A Researcher Conducting a Mail Survey Develops a Number of Subgroups

Multiple Choice

A researcher conducting a mail survey develops a number of subgroups by noting the order of those responding: e.g., group 1, those responding after initial contact; group 2, those responding after first follow-up, etc. Statistics are then computed to see if there are any significant differences between the groups. If there is no significant trend the mean for the nonrespondents and respondents is ___. If there is a significant difference the researcher ____.

A) biased; scraps the project and starts all over again
B) assumed the same; extrapolates to allow for the respondents
C) assumed equal; assumes the nonrespondents are like the respondents
D) assumed different; extrapolates to allow for the nonrespondents
E) assumed equal; extrapolates to allow for the nonrespondents