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Drawing Random Samples in Cross'Cultural Studies: A Suggested Method 1
Author(s) -
McNETT CHARLES W.,
KIRK ROGER E.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1525/aa.1968.70.1.02a00050
Subject(s) - simple random sample , sample (material) , ideal (ethics) , grid , computer science , simple (philosophy) , sampling (signal processing) , statistics , unit (ring theory) , mathematics , sociology , epistemology , chemistry , geometry , chromatography , philosophy , population , demography , mathematics education , filter (signal processing) , computer vision
A simple method for drawing a random sample, which must be used to meet the assumptions of inferential statistical tests utilized in cross‐cultural studies, is to take a list of the cultural universe and select the sample from it by some random procedure. A problem inherent in this method is that no one has defined the unit, culture, in such a way as to make this practicable. A grid method for drawing random samples is suggested as an alternative that effectively avoids this problem. The advantages and disadvantages of this grid method in comparison with other sampling methods are also discussed. Although the grid method does not produce a completely random sample of cultures, as defined, it seems to conform more closely than other methods now in use to this ideal.