Unpacking Bias in Surveys: Analyzing Parade's Cell Phone Ban Poll

Chapter 5, Problem 1

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QUESTION:

An online poll In June 2008, Parade magazine posed the following question: Should drivers be banned from using all cell phones? Readers were encouraged to vote online at parade.com. The July 13, 2008, issue of Parade reported the results: 2407 (85%) said Yes and 410 (15%) said No.

(a) What type of sample did the Parade survey obtain?

(b) Explain why this sampling method is biased. Is 85% probably higher or lower than the true percent of all adults who believe that cell phone use while driving should be banned? Why?

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QUESTION:

An online poll In June 2008, Parade magazine posed the following question: Should drivers be banned from using all cell phones? Readers were encouraged to vote online at parade.com. The July 13, 2008, issue of Parade reported the results: 2407 (85%) said Yes and 410 (15%) said No.

(a) What type of sample did the Parade survey obtain?

(b) Explain why this sampling method is biased. Is 85% probably higher or lower than the true percent of all adults who believe that cell phone use while driving should be banned? Why?

ANSWER:

Step 1 of 2

(a) We can say that  the given  exercise's sample is a voluntary response sample because the subjects have to answer the online poll voluntarily. Thus the subjects themselves can decide whether they are in the sample or not.

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Unpacking Bias in Surveys: Analyzing Parade's Cell Phone Ban Poll
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Examine the potential biases in a Parade Magazine survey about banning cell phone use while driving, focusing on the implications of voluntary response sampling.


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