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GCSE Sociology · key term
Selecting participants because they have a particular characteristic or experience relevant to the research aim.
Used by AQA and Eduqas
Paper 1, Paper 2
Revise: Research DesignPurposive sampling selects people because they have a characteristic relevant to the aim, such as being a headteacher, an MP or a cancer survivor. For a study of how schools respond to student employment, choosing headteachers could provide relevant knowledge. Their accounts would not, however, represent all students' experiences.
Component 2
A technique in which participants are deliberately selected because they have a characteristic relevant to the research.
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Purposive sampling deliberately selects people with a characteristic relevant to the study. A researcher investigating school leadership might select headteachers because they have the experience needed to answer the research questions. This targets useful participants, but their selection is not designed to represent a wider population through random choice.
