IV
No matter how well thought out a questionnaire or other research instrument might be, its value in a research project can be greatly weakened if those to be sampled are chosen haphazardly. Also, if people are not asked to be subjects in a proper manner, major proportions will refuse to cooperate or will provide misleading information. These are the types of topics to be addressed in the next two chapters.
Chapter 7 discusses all of the major options of social scientists regarding where and how samples of human subjects are obtained. In chapter 8, many issues surrounding the discretion of human beings in taking part in a study, and thereby in disclosing complete and honest information once they have agreed to become involved, are explored.