Suppose you are interested in determining the average word length in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.You decide to estimate this average word length by using a sample of 10 randomly selected words.Which of the following methods should result in a simple random sample of 10 words from the Address?
A) Have a student select 10 "representative" words from a copy of the Address.
B) Obtain a copy of the Address on a page of paper.Close your eyes and point the tip of your pencil on the page five times, each time selecting the word that your pencil lands on or nearest.
C) Obtain a list of the 268 words in the Address.Number the words.Use a random number generator to determine which 10 words to select.
D) Select every 27th word in the Address.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using a random number generator to select 10 words from the list of 268 words in the Address would result in a simple random sample, as each word would have an equal chance of being selected. Option A is not random and relies on subjective judgment. Option B is also not random as the words chosen could be dependent on the location of the pencil on the page. Option D is systematic sampling and could potentially introduce bias if there is a pattern in the word lengths.

Suppose You Are Interested in Determining the Average Word Length