To the Woods – a detailed comparison of Sampling methods

Simulação para aprender amostragem simples e estratificada

Simulação para aprender amostragem simples e estratificada

To the Woods – a detailed comparison of Simple Random Sampling and Stratified Sampling

In this game the aim is to conduct a small survey to estimate the total number of trees in a forest and the proportion of large trees. A tree is considered ‘large’ if its diameter at breast height (DBH) is greater than 30cm. The area of forest from which the sample is to be taken is divided into two regions (‘East’ and ‘West’) by a river. Within each region it is possible to count the number of trees in any 50m x 50m plot. There are 168 plots in total – 96 to the West of the river and 72 to the East.

There are two alternative sampling solutions. Students take a sample of 14 plots and can either use simple random sampling or stratified sampling to choose them. They record the number of small trees, the number of large trees and the total number of trees for each of the 14 observations.

The game consists of 168 small pieces of card, which represent the plots, slipped into slits in a large piece of card representing the forest. A river can be drawn on the large piece of card to divide the forest into two regions. One side is labelled ‘West’ and the other ‘East’. The protruding sections of the plots are labelled with their region side (West or East) and plot number (1 to 96 and 1 to 72, respectively). The student pulls out the chosen plots and records the numbers of large and small trees, which is printed on the lower section of the plot.

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