Which of the following is accurate?
A) the reason that researchers use probability samples is because they guarantee representativeness of the sample
B) in general, the more heterogeneous a population, the smaller the sample needed for representativeness
C) a simple random sample is appropriate when the researcher wants to over-represent a characteristic in the population
D) a sample is representative of the population from which it is drawn if the aggregate characteristics of the sample approximate those of the general population

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A sample is considered representative of the population from which it is drawn if the aggregate characteristics of the sample approximate those of the general population. While probability sampling methods increase the likelihood of obtaining a representative sample, they cannot guarantee it. Option A is therefore incorrect. Option B is untrue as more heterogeneous populations would require a larger sample size to ensure representativeness. Option C is incorrect as a simple random sample is used to obtain an unbiased representative sample of the population without over-representing any particular characteristic.

Which of the Following Is Accurate