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The Sample Size-Richness Relation: The Relevance of Research Questions, Sampling Strategies, and Behavioral Variation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Stephen Plog  and
Michelle Hegmon
Stephen Plog
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Michelle Hegmon
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003
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Abstract

Recent discussions of the relation between sample size and assemblage richness suggest that researchers should control for that relation before behavioral interpretations of richness levels can proceed. We suggest that such automatic decisions should be avoided because a strong correlation between sample size and richness alone is not sufficient evidence for dismissing behavioral factors as the primary causes of the variation in richness. Instead, we must first explore the causes of the observed variation in sample size and the relation of those causes to our research questions.

Resumen

Resumen

Recientes discusiones sobre la relación entre el tamaño de la muestra y la riqueza sugieren que los investigadores deben tomar control por esa relación antes de que las interpretaciones fundamentals de riqueza puedan proceder. Sugerimos que tales decisiones automáticas deben ser eludidas porque una fuerte correlación entre el tamaño de la muestra y riqueza sola no es suficiente evidencia para suspender factores fundamentales como la causa principal de variación en riqueza. En su lugar debemos primero explorar las causas de la variación observada en el tamaño de la muestra y la relacion de esas causas en nuestra pregunta de investigación.

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 58 , Issue 3 , July 1993 , pp. 489 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1993

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References

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