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Daniel does not like math classes. His high school has a local requirement that every high school student must graduate with 4 math credits. Daniel is conducting a survey of students to take to the board of education to help support his case. Daniel hands out surveys to every student at his school. The surveys ask questions that relate to the local math requirement. Attached to the survey Daniel includes a handout with information supporting his view. Is this a valid survey? Why or why not?

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

Daniel's survey is not likely to be considered valid because it includes biased information that may influence the respondents, leading to a biased sample rather than an objective representation of the student body's opinion.

Step-by-step explanation:

Daniel's survey regarding the local math requirement may not be considered valid because of several potential biases. By including information that supports his own view, Daniel may inadvertently sway participants' opinions, thereby violating the impartiality needed for a legitimate survey. Without ensuring different perspectives or a neutral stance, the survey results might reflect a biased sample, not a true representation of the student body's opinion on the math requirement. Furthermore, while Daniel did distribute surveys to every student, which is a good practice for sample representativeness, the added information that is biased towards his viewpoint potentially compromises the survey's objectivity.

When conducting research, it's critical to avoid coercion and bias to attain a volunteer sample reflective of the entire population. Any form of incentive or manipulation could skew results. Additionally, accurate representation in survey data is essential for making a strong case in front of a board of education or any other decision-making body, as seen in exercises demonstrating the importance of a representative sample for academic integrity.

User SadSido
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5.7k points
2 votes

Answer:

This is a biased survey and is not valid.

Step-by-step explanation:

Daniel only attaches a handout that supports his views on the issue, and does not provide any insight from what other students or teachers may think. Therefore, this is rigging the survey, because the people who take it will only hear his arguments and not the other side's before completing the survey.

Hope this helps :)

User Foofaa
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5.6k points