Final answer:
Snowballing is a qualitative research sampling strategy where initial participants help recruit additional ones from their networks, useful for hard-to-reach populations.
It leverages secondary data analysis, involves trust and social connections, and can introduce potential sampling biases.
The correct Option is:
Secondary research that stems from the work of primary researchers, surveys, or interviews carried out with individuals who then suggest to others to increase the sample size
Step-by-step explanation:
Snowballing refers to a sampling strategy used in qualitative research, where initial participants recruit additional ones from their own networks. It is especially useful for reaching populations that are difficult to access or recruit otherwise. In snowball sampling, a participant might directly provide contact information for potential participants or actively recruit them due to an established relationship.
This recruitment method can be crucial for studies that focus on specific communities, behaviors, or opinions that are less visible or more complex to penetrate.
Gathering such a sample relies on the trust and social connections of the participants, which can be advantageous for the researcher, as it may lead to a more diversified and comprehensive set of data from within a particular community or group.
Moreover, snowballing allows researchers to leverage secondary data analysis from the chains of referral, which can facilitate broader insights into community dynamics without the direct involvement that primary research requires.
However, it's paramount for researchers to be mindful of potential biases introduced through snowball sampling, as the sample may not be representative of the entire population.
The sample may skew towards certain traits shared by the initial participants and their networks, which may impact the generalizability of the findings.