Chapter 1: Q3-21BSC (page 1)

In Exercises 21–28, determine whether the study is an experiment or an observational study, and then identify a major problem with the study.
Online News In a survey conducted by USA Today, 1465 Internet users chose to respond to this question posted on the USA Today electronic edition: “Is news online as satisfying as print and TV news?” 52% of the respondents said “yes.”

Short Answer

Expert verified

The response of 1465 internet users to a survey question is considered an observational study.

An underlying problem with the study is that the given population generates a biased response for the particular question of the survey. Therefore, the claim that a majority of the population is happier with online news as compared to print and TV news is inaccurate.

Step by step solution

Given information

In a survey, 52% of the 1465 respondents said “Yes” to a survey question.

Observational study and experimental study

Anobservational study revolves around observing a group of units without deliberately altering their behavior.

Anexperimental study revolves around testing an observation made about a group of units by initiating a deliberate change.

Identification of the type of study

The given study deals with only recording responses of a group of 1465 internet users without applying any modification to them. Thus, it is an observational study.

Identification of the major problem

Since the respondents are readers of only the electronic edition of the American daily USA Today, they neither have any recent exposure to the printed edition nor the TV news.

The population of respondents is biased, and thus to state that 52% of the respondents said “yes” to the fact that online mode of news is more satisfying than print and TV news is not accurate.