Residents of a community currently pay a fee for recreational services in their neighborhood, such as tennis courts, running trails, and a pool. To assess whether there is support for raising the fee for the upcoming summer, a random sample of 50 residents is contacted and asked this question: "Would you support a $10 increase in the recreational fee to support programs for the health and well-being of children in the community?” Of the 50 residents contacted, 42 approved of the fee increase. Which statement describes a likely source of bias present in the survey results?
Answer
A
There may be little bias in the results because a random sample of residents was taken.
B
Question wording bias may be present because the question leads those responding toward a certain response.
C
Nonresponse bias may be present because many who support the fee increase may choose to not respond.
D
Undercoverage bias may be present because some parts of the community may not be represented in the survey results.
Explanation
The question describes the fee increase as supporting children’s health and well-being, which may encourage residents to answer “yes” regardless of their views on the fee itself. This leading wording can bias responses, so question wording bias is a likely source. A random sample helps reduce some kinds of bias, but it does not eliminate bias caused by how a question is phrased.
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