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Unrepresentative Sample
Disciplines > Argument > Fallacies > Unrepresentative Sample Description | Discussion | Example | See also
DescriptionSample X is taken from Population Y. Conclusion Z is drawn from sample X. It is assumed that Z is also true about Y. Take a biased or otherwise statistically invalid sample. Analyze the data. Draw conclusions and declare the results significant. ExampleWe surveyed homes during the day and found that 66% of the population enjoy soaps. I asked four people in the street and three liked red. 75% of people like red. Nine out of ten of cat owners we asked agreed that their cats like KitaKit. DiscussionMost people believe they are pretty good at making statistical assessments. In fact we are generally pretty poor at it, and there are many traps into which we fall. Taking an unrepresentative sample is one of the most basic of these. Where a sample is deliberately biased by leaving out data, this is the Fallacy of Exclusion. ClassificationAssumptive, Inductive, Statistical Also known asBiased Sample See also |
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| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings | |
Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories | |
Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help | |
More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes | |
Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate | |
| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links | |
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