Question 1

The decision of how many people needed in a random sample to represent the population should be based on the

Accepted Answer

The sample size should be based on the degree of variability in the population. A larger sample size is needed when the variability is high, and a smaller sample size is sufficient when the variability is low. The other options (A, B, and D) may also have an impact on the sample size, but the degree of variability in the population is the most important factor to consider.

Question 2

Techniques to increase the return rate for a survey include

Accepted Answer

Making sure the survey requires minimal effort is the most effective technique to increase the return rate. The less effort the respondent needs to make, the more likely they are to complete the survey. Techniques such as addressing the survey to no one in particular or minimizing the respondent's interest may actually decrease the return rate.

Question 3

A TV reporter interviewed several dozen people at the scene of a political demonstration about their views of the people doing the demonstrating.In the terminology of survey research,the reporter has gathered a(n)

Accepted Answer

The TV reporter has gathered a convenience sample, as they have only interviewed people who happened to be at the scene of the political demonstration and who were willing to be interviewed. This type of sampling is often used in media coverage or in-person surveys where the researcher selects participants who are readily available and accessible. It is not a random sample as the selection was not made based on a defined sampling frame, and it is not a stratified sample as the sample is not divided into specific subgroups based on particular characteristics. It is also not a purposive sample as there does not seem to be a specific purpose or goal for selecting this sample beyond their proximity to the event.

Question 4

When the distribution of characteristics in a sample is systematically different from that of the target population,the sample is called a

Accepted Answer

When the distribution of characteristics in a sample is systematically different from that of the target population, it is called a biased sample. This means that the sample is not representative of the population and may therefore produce misleading results. Biased samples can result from a variety of factors, including sampling methods, sampling frames, and non-response bias. It is important to ensure that samples are representative of the population in order to draw valid conclusions and make accurate predictions.

Question 5

Stratified random sampling is especially useful when the researcher is interested in

Accepted Answer

Stratified random sampling is used to make general statements about specific portions of the population that have been sampled. It is a useful technique when the population of interest can be divided into distinct subgroups, or strata, and the researcher wants to ensure that each stratum is represented in the sample in proportion to its size in the population. This allows the researcher to draw conclusions about each subgroup of the population separately and make generalizations about the population as a whole.

Question 6

A researcher adjusted the wording of a question to fit the respondent or records only selected portions of the respondent's answers.What survey problem does this represent?

Accepted Answer

Interviewer bias occurs when the person conducting the survey influences the responses by altering questions or selectively recording answers.

Question 7

Which of the following samples would be representative of a population that is 75% women and 25% men?

Accepted Answer

Each option maintains the 75% women to 25% men ratio, making all of them representative of the population described.

Question 8

Which of the following survey methods is best for dealing with highly personal or embarrassing topics,especially when the anonymity of respondents is preserved?

Accepted Answer

A mail survey allows respondents to answer questions in the privacy of their own home or location and can be completely anonymous. This can make respondents more likely to provide honest and open responses to sensitive or embarrassing topics.

Question 9

The best approach for obtaining a representative sample when using stratified random sampling is to

Accepted Answer

Stratified random sampling involves dividing the population into strata based on relevant characteristics (such as age, gender, or income) and then randomly selecting a sample from each stratum. The best approach for obtaining a representative sample is to ensure that the proportion of respondents in each stratum accurately reflects the proportion in the overall population. This ensures that each stratum is adequately represented and avoids over-representing or under-representing particular segments of the population.

Question 10

A researcher decides to conduct a survey using telephone interviews and has access to random-digit dialing.Because some people have multiple phone numbers and therefore,a greater likelihood of being surveyed,the researcher should be aware of the potential problem of

Accepted Answer

The potential problem described is selection bias, as individuals with multiple phone numbers may have a higher probability of being selected for the survey, which could bias the results. Respondent bias is the tendency of a subset of survey respondents to answer questions inaccurately or misleadingly, and may be due to factors such as social desirability or dishonesty. Interviewer bias occurs when the interviewer influences the response of the participant, and is generally not caused by the participant having multiple phone numbers. Telephone bias refers to the effects of using a telephone rather than a face-to-face interview method, and is not relevant to the issue described in the question.

