Deck 3: Surveys and Sampling

Question 1

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
Suppose the administration decides to do the following. At a Starbucks located on
campus, every tenth person who enters on a Monday morning is selected to be surveyed.
Explain why this may be biased.

Answer 1

Depending on the time during which individuals are surveyed, undercoverage may be an
issue. For example, different categories of employees have different levels of flexibility
(clerical and maintenance workers don't have as much flexibility in their work days as do
administration, faculty and professional staff). In addition, persons other than employees
would presumably enter Starbucks, although a screening question can be used to make
sure those interviewed are employees.

Question 2

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
Management at a large multinational corporation would like to survey its employees
About the level of interest in combining flexible work schedules with telecommuting from
Home. Which of the following is the parameter of interest in this study?

A) All employees at the corporation.
B) Percentage of employees who are interested in combining flexible work schedules with telecommuting from home.
C) Employees who work overtime.
D) Percentage of employees who do not have a computer at home.
E) None of the above

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
Two of the questions asked in the survey of employees are shown below.
• Since exercise is so important to good health, would you be willing to participate
in organized walks during lunch hour?
• Would you attend a "low fat cooking" demonstration?

Answer 3

a. Are these questions valid (appropriately worded)? Explain.
The first question is "leading" the respondent to answer yes.
b. Which question is more neutral? Explain.
The second question is more neutral because it does not lead to a yes response.

Question 4

Analyze the sampling method.
The administration of a large university is interested in learning about the types of
Wellness programs that would interest its employees. Suppose that the university
Randomly selects a school (e.g., the Business School) and surveys all of the individuals
(administration, faculty, professional staff, clerical and maintenance) who work in that
School. This sampling plan is called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 5

Analyze the sampling method.
ASW, a regional shoe chain, has recently launched an online store. Sales via the
Internet have been sluggish compared to their brick and mortar stores, and management
Wants to survey its regular customers about potential concerns regarding the security of
Online transactions. Suppose that ASW's regular customers belong to a rewards program
And have a customer rewards ID number. ASW decides to randomly select 100 numbers.
This sampling plan is called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 6

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
A consumer research group is interested in how older drivers view hybrid cars.
Specifically, they wish to assess the percentage of drivers in the U.S. 50 years of age or
Older who intend to purchase a hybrid in the next two years. They selected a systematic
Sample from a list of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) members.
Based on this sample, they estimated the percentage to be 17%. The sampling frame for
This study is

A) all drivers in the U.S. 50 years of age or older
B) 17%
C) the list of AARP members
D) how older drivers view hybrid cars
E) none of the above

Question 7

Identify bias.
Which of the following survey questions is leading?

A) Given the prevalence of identity theft, are you reluctant to provide credit card information online?
B) Are you confident that any information you provide online is secure?
C) Are you concerned about the security of online transactions?
D) Both A and B
E) Both B and C

Question 8

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
ASW, a regional shoe chain, has recently launched an online store. Sales via the
Internet have been sluggish compared to their brick and mortar stores, and management
Wants to survey its regular customers about potential concerns regarding the security of
Online transactions. Which of the following is the parameter of interest in the ASW
Study?

A) all regular ASW customers
B) % of regular ASW customers who have concerns about online security
C) ASW customers who belong to the rewards program
D) % of ASW customers who belong to the rewards program that don't shop online
E) none of the above

Question 9

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
Two of the questions asked in the survey of customers are shown below.
• Given the prevalence of identity theft, are you reluctant to provide credit card
information online?
• Are you confident that any information you provide online is secure?
a. Are these questions valid (appropriately worded)? Explain.
b. Which question is more neutral? Explain.

Question 10

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
ASW, a regional shoe chain, has recently launched an online store. Sales via the
Internet have been sluggish compared to their brick and mortar stores, and management
suspects that its regular customers have concerns regarding the security of online
transactions. To determine if this is the case, they plan to survey a random sample of
their regular customers. Under consideration are several plans for selecting the sample.
Name the sampling strategy for each.
a. Regular customers belong to a rewards program and have a customer rewards ID
number. Randomly select 100 numbers.
b. ASW has stores in five different cities in the northeastern U.S. Randomly select one of
the stores and survey all regular customers that belong to its rewards program.
c. ASW has an alphabetized list of regular customers who belong to their rewards
program. After randomly selecting a customer on the list, every 25th customer from that
point on is chosen to be in the sample.
d. Customers are grouped into four age categories (under 21, 21 to 35, 36 to 50, and over
50). Randomly select 10 regular customers in each age category.

Question 11

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
One member of the management team at ASW suggests that their survey could be
conducted online. Customers logging on to the online store would be asked to take a few
minutes to complete the survey and would be offered a coupon as incentive to participate.
Explain how this approach might be biased.

Question 12

Analyze the sampling method.
ASW, a regional shoe chain, has recently launched an online store. Sales via the
Internet have been sluggish compared to their brick and mortar stores, and management
Wants to survey its regular customers about potential concerns regarding the security of
Online transactions. Suppose that ASW has an alphabetized list of regular customers who
Belong to their rewards program. After randomly selecting a customer on the list, every
25th customer from that point on is chosen to be in the sample. This sampling plan is
Called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 13

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
In the ASW study described above,
a. Define the target population.
b. Define the parameter.
c. What is the sampling frame?
d. How might the results be biased?

