Overview
Simple random sampling is the 'gold standard' of sampling because it minimizes bias and ensures that the sample is likely to be representative of the population.
Methods
- Lottery Method: Drawing names from a hat.
- Random Number Generators: Using software to pick individuals based on assigned IDs.
Advantages
- Easy to implement.
- High internal validity.
Disadvantages
- Can be difficult to implement for very large or dispersed populations.
- May not capture enough members of small sub-groups (solved by Stratified Sampling).