Title

Representativity of the Midwestern Paleoindian Sample

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 4-2004

Abstract

Knowing Midwestern Paleoindians from archaeological evidence requires due regard for the record's quality as a sample. How big is it? How much of it do we have? How representative is this sample by size and composition? Estimating Cowgill's "physical-finds population" partly from the existing sample, I gauge "representativity" of the Midwestern Paleoindian record. Yes, the sample is small and biased, but representativity is no counsel of despair that available evidence is hopelessly corrupted. Instead, it identifies better data-collection methods and is a necessary prelude to intelligent synthesis.

Publication Title

North American Archaeologist

Volume

25

Issue

2

First Page

189

Last Page

212

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