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Difficulty: HardSampling and Survey Flaws

An argument that generalizes about a population based on a survey is insulated from the flaw of relying on an unrepresentative sample as long as the researchers employed a strictly randomized process to select the individuals who were invited to participate.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False
The statement is false because it fails to account for non-response bias. A strictly randomized process for selecting invitees does not guarantee that the individuals who actually choose to participate will accurately represent the broader population. If a specific demographic or ideological group is disproportionately likely to return the survey, the resulting sample will be unrepresentative despite the initial randomization.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the condition established in the statement.
The condition states that researchers used a strictly randomized process to select the individuals who were 'invited to participate' in the survey.
Understanding the exact scope of the condition is necessary to evaluate its logical consequences.
2
Identify the logical claim being made about this condition.
The statement claims that this random invitation process 'insulates' the argument from the flaw of relying on an unrepresentative sample.
To determine if the statement is true or false, we must test if the condition absolutely guarantees the claim.
3
Evaluate whether random selection of invitees guarantees a representative final sample.
It does not. While the invitations were random, the actual participation is voluntary. Individuals with strong opinions on the topic are usually more likely to respond, leading to self-selection bias.
A valid survey requires not just random distribution, but a representative pool of actual respondents.
4
Conclude the validity of the statement.
Because an unrepresentative sample can still occur due to non-response bias, the argument is not insulated from this flaw. The statement is therefore false.
Identifying a scenario where the premise is true but the conclusion fails proves the statement is false.

Key Concept

Sampling and Survey Flaws: Non-Response and Voluntary Response Bias
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Topics

Sampling and Survey Flaws

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