Consider each of these situations. Do you think the proposed sampling method is appropriate? Explain.
a) We want to know if business leaders in the community support the development of an "incubator" site at a vacant lot on the edge of town. We spend a day phoning local businesses in the
phone book to ask whether they would sign a petition.
b) We want to know if travelers at the local airport are satisfied with the food available there. We go to the airport on a busy day and interview every tenth person in line in the food court.
a) Choose the correct answer below.
A. Calling local business is going to undercover the regular citizens that do not run businesses.
B. The petition may bias people to say they support the site.
C. This survey design will ignore the global community of business leaders, leading to undercoverage of this group.
D. A petition is an unbiased way to survey people's opinions; this is a good survey design.
b) Choose the correct answer below.
A. The survey is probably unbiased and it seems like a good survey design.
B. The survey may be biased because of the low chances of obtaining the best possible sample from asking every 10th person. The resulting sample, unless extremely lucky, will be biased.
C. The survey may be biased because those who really do not like the food will not be eating there.
D. The survey may be biased because the food is probably terrible.
