Dr. Fitzgerald conducts research on a small group of francophones in a sparsely populated town in Nova Scotia. She then publishes a book based on her observations of the group. Several colleagues are concerned that her book seems to be written about all francophones in the Maritimes but is based on only this one small group. What is the problematic issue for Dr. Fitzgerald's colleagues?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dr. Fitzgerald's colleagues are concerned about generalizability, which refers to the extent to which research findings from a sample can be applied to a larger population or group. In this case, her book seems to make broad statements about all francophones in the Maritimes based on observations of a single small group, suggesting a lack of generalizability.

Dr Fitzgerald Conducts Research on a Small Group of Francophones