Statistics Dictionary
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Voluntary Sample
A voluntary sample is one of the main types of
non-probability sampling methods.
A voluntary sample
is made up of people who self-select into the survey. Often,
these folks have a strong interest in the
main topic of the survey.
Suppose, for example, that a news show asks viewers to
participate in an online poll. This would be a voluntary
sample. The sample is chosen by the viewers, not by the
survey administrator.
