A researcher at a large university wants to assess the critical thinking skills of undergraduate students at
the university. In order to do this, the researcher takes a sample by first dividing the entire population of
students into subgroups defined by the sections offered at the institution. The researcher then randomly
selects a specific number of sections to assess and then assesses all the students in each of those
sections. What type of sampling technique is the researcher performing?
O stratified
O cluster
O systematic
O random



Answer :

The researcher is performing a **stratified** sampling technique. Here's why: 1. **Stratified sampling** involves dividing the population into subgroups (or strata) based on certain characteristics that are important to the study. In this case, the researcher is dividing the students into subgroups based on the sections offered at the university. 2. After dividing the population into sections, the researcher selects specific sections to assess. This step aligns with the stratified sampling approach, where each stratum is represented in the sample. 3. By assessing all the students within the selected sections, the researcher ensures that each subgroup (section) is adequately represented in the sample, allowing for a more accurate assessment of the critical thinking skills of the undergraduate students. In summary, the researcher's process of dividing the population into sections and then assessing all students within the selected sections corresponds to the stratified sampling technique, making it the most suitable choice for this scenario.