Reference no: EM133894913

Question

Sampling theory is an important concept in research that describes the relationship between a population and a sample upon which a research study is conducted (Schreier, 2018). In particular, it describes the framework upon which a sample is drawn from a population for use in research rather than use the entire population. For example, when researchers want to study the effects of online cognitive behavioral therapy intervention on stress among university students, it is impossible to study the whole university student population. Therefore, the researchers will select a sample from the population. However, the sample must be representative of the student population for the findings to be inferred from the sample to the population and be used for making decisions. In most cases, probability sampling approaches are used for generating representative samples.

Generalizability is an important component of any research study. According to Pearly & Bareinboim (2019), generalizability refers to the extent to which findings from a sample can be representative of the population and thus be used to make inferences about the population. Generalizability is an important concept in nursing research because it provides a framework for evidence-based nursing practice. When conducting research, nurses only need to work on a sample of the wider population. However, generalizability will ensure these findings can be used for making inferences and decisions on the wider population and thus be used to improve certain aspects of the practice environment. For example, when quantitative research notes that a particular cognitive behavioral therapy intervention works effectively in reducing stress among a random sample of students, the findings can be widened and applied to the wider student population. However, it is upon researchers to ensure the generalizability of their findings.