Dr. Veletsianos’ answers to the questions LRNT522 student’s asked, were very informative.  With each question and answer, I discovered new information that I can apply to my research project.  The concept of snowball sampling in research was of interest to me.  The process is described as follows. When conducting research on a specific topic, the researcher may decide that people with particular characteristics should be included in the research.  If the researcher is having difficulty recruiting people with these characteristics, he/she may opt to pursue snow ball sampling.  This process involves (a) finding participants who meet the characteristics (i.e male teachers in a rural area who teach kindergarten) and (b) contacting these teachers directly to determine if they know of other teachers who have the same characteristics or meet the same criteria.  On the other hand, if the researcher can easily find suitable participants for the research this method is not required.

To compare, this concept is used in business and specifically in recruitment.  In some instances, a position may require specific knowledge, skills and abilities that may be difficult to find in most candidates.  If a university graduate meets the criteria and is hired, the organization will more often than not go back to the university and request potential candidates because they know these individuals are qualified and have the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the position. 

Reference

Veletsianos, G. (2019). Questions about Research for George Veletsiano [Audio recording]. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yzG3Sqo0wImXN0tUf9dcjXODISiSYt9gH8_gJnMC_hY/edit