
release. Its analyst may choose to create an online survey on FACEBOOK to rate that game. The major
challenge of this approach will be reaching to the people who play games. As social media is a vast
place, it's always difficult to collect samples from the population of interest. Most people may not be
interested or take the survey seriously while completing it, which results in sampling error. The survey
may be improved greatly if the analyst posts it to fan pages dedicated to game-lovers.
Advantages:
• Quick mode to collect data: The rules to gather elements for the sample are least complicated
in comparison to methods such as simple random sampling, stratified sampling or systematic
sampling. Due to this simplicity, data collection takes minimal time.
• Inexpensive to create samples: Money and time invested in other probability sampling
methods are quite large when we compare it to convenience sampling. This allows researchers
to create more samples with less or no investment and in a brief period of time.
• Easily collectible samples: The name of this survey gives a clear indication of how samples are
formed. Elements are easily accessible by the researchers and so, collecting members for the
sample becomes easy.
• Follow fewer rules: Unlike probability sampling techniques, convenience sampling doesn’t
require going through a checklist to filter members of an audience for sample creation. In case
of this sampling method, gathering critical information and data becomes uncomplicated.
Disadvantages:
➢ Convenience samples do not produce representative results.
➢ The natural tendency is to extrapolate from convenience samples.
➢ The results of convenience samples are hard to replicate.
➢ Convenience samples can be used to intervene to satisfy dissatisfied customers.
➢ Convenience samples can provide rich qualitative information.
➢ Convenience samples may provide accurate correlations.