Final answer:
The sampling method that provides each member of the public an equal chance of being selected is simple random sampling, as opposed to quota, cluster, or stratified sampling, which involve grouping or segmenting the population.
The Correct Option is: Random
Step-by-step explanation:
The method of sampling that gives each member of the public an equal chance of being selected as part of a sample is random sampling. Among the options provided, simple random sampling is the technique where each member of the population has an equal probability of being chosen.
This type of sampling can be compared to a lottery where every individual in the population has the same chance to be selected. Unlike quota, cluster, and stratified sampling methods, random sampling does not involve grouping or segmenting the population before the sample is chosen.
In quota sampling, researchers fill quotas based on specific characteristics. In cluster sampling, the population is divided into clusters, and then a random selection of clusters is made.
Whole clusters are included in the sample, not individual members with equal probability. Stratified sampling involves dividing the population into strata based on certain attributes, and then a random sample is taken from each stratum, which may not give every individual an equal chance because the selection is stratified.