A movie theater would like to use a survey to determine which factors are most important to those who come to their theater. Which of the following procedures would be most appropriate for obtaining a statistically unbiased sample?
A) Survey a random selection of people passing by the theater in the mall in front of the theater.
B) Survey a random selection of shoppers in the mall.
C) Survey a random selection of people who are leaving the theater after watching a movie.
D) Induce people to answer survey questions by offering discount coupons for various city events, including the movie theater.

Question

A movie theater would like to use a survey to determine which factors are most important to those who come to their theater. Which of the following procedures would be most appropriate for obtaining a statistically unbiased sample? ​
A) Survey a random selection of people passing by the theater in the mall in front of the theater.
B) Survey a random selection of shoppers in the mall.
C) Survey a random selection of people who are leaving the theater after watching a movie.
D) Induce people to answer survey questions by offering discount coupons for various city events, including the movie theater.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most appropriate procedure would be to survey a random selection of people who are leaving the theater after watching a movie. This way, the sample is more likely to consist of people who have actually been to the theater and are therefore most knowledgeable about the factors that may be important to them. Sampling people leaving the theater also allows the survey to capture the moviegoing experience in its entirety, rather than relying on people's memories or perceptions of the theater.

A Movie Theater Would Like to Use a Survey to Determine