Chapter 12, Problem AP4.43CPT

(a)

To determine

To explain how bias may have been introduced based on the way the question were worded and suggest a way that the questions could have been worded differently in order to avoid this bias.

Explanation of Solution

In this question, randomly selected New York state residents at various fast food restaurants were asked if they supported or opposed a fat tax on sugared soda. The first question was called a "fat tax" so people may have reacted negatively since they may have thought that this is a tax for overweight individuals.The second question provides extra information that gets people thinking about the obesity epidemic in the US and the increased health care that could be provided as a benefit with the tax money. It should be instead "Would you support or oppose a tax on non-diet sugared soda?"

(b)

To determine

To explain how bias may have been introduced based on the way the sample was taken and suggest a way that the sample could have been obtained in order to avoid this bias.

Explanation of Solution

In this question, randomly selected New York state residents at various fast food restaurants were asked if they supported or opposed a fat tax on sugared soda. The bias may have been introduced based on the way the sample was taken and suggest a way that the sample could have been obtained in order to avoid this bias by this method samples only people at fast-food restaurants. They may go to these restaurants because they like the drinks and wouldn't and to pay a tax on their favorite beverages. It is likely that the proportion of those who would oppose a tax will be overestimated. We should instead, take a random sample of all New York residents.

(c)

To determine

To identify a sampling method that would achieve this goal and briefly describe how the sample would be taken.

Explanation of Solution

In this question, randomly selected New York state residents at various fast food restaurants were asked if they supported or opposed a fat tax on sugared soda. The sampling method that would achieve this goal and briefly describe how the sample would be taken is a stratified random sampling technique where each state is its own stratum. As, stratified random sampling is a method of sampling that involves the division of a population into smaller sub-groups known as strata. In stratified random sampling, or stratification, the strata are formed based on members' shared attributes or characteristics such as income or educational attainment.