Is a Non-Representative Convenience Sample Good Enough? Insights from an Economic Experiment
| Author(s) | Sean F. Ellis | |
| Author(s) | Olesya M. Savchenko | |
| Author(s) | Kent D. Messer | |
| Date Accessioned | 2022-12-01T18:17:59Z | |
| Date Available | 2022-12-01T18:17:59Z | |
| Publication Date | 2022-11-19 | |
| Abstract | Keywords: Non-representative convenience sampling, field experiments, online recruitment, representative sampling | |
| Abstract | Recruitment of representative and generalizable samples is a major challenge for researchers conducting economic field experiments. Limited access to representative samples or the high cost of obtaining them often leads to the recruitment of non-representative convenience samples. This research compares the findings from two field experiments involving 860 adults: one from a non-representative in-person convenience sample and one from a representative online counterpart. We find no meaningful differences in the key behaviors of interest between these two samples. These findings contribute to a growing body of literature demonstrating that non-representative convenience samples can be sufficient in certain contexts. | |
| Sponsor | Funding support for this research was provided by the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture (grant number: 20166800725064 | |
| Other Identifier | JEL Classification: B41, C83, C93 | |
| URL | https://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/31603 | |
| Language | en_US | |
| Publisher | Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, University of Delaware, Newark, DE. | |
| Title | Is a Non-Representative Convenience Sample Good Enough? Insights from an Economic Experiment | |
| Type | Working Paper |