To select a sample of undergraduate students in the United States, I first select a simple random sample of four states. From each of these states, I select a simple random sample of two colleges or universities. Finally, from each of these eight colleges or universities, I select a simple random sample of 20 undergraduates. My final sample consists of 160 undergraduates. This is an example of:
A)simple random sampling.
B)stratified random sampling.
C)multistage sampling.
D)convenience sampling.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of multistage sampling, as the process involves multiple stages of sampling units (states, colleges/universities, and undergraduates). Simple random sampling is used at each stage, making it a multistage simple random sampling method. Stratified random sampling involves dividing the population into strata and sampling from each stratum proportionally, which is not the case here. Convenience sampling involves selecting participants who are easily accessible and may not be representative of the population, which is not the case here.

To Select a Sample of Undergraduate Students in the United