Let's look at a typical representativeness
argument.
Our school principal wanted to determine whether there was enough
demand for the school cafeteria to provide vegetarian entrees during
lunch. He surveyed student council members and found that 90 percent
of them said they would choose a vegetarian entrée if one were offered.
Because of this overwhelming support, the principal decided to start
offering vegetarian entrees.
 |
Was the principal justified in his decision?
What must he have assumed? Click Continue to see our answer. |
The principal based his decision on a survey of student
council members. Are they representative of the students at the school
in general? Probably not. The principal, however, assumes that the student
council members surveyed are, in fact, representative of the school's
student body. If vegetarian entrees will be popular with student council
members, they will be popular with the student body.
And this will always be the underlying assumption in
a representativeness argument: that the sample used as evidence is representative
of the larger group.
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Video Lessons and 10 Fully Explained Grand Tests
Large number of solved practice MCQ with explanations. Video Lessons and 10 Fully explained Grand/Full Tests.