A student researcher wants to study sleep patterns among college students. To avoid the flaw of restricted observation demonstrated by the swan example, what sampling decision should they make instead of only surveying their roommates?
Question: A student researcher wants to study sleep patterns among college students. To avoid the flaw of restricted observation demonstrated by the swan example, what sampling decision should they make instead of only surveying their roommates?
Sample answer: Instead of only surveying their roommates, the student should use a random sampling method to recruit participants from various majors, dorms, and year levels across the entire university. This decision expands the scope of observation and prevents the flawed generalization that all students share the sleep habits of their immediate roommates.
Key points:
- Proposes a broader sampling method (e.g., random sampling).
- Explains that surveying roommates represents a restricted scope of observation.
- Avoids the incorrect generalization about the entire student population.
Rubric: The response should propose selecting a broader, representative, or randomized sample of students beyond just roommates to avoid a restricted scope of observation.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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A student researcher wants to study sleep patterns among college students. To avoid the flaw of restricted observation demonstrated by the swan example, what sampling decision should they make instead of only surveying their roommates?