Sampling of participants: past paper questions
Real questions on sampling of participants
The newest 20 of 83 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 9990/43 · May/June 2026 · Q12c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of sampling technique. (c) (i)
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · February/March 2026 · Q9c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of sampling technique. (c) (i)
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · February/March 2026 · Q9c(ii)[2]
Explain one weakness with your choice of sampling technique.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · February/March 2026 · Q10c(iii)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of sample of participants. Health Psychology
See it on the paper → - 9990/21 · October/November 2025 · Q3a[2]
Outline two other inclusion criteria.
See it on the paper → - 9990/21 · October/November 2025 · Q3b[2]
For each of the inclusion criteria outlined in part (a): Suggest why each inclusion criterion was important in this study, other than to ensure that the experimental and control groups were similar.
See it on the paper → - 9990/22 · October/November 2025 · Q4a[2]
There was a sample of children and a sample of adults. In both samples there were some males and some females. Suggest why it was important that both males and females were present in both samples.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · October/November 2025 · Q3c[4]
Explain one strength and one weakness of using university students as participants in this study on consumer personality and advertising.
See it on the paper → - 9990/22 · May/June 2025 · Q8c[2]
Kong will use opportunity sampling. Outline what is meant by ‘opportunity sampling’, using Kong’s study as an example.
See it on the paper → - 9990/23 · May/June 2025 · Q5[2]
In the study by Bandura et al. (aggression), a sample of children was recruited from a university nursery. The sampling technique is not stated. Suggest why Bandura et al. may not have used volunteer sampling.
See it on the paper → - 9990/41 · May/June 2025 · Q11c(iii)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of sampling technique. Organisational Psychology
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2025 · Q7a(i)[2]
Outline two features of the sample used in this study.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · May/June 2025 · Q7a(ii)[2]
Outline how participants were recruited for this study.
See it on the paper → - 9990/22 · February/March 2025 · Q7b[3]
Suggest how Jacinda could obtain a volunteer sample for her study.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · February/March 2025 · Q12c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of sampling technique.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · February/March 2025 · Q12c(ii)[2]
Explain one weakness of your choice of sampling technique.
See it on the paper → - 9990/22 · October/November 2024 · Q6c[1]
Define the term ‘population’.
See it on the paper → - 9990/22 · October/November 2024 · Q6d[2]
Outline the population being studied by Mohsin.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · October/November 2024 · Q7c[4]
Explain two weaknesses of using a volunteer sample of workers to answer questionnaires about sabotage.
See it on the paper → - 9990/42 · October/November 2024 · Q10c(i)[2]
Explain one reason for your choice of sampling technique.
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
Comprehensive responses • Many candidates stated a reason for their choice of sampling technique, most commonly a volunteer sample. Limited responses • Some candidates stated that they chose an opportunity sample “because it is quick and easy” with no elaboration. • Some candidates believed that a volunteer sampling makes a study automatically ethical, when it does not.
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/42 Q9(c)(i) (Cambridge)
Comprehensive responses • Many candidates suggested that a weakness of a volunteer sample is that the participants might all have the same ‘volunteering personality’ which might bias the sample. Limited responses • Some candidates provided an appropriate weakness forgetting to relate the weakness to their study about antipsychotic drugs.
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/42 Q9(c)(ii) (Cambridge)
Comprehensive responses • Many candidates wrote specifically about features of their sample, giving reasons why they had chosen a specific age range, where the participants were located, or characteristics such as being students. Many candidates gave the reason for choosing younger people was that they were more likely to do ‘internet shopping’ than older people. Limited responses • Some candidat...
— Examiner report, February/March 2026, 9990/42 Q10(c)(iii) (Cambridge)
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