Question

A marijuana survey included 1610 responses from a list of approximately 241,500,000 adults in the United States from which every 150,000th name was surveyed. Identify which of these types of sampling is used?

1) Simple random sampling
2) Stratified sampling
3) Cluster sampling
4) Systematic sampling

Answer 1

The marijuana survey is using systematic sampling, where every 150,000th name from a list is surveyed. Systematic sampling involves selecting individuals at a fixed interval from a list, providing an efficient and representative way to sample from a large population.

Step-by-step explanation:

Types of Sampling Methods:

The marijuana survey described is using systematic sampling. This is because every 150,000th name is surveyed, indicating a fixed interval between selections from the list of adults. Such a sampling design involves selecting a random starting point and then picking every kth individual, where k is a predetermined interval. This is a form of probability sampling which is known to produce reliable and valid results when used correctly.

Examples of Other Sampling Methods:

• Stratified sampling divides the population into different subgroups or strata and selects a sample from each stratum.
• Cluster sampling divides the population into clusters and then selects a random sample of clusters. All individuals within selected clusters are sampled.
• Simple random sampling gives each individual in the population an equal chance of being selected.

Using systematic sampling, the researchers can achieve a representative sampling of the population while maintaining efficiency in data collection.