Question

decide whether the following statement makes sense (or is clearly true) or does not make sense (or is clearly false). explain your reasoning.

the tv survey got more than 1 million phone-in responses, so it is clearly more valid than the survey by the professional pollsters, based on interview with only a few hundred people.

choose the correct answer below.

a. the statement makes sense. when a survey has over 1 million responses, the large sample size gets rid of any bias.
b. the statement does not make sense. the eight guidelines for evaluating a statistical study need to be reviewed before one study can be called more valid than another.
c. the statement does not make sense. when collecting data for a survey, phone-in responses are more valid than interviews.
d. the statement makes sense. when conducting a survey, more responses will make it more valid than another survey with fewer responses.

Explanation:

Analyze the given statement

Using the Sample vs Population knowledge point
The statement claims a TV survey with over 1 million phone-in responses is more valid than a professional poll of a few hundred people because of its larger size.

Identify sources of bias

A phone-in TV survey relies on voluntary response, which introduces strong selection bias because only highly motivated individuals participate.

Compare sample quality

A professional poll uses random sampling to represent the population, making it far more valid despite a smaller sample size.

Evaluate the options

Option B correctly states that the statement does not make sense and points to the guidelines for evaluating a statistical study.

Select the correct choice

Option B is the correct choice because a large, biased sample does not guarantee validity.

Answer:

• A. The statement makes sense. When a survey has over 1 million repsonses, the large sample size gets rid of any bias.
• B. The statement does not make sense. The eight guidelines for evaluating a statistical study need to be reviewed before one study can be called more valid than another. (Correct answer)
• C. The statement does not make sense. When collecting data for a survey, phone-in responses are more valid than interviews.
• D. The statement makes sense. When conducting a survey, more responses will make it more valid than another survey with fewer responses.