Hundreds of sea turtle hatchlings, instinctively following the bright lights of condominiums, wandered to their deaths across a coastal highway in Florida (Tampa Tribune, Sept. 16, 1990). This incident led researchers to begin experimenting with special low pressure sodium lights. One night, 60 turtle hatchlings were released on a dark beach and their direction of travel noted. The next night, the special lights were installed and the same 60 hatchlings were released. Finally, on the third night, tar paper was placed over the sodium lights. Consequently, the direction of travel was recorded for each hatchling under three experimental conditions—darkness, sodium lights, and sodium lights covered with tar paper.
a. Identify the population of interest to the researchers.
b. Identify the sample.
c. What type of data were collected, quantitative or qualitative?
d. Identify the data collection method.