A statistician needs to survey a sample of 50 people that is representative of voters in his community. He prepared a list of phone numbers of 50 randomly selected, expected voters. Next morning, he came to work at 8:00 and began to make calls. By 11:00 a.m., his survey was done. Don't discuss what is not said. Discuss what is wrong with what is said.
really need help with this one!
I'm not sure what your instructor is looking for in this problem.
However, I see several things wrong with this scenario. First, it's unethical or maybe just poor practice to make cold calls before 9 a.m. Second, it's hard to believe that he reached all 50 voters in a two or three-hour period. The majority of voters are at work at this time of the morning.
Is there something else we should be discussing?
no, not the ethics, but from statistics stand point, what is wrong with reporting this as a legitimate survey? i don't understand the question either.
Is 50 a large enough sample?
Are people listed in a phone book really a fair sample of registered voters?
Are phone calls likely to produce reliable results?
Maybe it has something to do with the time he called? If he is calling all people without jobs, then it is not a representative sample.
Based on the information provided, there is nothing explicitly stated that is wrong. However, there are some assumptions and potential issues that can be identified:
1. Representativeness: The statement mentions that the sample of 50 people should be representative of voters in the community. However, it does not indicate how the sample was selected to ensure representativeness. Randomly selecting phone numbers may not accurately capture the diversity of the voter population as it may exclude certain groups who do not use phones or have unlisted numbers.
2. Time Frame: The statistician claims to have completed the survey within a 3-hour time frame, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. This seems unrealistic considering that making 50 phone calls and conducting a survey within such a short time frame may not allow for proper data collection, including asking questions, recording responses, and engaging in follow-up discussions.
3. Non-Response Bias: The statement does not mention anything about the response rate or any potential non-response bias. It is possible that not all of the selected phone numbers would result in successful contact, leading to a lower response rate and potential bias if non-respondents differ systematically from respondents.
4. Methodology: The statement does not provide any details about the survey questions or methodology used, which limits our ability to assess the validity and reliability of the survey results.
To better evaluate the claim, more information is needed regarding the sampling methodology, response rate, survey questions, and the overall process followed by the statistician.