How is snowball sampling used in surveys and experiments?

In my experience snow-ball sampling is a great way to reach and do research on hard to reach populations. Of course it is a method of non-probability sampling. However, to get a quick insight of a particular type of population with a particular trait, it is the best method.

Snowball sampling is a non-probability sampling technique where initial participants refer additional participants. It's useful when studying rare populations or hard-to-reach groups. Researchers start with a small set of subjects and rely on them to refer others. While it can uncover hidden or marginalized groups, it may introduce bias due to referral networks. Properly implemented, it can be a valuable tool in surveys and experiments, especially for niche research areas.

I haven’t use this approach but I still find that Snowball is an interesting method to start accessing to “hard-to-find” individuals that could be the best fit for the study being made but for me it requires to be managed by a experienced team because the method works like a “referral campaign” and I feel that in some kind of way, randomness does not exist, therefore, I think that it could be helpful according to the objective of the study that is being made and must always considerate that the ones that are being referred got a bigger chance to have same conditions or attributes of the one that referred, bias possibility must be always considered during the study.

So, in my opinion, time efficiency is an important benefit when it comes to snowball sampling. It's as if you could simply reach out to the networks that your present individuals have, saving you the trouble of recruiting individuals one at a time. Suppose you invite your buddies to bring their friends to a party that you're holding. It's similar in that sense. You're exploiting the existing connections, which can speed up matters greatly. Additionally, those who receive an invitation from someone they know are typically keen to participate and express their opinions. They appear to be thoroughly screened and prepared for action.

Snowball sampling uses the social networks of an original core of participants to generate a sample. This type of sampling will likely exclude asocial people and well people who are dissimilar to the original core with respect to demographics, culture, attitudes, and/or behavior. For these reasons, when you attempt to generalize results from the members of the sample to the larger population you aim to study, your findings could be quite inaccurate and misleading. For these reasons, snowball sampling should only be used where there are no other feasible choices or where the social networks themselves are of interest.

long story short, don't use it .......................................................................................................................

Remember how I said it's awesome to have friends who invite friends over to start your party off fast? Additionally, there is still a counterpart too it as well. If the first group of people involved in your study is somewhat similar, they will likely recommend others who are very similar to them. And just like with the party, your study might end up being a deep dive into a very specific community, rather than a broad look at a diverse population. So, while you're getting participants quickly, you're also stacking the deck with a certain type of person, which can make your study's findings a bit narrow.

Regarding the point, it's important to pay attention to who's present. It's, like taking a headcount at the entrance. You want to determine if most of the individuals in the group are from the area or if there is a mix of people. It's crucial to ask yourself "Are we only attracting one type of person? Is there any variety?" Ensuring that you don't experience the thing repeatedly is significant. Therefore you're positioning yourself for an analysis that's comprehensive. Covers all aspects rather, than just a fraction of it by monitoring the composition of your sample and what insights they provide.

Cracking into the data from snowball sampling is like after-party cleanup—you're looking what happened, who was there, and piecing together the night. If your data's a lot of numbers, it's like counting bottles to figure out how much everyone drank— that's your descriptive stats. And if you want more, you might try to predict the attendance at the next party—there's your inferential stats, trying to spot patterns in who showed up and why. If you're deep in stories and chats—your qualitative stuff—it's like you're listening to the night's hits. You're looking for the main themes: was it the debates that sparked in the corner, or the music that got everyone hyped? That's your thematic analysis, picking out best stories from the night.

Snowball sampling is a non-probability sampling method used in surveys and experiments, mainly when the targeted population is hard to reach or less visible. This method relies on existing participants to refer or recruit other potential participants, thereby 'snowballing' as the sample grows. HIV/AIDS Research: Studies focusing on marginalized groups or communities where individuals are hesitant to come forward for testing. Illegal Immigrant Populations: Researchers use snowball sampling to understand the experiences of undocumented immigrants. Underrepresented Communities: Studies examining various minority groups, such as LGBTQ+ individuals or religious minorities, to explore their experiences and challenges.