What is a disadvantage of systematic sampling?

Systematic sampling is a method in which researchers select participants at regular intervals from a list or sequence. While this method is efficient and can be straightforward to implement, one of its key disadvantages is that it can lead to a non-representative sample.

This non-representative nature arises because if there is an underlying pattern in the population being sampled, the systematic approach might inadvertently over-represent or under-represent certain subgroups. For example, if a researcher is sampling every 10th person from a list and there's a periodic fluctuation in the characteristics of individuals on that list, the selected sample may fail to accurately reflect the overall population. This could compromise the validity of the findings, as the sample may not capture the diversity needed to generalize results effectively.

In contrast, options mentioning equal chances or quick implementation do not accurately highlight disadvantages, as these aspects can be seen as strengths of systematic sampling in certain contexts. Also, the need for participant availability at all times is not relevant to the systematic sampling process specifically. Therefore, the potential for non-representativeness stands out as a significant downside to the method.