Click to erase

Click to draw

Select drawing to start editing

Business Analytics: 2.2.3 Avoiding Bias

2.2.3 Avoiding Bias

A common way to collect information about a population is to conduct a survey. That is, a researcher asks questions of a randomly selected sample from the population. Conducting a survey raises problems that can be surprisingly tricky to resolve. Consider how we phrase our questions. Is there bias in the phrasing that might lead participants to answer the questions in a certain way? Are any questions worded ambiguously? If some of the people in the sample interpret a question one way, and others interpret it differently, the survey’s results will be meaningless.

Determine whether the following questions are biased or unbiased.

Items

Category

Biased
Should we have stricter gun laws to prevent school shootings?
Secondhand smoke can cause cancer. Should we ban smoking from restaurants and other public spaces?
Underage drinking is okay, right?
Most new car owners purchased an extended warranty from the dealership. Are you going to buy one?
Childhood obesity is on the rise. Do you think kids spend too many hours playing computer games?
Unbiased
How many miles did you walk yesterday?
Should cyclists be required to wear helmets?
Should nutritional information be listed at fast food restaurants?

Result

Correct!

(!) You have received credit for this question

Biased questions can sway people to answer in certain ways, leaving researchers with skewed results. Unbiased questions are those that have little influence on how people will answer.

The following are biased questions:

  • Most new car owners purchased an extended warranty from the dealership. Are you going to buy one?
  • Should we have stricter gun laws to prevent school shootings?
  • Childhood obesity is on the rise. Do you think kids spend too many hours playing computer games?
  • Secondhand smoke can cause cancer. Should we ban smoking from restaurants and other public spaces?
  • Underage drinking is okay, right?

Cold Call

You were not selected to take this cold call. Please review other students' responses below.

Rewrite the following biased question to create an unbiased version of it:

  • Most new car owners purchased an extended warranty from the dealership. Are you going to buy one?

See what your peers answered

Filter by
Number of comments
on
off
  • George
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    George
  • Karla Angélica
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Karla Angélica
  • Sadhbh
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Sadhbh
  • Rohan
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 1
    Rohan
  • Yibai
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 0
    Yibai
  • Avaneesh
    Number of comments 4 Number of likes 17
    Avaneesh
  • Laura
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Laura
  • Cameron
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 7
    Cameron
  • Fatima
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 4
    Fatima
  • Isorn
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 2
    Isorn
  • Samir
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Samir
  • Jessica
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 9
    Jessica
  • Zachary
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 19
    Zachary
  • Mark
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Mark
  • Christian
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Christian
  • Michael
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Michael
  • Bounyadej
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Bounyadej
  • Min Kyung
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 4
    Min Kyung
  • Levio
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Levio
  • Robert
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Robert
  • Tabitha
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 17
    Tabitha
  • Nodirabegim
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Nodirabegim
  • Viditi
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Viditi
  • Rogelio
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Rogelio
Scroll in the box to view more responses.

Cold Call

You were not selected to take this cold call. Please review other students' responses below.

Rewrite the following biased question to create an unbiased version of it:

  • Should we have stricter gun laws to prevent school shootings?

See what your peers answered

Filter by
Number of comments
on
off
  • Magdalena
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 8
    Magdalena
  • Machannagari Sai Pranav
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 0
    Machannagari Sai Pranav
  • Thomas
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Thomas
  • Rawaida Binti
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Rawaida Binti
  • Gavin
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Gavin
  • Isaac
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 5
    Isaac
  • Goeran
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Goeran
  • Joshua
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 6
    Joshua
  • Gabriel
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 1
    Gabriel
  • Neil
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 6
    Neil
  • Aradhya
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 5
    Aradhya
  • Danny
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 0
    Danny
  • Amritagandha
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Amritagandha
  • Ramya
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Ramya
  • Amarjeet
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Amarjeet
  • Marcus
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 0
    Marcus
  • Ankit
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Ankit
  • Eun Young
    Number of comments 7 Number of likes 6
    Eun Young
  • Robyn
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Robyn
  • Maya
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 0
    Maya
  • YOGESH KUMAR
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    YOGESH KUMAR
  • Kwabena Tontoh
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Kwabena Tontoh
  • aisha
    Number of comments 4 Number of likes 0
    aisha
  • Christian
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 11
    Christian
  • Robert
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Robert
  • Yadi
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Yadi
  • Vinayak
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Vinayak
  • Aoibheann
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 6
    Aoibheann
  • Brandon
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Brandon
  • Michael
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 7
    Michael
  • Kelly
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Kelly
  • Matthew
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 12
    Matthew
  • Megan
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 4
    Megan
  • Han Pin
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 6
    Han Pin
  • Aditi
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 0
    Aditi
  • Melissa
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 6
    Melissa
  • Jenny
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Jenny
  • Matthew
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Matthew
  • Jun
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Jun
  • Daniel
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Daniel
  • Dale
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 2
    Dale
  • Kate
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Kate
  • Alejandro
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 10
    Alejandro
  • Josselyn
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Josselyn
  • Cailen
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Cailen
  • SAJAL
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 5
    SAJAL
  • Gabriel
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Gabriel
  • Justin
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Justin
  • Diambra
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Diambra

