Opportunity Sampling - GCSE Sociology Definition

Reviewed by: Raj Bonsor

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Opportunity sampling is a way to select a group of people to study by choosing those who are easiest to reach. Imagine you want to know what teenagers think about a new school rule. Instead of asking everyone, you might just talk to students who happen to be in the school library during lunch, because they are handy and available. This method is quick and simple, but it might not give results that reflect what everyone in the school thinks, because you're only talking to a small, specific group. In GCSE Sociology, it's important to understand that while opportunity sampling saves time, it can lead to biased results.

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Raj Bonsor

Reviewer: Raj Bonsor

Expertise: Psychology & Sociology Content Creator

Raj joined Save My Exams in 2024 as a Senior Content Creator for Psychology & Sociology. Prior to this, she spent fifteen years in the classroom, teaching hundreds of GCSE and A Level students. She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment. She has also successfully taught a number of Level 3 subjects, including criminology, health & social care, and citizenship.

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