The sampling method described by dividing regions, selecting two states from each region, then dividing each state into public and private universities and selecting two universities from each state, and finally selecting 50 participants randomly from the narrowed list, is an example of which technique?

• A. Simple random sampling
• B. Stratified sampling
• C. Cluster sampling
• D. Multistage sampling

Answer: (D)

Multistage sampling. This design picks units in several steps, moving from larger groups to smaller ones. First, regions are used, then two states are chosen within each region. Within each state, you further narrow the frame by dividing universities into public and private and selecting two universities from each group. Finally, a random sample of participants is drawn from the final list. The process illustrates multiple stages of sampling, each narrowing the population, which is the hallmark of multistage sampling. It’s not a single-step simple random sample from the whole population, and it isn’t purely cluster sampling because you don’t just include entire clusters at one stage; you sample within clusters across several levels, with an internal stratification step.