An interviewer finds that a subject is not at home; to complete his sample, he substitutes the nearest available subject for the missing subject. This practice is
A) reasonable and provides accurate results.
B) not recommended as it complicates the problems by increasing the proportion of at-homes in the sample.
C) recommended even though it increases the proportion of at-homes.
D) unreasonable although the results are generally accurate.
E) probably the best available technique for handling the not-at-home problem.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Substituting the nearest available subject can introduce bias, as it may increase the proportion of subjects who are at home, thus not accurately representing the intended sample.

An Interviewer Finds That a Subject Is Not at Home;