Home > Sampling > Simple Random Sampling
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For more information:

Kristine Bovy

Assisstant Professor

507 Chafee Building URI

Kingston, RI 02881

874-4143

kbovy@uri.edu

Simple Random Sampling

Simple random sampling is the easiest of the three sampling strategies.  You simply divide an area up into equal units, assign a number to each unit, decide on a sample size, and randomly draw a sample.  The area surrounding the Poverty Point ridges has been divided into 247 equal units (squares) for you (excluding areas that were mostly comprised of water). You will be conducting a 6% sample (16 squares). The map below is based off of the 3D simulation on the left side of the page banner.

 

Instructions:

  1. Download the excel spreadsheet or the pdf found on the Sampling introduction page.

  2. Click on the random number button to generate a random number between 1 and 247.

  3. Then find the number on the grid, and click on that square.

    • A star will appear if there are artifacts in that square and dirt will appear if there are no artifacts.

    • As you click on a square, you will see the number of objects found in that square appear below the map.

  4. Record the artifacts found on the Raw Data Table as the information appears.

    • If you are using the excel sheet, save often.

  5. Repeat clicking on the random number button and the matching squares untill you have uncovered 16 squares.

  6. If you generate the same random number twice, simply generate a new number and continue as before. This is known as sampling without replacement.

  7. Continue on to the next page for the systematic sampling technique.

Things to Know:

  • Make sure that every time you click within the grey box below you are clicking on a square in the grid to uncover the artifact. If you click somewhere else within the grey box before all 16 squares are uncovered, you will need to hit the reset button to uncover enough squares.

  • Hitting the reset button or navigating away from the page will cause all the data on this page to be lost. Make sure you record your data before you do this.

  • If for any reason you cannot uncover all 16 squares (i.e. if you accidentally click too many times), simply hit reset and uncover the remaining squares you need.

 

Time: 20-25 mins.

 

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