Q&A Hero

Q: A) Provide an informal analysis of the following passage; orB) in analyzing the passage, do the following:a. Identify the causal hypothesis at issue.b. Identify what kind of study it is.c. Describe the control and experimental groups.d. State the difference in effect (or cause) between control and experimental groups.e. Identify any problems in either the study or the report of it, including but not necessarily limited to uncontrolled variables.f. State the conclusion you think is warranted by the report.In a study designed to test some of the effects of marijuana on the performance of difficult tasks, Jerome A. Yesavage of Stanford University and his colleagues recruited ten experienced private pilots and trained them on a computerized flight-simulator landing task. All subjects had smoked marijuana at some time in the past, though none of them were daily users. None smoked marijuana during the test period, except as required by the test. The test period began with a morning baseline flight, after which each subject smoked a marijuana cigarette containing 19 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol, the active agent in marijuana. The pilots repeated the landing task one, four, and twenty-four hours later. The worst performances compared with the baseline occurred one hour after smoking the cigarette. Twenty-four hours later, however, the pilots still experienced significant difficulty in aligning the computerized airplane and landing it in the center of the runway. According to the scientists, there were marked deviations from the proper angle of descent in the last six thousand feet of approach to the landing.The amount of marijuana smoked is comparable to a strong social dose, the researchers said.Adapted from Science News

Q: A) Provide an informal analysis of the following passage; orB) in analyzing the passage, do the following:a. Identify the causal hypothesis at issue.b. Identify what kind of study it is.c. Describe the control and experimental groups.d. State the difference in effect (or cause) between control and experimental groups.e. Identify any problems in either the study or the report of it, including but not necessarily limited to uncontrolled variables.f. State the conclusion you think is warranted by the report.Do sudden heart attacks increase with vigorous exercise? A community-based study investigated this issue and discovered that persons who habitually exercised vigorously had a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death as compared with persons who only occasionally exercised vigorously. One hundred thirty-three married men who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were chosen for the study. They were classified according to their usual amount of activity and the amount of activity at the time of the cardiac arrest. All appeared healthy prior to the heart attacks. The benefits outweighed the risks for men at the upper levels of habitual high-intensity activity. Their overall risk was 40 percent of that of sedentary men.Adapted from "Stress and Health Report," N. T. Enloe Memorial Hospital Stress and Health Center, Chico, California

Q: A) Provide an informal analysis of the following passage; orB) in analyzing the passage, do the following:a. Identify the causal hypothesis at issue.b. Identify what kind of study it is.c. Describe the control and experimental groups.d. State the difference in effect (or cause) between control and experimental groups.e. Identify any problems in either the study or the report of it, including but not necessarily limited to uncontrolled variables.f. State the conclusion you think is warranted by the report."You dont need to become a complete ascetic in order to lower your cholesterol levels. Scott M. Grundy of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas and his colleagues rotated nine men through two-month stints on each of three dietsthe American Health Association diet, in which a maximum of 30 percent of the calories come from fat; a 40 percent fat diet; and a 20 percent fat diet. The subjects average cholesterol level was 210 mg/dl on entry.""In all the men, the blood levels of total cholesterol and of the bad form of cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, fell to around 175. There were no significant differences [in cholesterol levels of the men] on these three diets, Grundy says."Science News

