Part 4: Sampling
Topic 30: Sampling and Demographics
- Consider a survey on campus services for freshmen. Name three demographic variables that might be especially relevant for this study.
Three demographic variables that might be especially relevant for this study are age, income, and gender. The age may be relevant because it can show whether the students are traditional or non-traditional. If the survey is examining the relationship between utilizing campus services and a link between age and utilization is found, it will likely have to do with older students having stricter schedules. Income can play a role in campus services because wealthier students may get private tutoring. Additionally, financially related campus services may not be needed by fortunate students. Finally, gender may have a relationship with campus services utilization because certain services are likely popular among men or woman.
When considering demographics for surveys, you want demographics in the survey sample to reflect the population. Sample surveys that reflect the population allow researchers to make probable assumptions about the population based solely on the information found from the sample.
Those are the types of demographics I would use when doing such a study. I never would have thought about traditional or non-traditional as it would play into a factor of services. I have experienced quite a few students who are not financially wealthy but use private tutors during the semester. But your point is valid. Wealthier students might be able to find a well-respected tutor in the area. Many factors play into studies done on college campuses. Every little thing affects a person and their reasonings to the use of material. Reflecting on the population can be challenging but I believe you hit the nail on the head with this post. Thank you for sharing, it did get me thinking about what goes into a study or survey like that.
I would wonder about the question of income. As a non-traditional student and a virtual student as well I have to admit I have not spent much time around college students, but what little familiarity I have with them would suggest they fall into just a few groups; Some are having their way paid by their parents, others are using school loans, others are working their way through, and some are using some mix of these. So while income could be a valid demographic, I wonder if the manner in which they are paying for school might be more relevant? Particularly the correlation be age and method, and if there is any sort of direct relationship between the two. My thought off-hand is that among the youngest you would find the most that have parents paying part or all of their costs, as they get older I would expect it to shift more toward school loans, and at the upper limits of age I would expect to see more who are paying themselves while working their way through.
I would also ask you to consider the possible bias of the statement that ” Additionally, financially related campus services may not be needed by fortunate students. ” It is likely not to be needed by those who either saved sufficient money for school or are full-time employed with sufficient income to pay their way through. Fortunate implies benefit beyond one’s due (Mirriam-Websters, n.d.). Perhaps I am biased, but I don’t consider my fiscal position to be fortunate, but the result of over 40 years of work and experience.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Fortunate. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortunate