Before the prevalent use of the internet, several polls were done via postal mail. While many polls have changed to other means, mail surveys are still used today. Questions are created, printed, and mailed to peoples businesses or home addresses. Individuals complete the survey and mail it back to the researchers. The focal costs associated with mail surveys were in stamps, time spent compiling and analyzing results, and printing.
This technique has many benefits. Researchers can easily touch a large geographical area, affording for potentially diverse selection of answers. Most people are familiar with mail-based surveys, raising the affluence of completion. Because people complete these surveys in the privacy of their homes, mail layouts are usually good for searching sensitive subjects.
However, no interpretation is available if the person does not comprehend the question which could result in wrong information congregation. Because the survey is not completed in a controlled environment, the sample needs to be motivated in order to respond to the survey and mail it back in, a reason which often effects in a low completion rate and response bias (Spiker, 2009).
Sampling is done generally because it is difficult to test every single person in the population. It is also done to save money, time and effort while running the research.
Still, every researcher must keep in mind that the best scenario is to test all the people to obtain valid, reliable and accurate results. If testing all the people is impossible, that is the only time we trust on sampling methods.
When utilizing population sampling it must be conducted appropriately since errors can lead to misleading and inaccurate data.
Residents are the type we'll be aiming for. If done well, the results for the sample will return the results received by surveying the whole group. For example, let's say you