Cold Call

You were not selected to take this cold call. Please review other students' responses below.

Rewrite the following biased question to create an unbiased version of it:

  • Childhood obesity is on the rise. Do you think kids spend too many hours playing computer games?

See what your peers answered

Filter by
Number of comments
on
off
  • Hamidah
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 6
    Hamidah
  • Stephen
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Stephen
  • Timothy
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 4
    Timothy
  • Ryan
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Ryan
  • Leonardo
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Leonardo
  • Tamara
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 5
    Tamara
  • Siti Rozanna binti
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Siti Rozanna binti
  • Dorie
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Dorie
  • Sahithya Reddy
    Number of comments 5 Number of likes 16
    Sahithya Reddy
  • Luke
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Luke
  • James
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 11
    James
  • SIYAO
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 5
    SIYAO
  • Patrick
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Patrick
  • Chukwuemeka
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Chukwuemeka
  • Alexander
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Alexander
  • Devendra
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Devendra
  • Erik
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 1
    Erik
  • Rza
    Number of comments 5 Number of likes 7
    Rza
  • Arend
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 5
    Arend
  • Edvina
    Number of comments 4 Number of likes 19
    Edvina
  • Rajan
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Rajan
  • Robert
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Robert
  • Runa
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Runa
  • Andrea
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Andrea
Scroll in the box to view more responses.

Cold Call

You were not selected to take this cold call. Please review other students' responses below.

Rewrite the following biased question to create an unbiased version of it:

  • Secondhand smoke can cause cancer. Should we ban smoking from restaurants and other public spaces?

See what your peers answered

Filter by
Number of comments
on
off
  • Javier
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Javier
  • Jay
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Jay
  • Timmoneshia
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 6
    Timmoneshia
  • Tian
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Tian
  • Sharon
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Sharon
  • Alik
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Alik
  • Lauren
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Lauren
  • Tiffany
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Tiffany
  • Trent
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Trent
  • KANLIN
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 6
    KANLIN
  • Theo
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Theo
  • Chloe
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Chloe
  • Haeyoon
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 6
    Haeyoon
  • Daragh
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Daragh
  • Fernanda
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 2
    Fernanda
  • Olga
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 4
    Olga
  • Alix
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 7
    Alix
  • Victoria
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Victoria
  • Jasmine
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Jasmine
  • Fabiola
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Fabiola
  • Ars-Vita
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Ars-Vita
  • Trung Ngoc
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Trung Ngoc
  • jennifer
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    jennifer
  • Caleb
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 4
    Caleb
Scroll in the box to view more responses.

Cold Call

Rewrite the following biased question to create an unbiased version of it:

  • Underage drinking is okay, right?