Question 14

Find conditional and marginal distributions.
The administration of a large university is interested in learning about the types of
wellness programs that would interest its employees. To do this, they plan to survey a
random sample of employees. Under consideration are several plans for selecting the
sample. Name the sampling strategy for each.

Question 15

Analyze the sampling method.
The administration of a large university is interested in learning about the types of
Wellness programs that would interest its employees. Suppose that there are five
Categories of employees (administration, faculty, professional staff, clerical and
Maintenance) and the university decides to randomly select ten individuals from each
Category. This sampling plan is called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 16

Analyze the sampling method.
Management at a large multinational corporation would like to survey its employees
About the level of interest in combining flexible work schedules with telecommuting from
Home. The HR Department has an alphabetized list of newly hired employees (hired
Within the last year). After starting the process by randomly selecting an employee from
The list, then every 5th name is chosen to be included in the sample. This sampling plan is
Called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 17

Analyze the sampling method.
Management at a large multinational corporation would like to survey its employees
About the level of interest in combining flexible work schedules with telecommuting from
Home. Each employee has an ID number, and the administration plans to randomly select
250 numbers. This sampling plan is called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 18

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
A consumer research group is interested in how older drivers view hybrid cars.
Specifically, they wish to assess the percentage of drivers in the U.S. 50 years of age or
Older who intend to purchase a hybrid in the next two years. They selected a systematic
Sample from a list of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) members.
Based on this sample, they estimated the percentage to be 17%. Which of the following
Statements about this study is true?

A) 17% of all U.S. drivers 50 years of age or older intend to purchase a hybrid in the next two years.
B) 17% is a parameter.
C) 17% is a statistic.
D) Both A and B
E) Both A and C

Question 19

Identify bias.
ASW, a regional shoe chain, has recently launched an online store. Sales via the
Internet have been sluggish compared to their brick and mortar stores, and management
Wants to survey its regular customers about potential concerns regarding the security of
Online transactions. One member of the management team at ASW suggests that their
Survey could be conducted online. Customers logging on to the online store would be
Asked to take a few minutes to complete the survey and would be offered a coupon as
Incentive to participate. Which of the following statements is true?

A) This is a voluntary response sample.
B) This would result in an unbiased random sample.
C) This would result in a biased sample.
D) Both A and B
E) Both A and C

Question 20

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
ASW, a regional shoe chain, has recently launched an online store. Sales via the
Internet have been sluggish compared to their brick and mortar stores, and management
Wants to survey its regular customers about potential concerns regarding the security of
Online transactions. All regular ASW customers is known as the ________ of the study.

A) parameter
B) statistic
C) target population
D) sampling frame
E) sample

Question 21

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
In May, 2010, the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press carried out a
National survey to gauge opinion on the Arizona Immigration Law. It found that 59%
Approved of the new law. This is a

A) statistic.
B) parameter.
C) target population.
D) sampling frame.
E) census.

Question 22

Identify bias.
A women's advocacy group believes that there is gender discrimination in the
Financial services industry. One member of the group, a financial analyst, offers to
Survey a sample of women at her company about this issue. Which of the following
Statements is true about the proposed study?

A) It involves a stratified sample that is representative of the population.
B) It involves a simple random sample that is representative of the population.
C) It involves a convenience sample and may not be representative of the population.
D) It will result in unbiased data.
E) It involves taking a census of the target population.

Question 23

Identify bias.
During the BP Gulf oil crisis in the summer of 2010, a local television news program
Routinely asked viewers to call in with their opinion about proposed solutions to the
Problem. These results were likely biased because

A) of a bad sampling frame.
B) of an undefined target population.
C) leading questions.
D) of a voluntary response sample.
E) of measurement error.

Question 24

Analyze the sampling method.
The HR department of a large company wants to determine how often to bring
Representatives from the financial firm managing employee pensions on site to meet with
Individuals about their retirement plans. In order to determine level of interest, they
Decide to survey employees. Suppose they group employees by age categories (e.g.,
Under 30; 30 - under 45; 45 - under 60, 60 or older) and randomly select 50 individuals
From each category. This sampling plan is called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 25

Analyze the sampling method.
The HR department of a large company wants to determine how often to bring
Representatives from the financial firm managing employee pensions on site to meet with
Individuals about their retirement plans. In order to determine level of interest, they
Decide to survey employees. Suppose they select one department (e.g., Sales) and survey
All employees within that department. This sampling plan is called

A) Simple Random Sampling
B) Stratified Sampling
C) Cluster Sampling
D) Systematic Sampling
E) Convenience Sampling

Question 26

Identify population, sample, sampling frame and parameter.
The online MBA director at a large business school surveys a sample of current
Students to determine their level of satisfaction with the program. She finds that 67% are
"very satisfied" with the online program. This is a

A) parameter.
B) statistic.
C) target population.
D) sampling frame.
E) good result.