Question

Archaeologists plan to examine a sample of $2$-meter square plots near an ancient Greek city for artifacts visible in the ground. They choose separate random samples of plots from the floodplain, coast, foothills, and high hills. What kind of sample is this?

(a) A cluster sample

(b) A convenience sample

(c) A simple random sample

(d) A stratified random sample

(e) A voluntary response sample

Short answer

The correct option is d) A stratified random sample.

Step-by-step solution

Given information

Plots from the floodplain, coast, foothills, and high hills were randomly selected.

Concept

A simple random sample (SRS) of size n is made up of n people chosen from the population with an equal chance of being the sample that is actually chosen.

Explanation

To begin, you must understand sampling methods:

Simple random sampling: This method has a sample size of $n$ with each sample having an equal chance of being chosen. Simple random samples are produced from independent subgroups using stratified sampling. Systematic sampling entails including every kth person in the sample. Cluster sampling separates the population into non-overlapping subgroups, which are subsequently included in the sample. Convenience sampling is when a subgroup of the population is picked at random. The stratified sampling strategy was utilized in this investigation. Because they select separate random samples of plots from the different strata of the floodplain, coast, foothills, and high hills.