Sample Bias revised

Sample Bias
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Sample Bias
Sample bias interferes with the legitimate interpretation of findings and relationships such as for cause and effect (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005). Participants from the two facilities that are. Summerhill and Winterdale may be different in some ways hence amounting to confounding variables. To draw reliable conclusion n minimize sample bias, the researcher needs to control the confounding variables so that they may not be considered as part of the explanation for the results observed (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005). Among the control methods include keeping some things constant and use of one or more pretests to assess equivalence before the treatment. While requiring specific characteristics for a research sample may reduce confounding variables, it, however, may lower external validity (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005). In applying several pretests, one can either assess other variables that impact the dependent variable or identify matched pairs. Upon identification of other variables, the researcher then determines whether the two adolescent facilities have any similarity. According to Leedy & Ormrod (2005), similarities arising thereon minimizes the chances of the variables being responsible for any group differences that will be observed. In using the matched pair method, a blocking variable such as age and gender is used to match participants into pairs. For the two programs, partakers can be matched based on gender and medical record regarding response to medication.

The researcher, therefore, narrows down their study to findings of persons who make up the matched sets only (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005). Any other differences arising from the two sets are considered to be sheer coincidence. Results from the smaller similar groups are more reliable in leading to valid interpretations and conclusion son the data collected.

References
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Practical research. Pearson Custom.