Jon is working on a city councilperson’s election campaign. He wants to survey potential voters about their opinions. Which is the best way for him to gather a sample?
• Attend a speech given by the councilman and survey audience members.
• Select every 10th person on a list of registered voters and call them to complete the survey.
• Go to a gym during the day and survey people as they exercise.
• Hand out flyers at the supermarket asking people to call and complete a survey.
The best way for Jon to gather a sample would be to select every 10th person on a list of registered voters and call them to complete the survey. This method ensures that the sample is representative of the population he wants to survey, and it eliminates any biases that may exist if he were to attend the councilman’s speech or go to a gym to survey people. Handing out flyers at the supermarket also introduces biases because only people who frequent the supermarket would be surveyed, and they may not be representative of the population as a whole.
To gather a sample of potential voters for a city councilperson's election campaign survey, Jon has a few options. The best way depends on his goals and constraints. Let's discuss each option and its implications:
1. Attending a speech given by the councilman and surveying audience members:
- This approach provides the opportunity to survey individuals who are already interested in the councilman's campaign.
- However, it may introduce bias as attendees of the speech may have a higher likelihood of supporting the councilman.
- It may not be representative of the larger population of potential voters.
2. Selecting every 10th person on a list of registered voters and calling them to complete the survey:
- This approach allows for a systematic selection from a pool of registered voters.
- It can provide a more representative sample as it covers a wide range of potential voters.
- However, it may be time-consuming and inefficient since not everyone on the list may be reachable or interested in participating.
3. Going to a gym during the day and surveying people as they exercise:
- This approach may capture a diverse group of individuals from different backgrounds who frequent the gym.
- However, gym-goers may not necessarily represent the broader population of potential voters.
- It is important to note that surveying individuals during exercise may not yield accurate responses due to distractions or fatigue.
4. Handing out flyers at the supermarket asking people to call and complete a survey:
- This approach allows for a more convenient and self-selected participation as people choose to call back if interested.
- It can capture a wider range of potential voters who visit the supermarket.
- However, it may introduce self-selection bias as only individuals interested in participating will respond.
In summary, the best way for Jon to gather a sample depends on his objectives and any constraints he may have. If he aims for a representative sample of potential voters, option 2 (calling every 10th person on a list of registered voters) would likely be the most suitable. However, if he wants to target individuals already engaged with the councilman's campaign, option 1 (surveying audience members at a speech) might be effective. Ultimately, Jon should consider a combination of methods to ensure a diverse and representative sample.
The best way for Jon to gather a sample of potential voters' opinions for the city councilperson's election campaign would be to:
• Select every 10th person on a list of registered voters and call them to complete the survey.