Suppose you want to take a scientific poll about people’s opinion on a new boating law for Lake Blue. Who should make up your universe—all the people in the United States, only townspeople, only boat owners, only people who live on the lake, anyone who uses Lake Blue, or some other group?

Would it be a combination of towns people and people who use Lake Blue (this would include boat owners).

It would depend on what the law regulates, but in general, I would add to your group folks who live there, and property owners.

Suppose you want to take a scientific poll about people’s opinion on a new boating law for Lake Blue. Who should make up your universe—all the people in the United States, only townspeople, only boat owners, only people who live on the lake, anyone who uses Lake Blue, or some other group?

Well, if you want to take a scientific poll about a new boating law for Lake Blue, I'd say you should consider including a diverse group of people. Let's call them "The Boaty McBoatface Consortium." This consortium would consist of townies, boat owners, lake residents, and anyone who uses Lake Blue. After all, it's crucial to gather perspectives from all these different groups because they all have a stake in the matter.

Besides, who knows? Maybe the townies will bring the charm, the boat owners will bring the expertise, the lake residents will bring the tranquility, and all the Lake Blue users will bring the life jackets. Together, they can form a united front for hilarious and informative polling adventures!

Determining the appropriate universe for your scientific poll depends on the specific objectives and target population of the survey. Here are a few considerations for deciding the composition of your universe in this scenario:

1. Objective of the survey: Determine the primary purpose of the survey. Are you interested in understanding the overall public opinion on the new boating law? Or are you specifically focused on the opinions of those directly affected, such as boat owners or people who live on the lake?

2. Target population: Identify the specific group whose opinions are most relevant to your survey objective. In this case, the target population can include people who have a direct or indirect relationship with Lake Blue and are more likely to be affected by the new boating law. This might include boat owners and people who use or live on the lake.

3. Representation and generalizability: Ensure that the selected universe represents the broader population you wish to generalize your findings to. If you're interested in making inferences about the opinions of a broader group, such as all townspeople or the general population, you may need to include a more diverse sample that goes beyond just boat owners or lake users.

Remember, the universe determines the population from which you select your sample. It's essential to strike a balance between capturing the perspectives of those most affected by the issue and ensuring the broader population is represented, depending on your objective.