See what your peers answered

Filter by
Number of comments
on
off
  • Alex
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Alex
  • Nathan
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 4
    Nathan
  • Austin
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Austin
  • Ashley
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Ashley
  • Hunter
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 1
    Hunter
  • Mitchell
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Mitchell
  • Dimakatso
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Dimakatso
  • Gaetano Francesco
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 5
    Gaetano Francesco
  • Olakunle
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 1
    Olakunle
  • Angela
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 0
    Angela
  • Caitlin
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 1
    Caitlin
  • Andrew
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 5
    Andrew
  • Brittany
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 7
    Brittany
  • Manuel
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Manuel
  • Talia
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 6
    Talia
  • Alfred
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 7
    Alfred
  • Jori
    Number of comments 7 Number of likes 10
    Jori
  • Mrinal
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 7
    Mrinal
  • Sapna
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 3
    Sapna
  • Moises
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 0
    Moises
  • Sudeshna
    Number of comments 2 Number of likes 6
    Sudeshna
  • Noor
    Number of comments 1 Number of likes 5
    Noor
  • Riya
    Number of comments 0 Number of likes 2
    Riya
  • Keith
    Number of comments 3 Number of likes 10
    Keith
Scroll in the box to view more responses.
The following describes the types of trigger points that will appear during the video. You must complete each trigger point before viewing the rest of the video.
Trigger Point Name Location in Seconds
Pollat 45 seconds
Video thumbnail
Trigger Point
Go to the trigger point
TRANSCRIPT
Autoscroll
on
off
  • To understand the
    importance of how
  • survey questions are phrased,
    let's look at an example.
  • The general social survey
    conducted regularly since 1972,
  • is designed to monitor
    social attitudes and trends
  • in the United States.
  • To gain deeper
    insights, the survey
  • often asks multiple questions
    about the same issue,
  • but phrases them differently.
  • For example, the survey
    asked whether Americans
  • think the government is spending
    too much, too little, or about
  • the right amount on various
    issues and programs.
  • One part of the survey asked
    this question about assistance
  • to the poor.
  • Another part asked the
    question about welfare.
  • Do you think these
    questions would
  • elicit different responses?
  • Poll
  • The 2012 survey reports
    that nearly 64% of Americans
  • believe that we spend too little
    on assistance to the poor.
  • In contrast, only about
    19% believe that we
  • spend too little on welfare.
  • Why are the results
    so different,
  • even though welfare and
    assistance to the poor
  • are so similar?
  • The words are
    politically charged.
  • For many Americans, welfare has
    a negative connotation compared
  • to assistance to the poor.
  • It's important to
    be aware of how
  • subtle differences and phrasing
    can affect respondents answers.
01:15
01:22
Change Speed
Adjust playback speed
Turn on closed captions
Turn on transcript
Change Volume
Adjust volume

Suppose you are an aspiring politician thinking about running for local office. You decide to conduct a survey to get a sense of whether you actually have a chance of winning. Which method would you use?

  • 38.2 percent selected Social Media
  • 25.6 percent selected In-person
  • 10.6 percent selected Phone
  • 9.8 percent selected E-mail
  • 8.9 percent selected Mail
  • 6.900000000000006 percent selected Text
-3-2-1123-1138.2%Social Media25.6%In-person10.6%Phone9.8%E-mail8.9%Mail6.9%Text
246 of 303 participants have responded. You may return at any time for the latest results.

Suppose you are the manager of an upscale restaurant and would like to know if your customers are satisfied with their overall experience. How would you conduct a survey?

  • 53.900000000000006 percent selected In-person
  • 15.1 percent selected Social Media
  • 13.900000000000002 percent selected E-mail
  • 9 percent selected Text
  • 5.3 percent selected Phone
  • 2.7999999999999914 percent selected Mail
  • 53.900000000000006 percent selected In-person
  • 15.1 percent selected Social Media
  • 13.900000000000002 percent selected E-mail
  • 9 percent selected Text
  • 5.3 percent selected Phone
  • 2.7999999999999914 percent selected Mail
-3-2-1123-1153.9%In-person15.1%Social Media13.9%E-mail9.0%Text5.3%Phone2.8%Mail
245 of 303 participants have responded. You may return at any time for the latest results.

Poll submitted

Your information has been submitted.

Surveyors wish to get as high a response rate as possible. Low response rates can introduce bias if the non-respondent’s answers would have differed from those who responded—that is, if the non-respondents and the respondents represent different segments of the population. If we do not represent a segment of the population, then our sample is not representative of the population. If resources are limited, it is often better to take a small sample and relentlessly pursue a high response rate than to take a larger sample and settle for a low response rate. If we have a low response rate, we should contact non-respondents and try to either increase the response rate or demonstrate that the non-respondents’ answers do not differ from the respondents’ answers.

This is a graphic representation of what was stated in the previous paragraph.  If you have low response rates, you should contact non-respondents.  We contact non-respondents in order to increase response rates by getting more answers, or show that non-respondents do not differ from those who responded.