Question

Part 1. You have a population of 2607 families. You list them in alphabetical order by surname. Using a random number table, each family is assigned a number, and a percentage of families for each letter of the alphabet are selected. Does this sampling procedure make use of chance?

a. Yes

b. No

c. Can’t tell

Part 2. In studying the national concept of the word ‘character’ in relation to morals and virtues, a researcher picks a simple random sample of 100 local flats and visits them to interview the occupants. After the first follow-up visit, the researcher has not been able to get in touch with the occupants in 19 of the properties. The researcher then chooses a second sample of 100 flats in a different area and continues until 100 responses have been received. What assumption affects any results which can be drawn from this study?

a. Human error

b. Overestimate of average results

c. Undercoverage bias

d. Reader-response bias

Answer 1

Part 1.
Correct answer: a. Yes
Explanation: Here the surname of families are selected by simple random sample hence each surname of family has equal probability of selected in the sample. Thus we can say that the percentage of families for each letter of the alphabet are simply a matter of chance.

Part 2.
Correct answer: c. Undercoverage bias
Explanation:
Human error occurs due to the unrepresentativeness due to human which is not the the case here.
Overestimate of average results occurs when the statistic sample average is positively biased and tends to overestiamte the parameter which is not the case here.
Undercoverage occurs when there are insufficient number of receipient in the survey hence undercoverage is the correct answer.
Reader-response bias occurs when the receipient in the survey answer questions untruthfully or misleadingly which is not the case here.