Deck 9: Survey Research and Subject Recruitment

Question 1

In order to estimate the number of hours a day the typical student studies at his university, Paul interviews 25 randomly selected pre-med students. Paul has most likely violated which requirement for probability sampling plans?

A) stability in the samples
B) unbiased sample values
C) inadequate sample size
D) the use of random selection

Answer 1

B

Question 2

To describe the characteristics of a population, survey researchers rely on responses from individuals from the population who

A) have volunteered to give the information.
B) have been randomly assigned to the population.
C) have been randomly selected from the population.
D) are knowledgeable about the population.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Interested in the number of hours a day the typical student studies at his university, Paul decides to form several samples of students and interview each sample at a different time during the semester, including during the final exam period. Which requirement for probability sampling plans should Paul be especially concerned that he may be violating?

A) the use of opportunistic samples
B) unbiased sample values
C) stability in sample estimates
D) inadequate sample sizes

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Values from a sample that, on average, coincide with the "true" values of the population are referred to as __________ values.

A) precise
B) accurate
C) stable
D) unbiased

Question 5

Survey researchers collect information from a __________ to infer "how things are" in a __________.

A) population; sample
B) sample; population
C) cohort; sample
D) sample; cohort

Question 6

Samples that consist of individuals who are easily available to the researcher are referred to as

A) random samples.
B) opportunity samples.
C) volunteer samples.
D) biased samples.

Question 7

A major concern survey researchers have about samples is whether or not the samples are __________ the population.

A) familiar with
B) knowledgeable about
C) identical to
D) representative of

Question 8

Another name for systematic error is

A) stability.
B) strata.
C) bias.
D) point estimate.

Question 9

Which of the following refers to how good one's estimate is based on an unbiased sampling plan?

A) bias estimate
B) point estimate
C) error of estimate
D) stability estimate

Question 10

The true population mean is 4. Sample A has the following values: 3, 4, 4, 5. Sample B has the following values: 0, 4, 4, 8. Compared to Sample B, Sample A is more

A) unbiased.
B) biased.
C) stable.
D) unstable.

Question 11

Which probability sampling plan is used when the population is undivided?

A) simple random sampling
B) stratified random sampling
C) area probability sampling
D) cluster random sampling

Question 12

When conducting a survey, one often uses a __________ to learn about the __________ of interest.

A) population; sample
B) control group; population
C) subset; sample
D) sample; population

Question 13

Subpopulations that are created by dividing a population into smaller groups are often referred to as

A) samples.
B) strata.
C) quasi-populations.
D) simple populations.

Question 14

To survey the student body, Bill separates students according to their year in school and then randomly selects students to interview from each group. Which sampling plan is Bill utilizing?

A) stratified random sampling
B) area probability sampling
C) cohort probability sampling
D) simple random sampling

Question 15

In order to prevent sampling units from being measured more than one time, survey researchers often use

A) unbiased sampling.
B) sampling without replacement.
C) sampling with replacement.
D) stratified sampling with replacement.

Question 16

Bill concludes that he is 95% confident in his conclusion that the typical university student studies between 2 and 4 hours a day. This is an example of a(n)

A) point estimate.
B) sample estimate.
C) inaccurate estimate.
D) interval estimate.

Question 17

To assess living conditions on campus, Kim groups students according to the dormitories where they live and then randomly selects students from each dormitory to interview. Which of the following best describes Kim's sampling plan?

A) simple random sampling
B) stratified random sampling
C) cohort probability sampling
D) area probability sampling

Question 18

A probability sampling plan in which each unit continues to have the same exact probability of being sampled every time a unit is chosen is an example of

A) unbiased sampling.
B) sampling without replacement.
C) sampling with replacement.
D) stratified sampling without replacement.

Question 19

After surveying a randomly selected sample of students, Bill concludes that students at his school study an average of two hours a day. Bill's conclusion is an example of a(n)

A) biased estimate.
B) point estimate.
C) interval estimate.
D) sample estimate.

Question 20

To increase confidence that a sample is representative of the population, survey researchers utilize __________ in order to select the sample.

A) randomized assignment plans
B) probability sampling plans
C) stratified random assignment plans
D) probability assignment plans

Question 21

What is meant by the volunteer subject problem? Why is it of concern to researchers?

Question 22

Describe the two requirements for a probability sampling plan.

Question 23

Describe one methodological lesson that George Gallup learned about conducting survey research.

Question 24

What is the difference between point estimates and interval estimates?

Question 25

Describe three ways that volunteers for research have been found to differ from nonvolunteers.

Question 26

What is the difference between sampling with replacement and sampling without replacement?

Question 27

Anne is worried because the only students who are willing to participate in her study are those who consistently make the Dean's List. Anne is most likely concerned about the

A) nonresponse bias.
B) stability of her sample.
C) error of estimate in her sample.
D) volunteer bias.

Question 28

Jerry is concerned that the individuals who did not return his survey might somehow be different from those who did return the survey. Jerry is concerned about the possibility of a(n)

A) sample stability problem.
B) nonresponse bias.
C) volunteer bias.
D) inadequate sample.

Question 29

What is stratified random sampling? What is area probability sampling? What advantages do these sampling plans have over simple random sampling?

Question 30

How might one minimize the volunteer subject problem when recruiting research participants?

Question 31

What is the difference between random selection and random assignment?

Question 32

What is meant by the nonresponse bias? How might this bias be minimized?

Question 33

A student employs a sampling plan that involves randomly selecting a name from a list and then selecting every third person thereafter. Why can this plan not be considered a simple random sampling plan?