Sampling Questions
If you are using the excel database (found on the Sampling Introduction page), enter your data as instructed on the Raw Data worksheet. Excel will automatically calculate the totals and percentages on the Summary and Spatial Analysis worksheets for you. Print out the Raw Data, Summary, and Spatial Analysis tables, and answer the questions below.
If you are not using the excel database, print out the Raw Data, Summary, and Spatial Analysis pdf tables (found on the Sampling Introduction page). Fill out all the tables, and calculate the totals and percentages. Be sure to have a calculator handy! Then answer the questions below.
- Look at your data from the “Summary Table.” (This can be found in the excel sheet or the pdf file). Compare the results for the three sampling strategies. Overall, which strategy worked best (came the closest to the actual percentage values listed in the first row)? Did the results conform to your expectations? Why or why not?
- Go to the “Larger Sampling Rates” page, where we have drawn a 12% sampling for you using each of the three strategies. Look at the graphics and download the results.
- Look at your results in the “Spatial Analysis” Table (this can be found on the excel sheet or pdf file). The top table lists the actual number of artifacts collected for each spatial area, while the bottom table shows the results from your stratified sample.
- Please provide some feedback on the activity itself. Did you find it helpful in understanding sampling? Did you encounter any technical or conceptual problems?
2a. Overall, which sampling strategy worked best with the 12% sample?
2b. Compare the 12% sample results to your 6% sample results. Which gave you a better estimate of the % (relative abundance) of each artifact type? Is this what you would expect?
3a. Did your stratified sample provide a good estimate of the % (relative abundance) of each artifact type by area? Were the estimates better for some areas than others? If so, why do you think this is?
3b. Given the actual artifact distribution (shown in the top table), what hypotheses might you make about human behavior in different parts of the site? Do you think different activities occurred in different places? How could you test these hypotheses?
3c. From looking at the “Spatial Analysis” table, it is clear that many more artifacts were recovered in the south, southwest, and north sections (as compared to the northwest and west). List at least two hypotheses to explain this pattern (note- consider both behavioral and post-depositional factors).
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