Question

1. A researcher conducts a study of college students to decide whether they like math classes. They get a list of students with land-line phone numbers from their University and call the first 25 students, all of whom are English majors, on the list. They ask those students “Which is the worst class you’ve had on campus – your math class or another class?” 18 out of 25 say math, so the researcher concludes that students choose English majors because they do not like mathematics.

The researcher has made a number of mistakes. Describe how they made each mistake listed below:

1. Confusing causation with correlation
2. Leading/influencing questions
3. Biased sampling
4. Small Sample Size

Answer 1

A researcher conducts a study of college students to decide whether they like math classes. They get a list of students with land-line phone numbers from their University and call the first 25 students, all of whom are English majors, on the list. They ask those students “Which is the worst class you’ve had on campus – your math class or another class?” 18 out of 25 say math, so the researcher concludes that students choose English majors because they do not like mathematics.

Confusing causation with correlation:-

When the researcher concludes that students choose English majors because they do not like mathematics.it is a mistake of confusing causation with correlation.

There is a correlation between taking English measures and do not like math class but we cannot say do not like English class will cause the taking English class.

Leading/influencing questions:-

Researcher ask those students “Which is the worst class you’ve had on campus – your math class or another class?

It is a leading question because we are suggesting that the reason may be not liking math class.

by this, it influences them to answer yes because of the not like math they take English.

The question may be like "which class you have less interest"

Biased sampling:-

They get a list of students with land-line phone numbers from their University and call the first 25 students, all of whom are English majors, on the list.

The sample is not a random sample because the researcher takes only 25 students.

all students are from only English majors. it may create a bias ness.

From different subjects, students should have chosen.

Small Sample Size:-

The researcher only served 25 students, to get the conclusion about math class.

the sample size is very small.

He should have calculated sample size for his research & take an adequate sample size.