Deltagarbas

Deltagarbas, in research methodology, refers to the group of individuals who are eligible and reachable for participation in a study. It denotes the sampling frame or the pool from which actual study participants may be drawn. The deltagarbas is not necessarily identical to the target population, but serves as a practical subset defined by inclusion criteria, registry availability, and access constraints.

Construction and use: Researchers define inclusion and exclusion criteria to delimit the deltagarbas. They may use existing registries, customer databases, or geographic areas as sources. Sampling methods such as random sampling, stratified sampling, convenience sampling, or snowball sampling determine which individuals from the deltagarbas become participants. The size and composition of the deltagarbas influence representativeness and statistical power.

Implications: If the deltagarbas is not representative of the target population, external validity may be compromised. Nonresponse bias and attrition in longitudinal studies can shrink the deltagarbas over time, altering its characteristics.

Ethical considerations: Data protection, informed consent, and confidentiality apply to the deltagarbas just as to the participants.

In practice: In public health surveys, the deltagarbas might be drawn from national registries; in consumer research, from loyalty programs or online panels.

Related concepts: population, sampling frame, sample, panel, cohort.