Cores are cylindrical samples of unconsolidated sediment or rock, collected vertically through the surface of the sea floor or lake floor and into the substrate beneath.

Grabs are samples consisting of the unconsolidated substrate found on the surface of the sea or lake bed.

Dredges are rock samples plucked from the sea or lake bed by devices that act as scoops (dredges) towed behind research vessels.

Slides may be microfossil slides (foraminifera and diatoms picked by paleontologists or geologists), thin sections of geological samples, or smear slides of unconsolidated sediment.

Subsamples are discrete samples taken from other samples (cores, grabs, and dredges).

Other samples are those that don't fall into one of the other categories (cores, dredges, grabs, slides, subsamples). These samples might include coral skeletons, water samples and peel samples.