Question 11

Which of the following samples would represent a biased sample if a population comprised 40% freshmen,30% sophomores,15% juniors,and 15% seniors?

Accepted Answer

The sample in choice A is biased because it does not reflect the population's distribution. It gives equal representation to each class year, whereas the population has different proportions for each class year.

Question 12

Survey researchers are most interested in

Accepted Answer

Survey researchers aim to generalize the responses from a sample to the population they are studying. This means that they want to be able to draw conclusions about a larger group of people based on the responses of a smaller group of people. Obtaining a larger sample size can help with this goal, but it is not the primary objective. Similarly, predicting which individuals will return a completed survey is not as important as analyzing the responses of those who do.

Question 13

A survey researcher chose to administer a survey using the Internet.This sample likely overrepresents people who own a computer and underrepresents people who don't own a computer.This problem in the researcher's survey is best described as

Accepted Answer

The problem with the sample in the survey is selection bias. This is because the sample was chosen only through the Internet, which would overrepresent people who own computers and underrepresent those who do not. This creates a biased sample where it may not accurately represent the entire population.

Question 14

The problem of selection bias in survey research is similar to the problem of ________ in research using archival data.

Accepted Answer

Selection bias in survey research is similar to selective deposit in archival research, where certain records are more likely to be preserved or recorded, leading to biased samples.

Question 15

The ability to generalize the results from a survey sample to the population of interest depends most critically on the sample's

Accepted Answer

The representativeness of the sample is the most critical factor in generalizing the results from a survey sample to the population of interest. A sample that is representative of the population has similar characteristics as the population, making it more likely that the results can be generalized to the larger population. Stratification, homogeneity vs. heterogeneity, and correlations can all affect the sampling process, but they are not as critical as representativeness in generalizing survey results.

Question 16

Suppose a recent issue of the campus newspaper reported a survey about students' attitudes toward proposed changes in the required curriculum.Which of the following would you need to focus on most to decide whether the survey results reported in the paper can be generalized to the entire population of students?

Accepted Answer

The most important factor to consider when deciding whether survey results can be generalized to a population is the representativeness of the sample. If the sample is not representative of the population, then the survey results cannot be generalized. For example, if the survey only included students from one specific major or department, the results may not be applicable to all students on campus. Therefore, it is important to focus on whether the sample was representative of the entire population of students. A larger sample size (option A) and variability among students in the sample (option D) can also impact the generalizability of survey results, but representativeness should be the primary focus. The distinctiveness of the sample (option B) is not a relevant factor for determining generalizability.

Question 17

In a simple random sample,every individual in the population

Accepted Answer

A simple random sample involves selecting individuals from the population at random and where each individual has an equal chance of being selected to be in the sample. Option A is not always practical, as it may not be possible to survey every individual in the population. Option B is not random, as it leaves the decision to participate up to the individual, which may introduce bias. Option D is incorrect, as one of the choices has to be correct.

Question 18

Mail surveys are particularly vulnerable to a problem that arises when not all respondents complete and return the survey.This problem is called

Accepted Answer

The problem described in the question is low response rate, which occurs when not all potential respondents complete and return the survey. Option A, selection bias, refers to a bias introduced when the sample does not represent the target population. Option B, reactivity, refers to a change in behavior or response due to the knowledge of being observed or studied, which may be a problem in certain research methods but is not specifically related to mail surveys. Option C, complete bias, is not a commonly used term in survey research and does not refer to the problem described in the question.

Question 19

A survey using the Internet to ask people about attitudes toward mental health services would most likely be criticized for

Accepted Answer

A survey using the internet may result in selection bias because it may only attract a specific group of people who have access to and are comfortable using technology, which may not accurately represent the entire population's attitudes toward mental health services.

Question 20

Low response rates that result when respondents fail to return a completed mail survey are a major factor leading to response rate bias.These low response rates pose a potential problem because

Accepted Answer

Low response rates can result in certain segments of the population being overrepresented or underrepresented in the final sample, leading to potentially biased results.

Quiz 5: Survey Research