Final answer:
The group observed by Dr. Janowich is likely to be a biased sample due to the commonality of all their surnames being from the same country. The presence of such a specific characteristic could introduce bias into the results. This could be avoided by utilizing more representative sampling techniques, such as cluster sampling.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group that Dr. Janowich is observing appears to be a biased sample. This term refers to a sample group that does not accurately represent the larger population due to the presence of some specific characteristic, in this case, surnames from the same country in Europe. Objectivity is crucial in research to ensure that the outcomes are unbiased and can be generalized to a larger population. If all the participants in an experimental group have surnames originating from the same European country, there's a likelihood that they share similar genetic, cultural background and experiences which might influence the outcomes of the study.
Selection bias is another key term related to a biased sample. It occurs when there is systematic difference between those selected for study and those not selected. In this case, if participants were chosen because of their surnames, this would be a selection bias that might produce results not representative of the general population.
It's advisable to choose a sample that consists of a wide range of individuals to make the sample more representative of the larger population. Techniques such as cluster sampling, where researchers divide the overall population into clusters and then choose the participants at random from these clusters, may help to avoid this bias.
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