Question

When considering the importance of sample choice, sample size as determined by tolerable sampling error, and wording and organization of questionnaires used to gather data, it becomes clear that a great deal of information is needed in order to determine representability, the ability to appropriately generalize results to the greater population. From your personal experience, would you say media organizations share more or less of the important background/methodological information necessary to determine representability? Discuss what you suspect to be the reasons for this practice, and how or if you would change it. Be specific

Answer 1

Media organizations share less of the important background/methodological information necessary to determine representability. There are following reasons which I found in my personal experience which substantiate my particular stance-

• Misspecification in questionnaires

Sample bias can occur in many ways. Misspecification is a prominent one when media organizations design questionnaires. They are deliberately designed or sometimes unintentionally so as to include or exclude any specific sub-group of the population under study.

• Preference to sample size and not sample source

It is believed that larger the target sample size more representative it is of population under study. This doesn’t hold true always. A bigger sample size is better but the sample source should be given more importance. In order to show larger consensus or opinion on any issue media organizations go by numbers but the reality can be different and biased as these opinions might not reflect the bigger picture due to sample bias.

• Convenience sampling

Respondents are the ones that can be reached easily. This happens a lot with local media houses. This can give an idea of the situation but exclude respondents who are harder to contact and get a response from. Online surveys or polls on television done are the best example as only those who are keen to give their opinion share response. those who do not have an internet connection are automatically excluded.

• Sample bias due to prior judgment

Any sample is collected on the basis of prior knowledge of topic under study and target population. Thorough research and knowledge gathering are prerequisites before arriving at a representative sample size and sample source. Sample bias creeps in when sample source is decided on the basis of prior judgment, lack of knowledge and stereotyping. This occurs with organizations of a political character or media organizations that are tilted towards a particular ideology.