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. Paul Tullius kept records for over a year about his cholesterol levels and his intake of fats and carbohydrates. He found that his cholesterol levels seemed to be influenced very little by the amount of fat he ate, but varied directly with his consumption of carbohydrates. The more of the latter he ate, the higher his cholesterol went. Conversely, when he cut back on the carbs, his cholesterol level dropped back below his usual numbers. He concluded that it was carbs that caused his cholesterol levels to be so high for several years.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. Researchers in New Zealand discovered that the tiny dilly fish, which inhabit the countrys fresh water streams, apparently get either excited or afraid when water flows increase. During the course of three seasons they noticed that the small egg-layers swim faster and jump out of the water more frequently when water flows were higherthe more water that ran through the streams the more dilly fish theyd find stranded on the banks.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. Do potassium supplements lower blood pressure? Evidence that they might comes from a recent experiment in which male volunteers with high systolic blood pressure were randomly divided into four groups. Three of the groups were given daily supplements containing varying amounts of potassium (500, 100, and 1500 mgs). Men in the fourth group were not given potassium supplements. The men were free otherwise to eat what they wanted. It was found that the higher the potassium dose, the lower the average blood pressure.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. In an experiment, ten randomly selected women age 45-50 rated thirty randomly selected men of the same age as to attractiveness on a scale of 1-5. The men were rated on the basis of identical frontal face photographs. Researchers then compared the annual income of the men with their ranks. It was found that the higher a mans annual income, the higher his average "handsomeness rating." Do good looks enhance income? Or does income enhance looks (e.g. through orthodonture, hair styling, etc.)? The researchers said they did not know.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.If you dont believe in God, youre much more likely to commit suicide. You can tell that by looking at places like Sweden and Norway where theres a higher percentage of atheists than the norm and their per capita suicide rate is higher, too.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.The price of a pack of cigarettes in Norway is $11.20, with taxes making up at least 70 percent of the total cost. Contrast that to the United States, where a pack sells for about $4.50. Thats why per capita consumption here is 2,200, whereas in Norway it is 700.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Since the taxes [on cigarettes] have been going up in Canada, cigarette smoking has been going down, particularly among the young. The lesson here is plain: The best way to reduce smoking is simply to raise the price of cigarettes.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. Are body lice a cause of good health? So it seemed to the people in New Hebrides Islands, according to John Allen Pauloss comment in his book Innumeracy. After all, when body lice departed, people became ill.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. "After four years as an associate and brokerage manager with the New York life insurance consulting firm Kramer-Helgans, Sharon Brick noticed that she was being taken more seriously. It wasnt just because shed done a great job, says Brick. She had changed her hair color from a dull brown to a lighter, more flattering sandy blond. Several months later, Brick was offered a partnership in the firm."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. "Being happy and having a positive outlook may help people with heart disease avoid heart attacks and other health problems. Approximately one in five coronary heart disease patients is seriously depressed, so be on guard against depression in yourself and your loved ones."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Between 1984 and 1989, American consumption of oatmeal at breakfast went up 56 percent. Meanwhile, the consumption of coffee dropped 11 percent. For some reason, oatmeal must make coffee taste bad.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.If you dont want your kids to smoke tobacco, keep them away from marijuana. It has been estimated that 75 percent of pot smokers do use other drugs, including tobacco.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Fund-raising director for a public radio station: "I know that our music director gets hysterical when we play a lot of tired stuff like the 1812 Overture and the Grieg piano concerto. But go back and look at our most successful fund drives; every big day has been a day heavily loaded with those classics."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Less than twenty-four hours after seeing the movie Glades Corner, which depicts the brutal knife-slaying of an elderly man by teenagers, fifteen-year-old Mark Striker attempted to kill his sixty-five-year-old great uncle. His weapon: a knife.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.A terrible squeaking noise from my tape recorder got so bad I couldnt stand to listen to my tapes anymore. I was sure the machine had developed a problemand just a month after the warranty expired, too. So I cleaned the heads, the capstan, and all the moving parts, hoping I could make the noise go away. It remained. Then, just as I had decided I was going to have to take it in for repairs, I played some tapes belonging to a friend of mine, and the squeak wasnt there. So the problem is with my tapes, not my machine. Im not sure I like that any better, since Ive got dozens of them.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.When Halleys comet hovered over Jerusalem in A.D. 66, the historian Josephus warned it meant the destruction of the city. Jerusalem fell four years later, thus confirming the power of the comet.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Raphael is troubled by the fact that when he purchases new guitar strings, they seem always to go dead after just a few weeks of use. A friend suggests that he boil the strings in vinegar when they lose their resonance. Raphael tries it, and the strings sound almost like new again. After a few weeks, the strings go dead again, and Raphael boils them in vinegar and gets the same results. He resigns himself to a session with boiling vinegar every few weeks.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.The packages that we gave our friend Debbie are undamaged, while the packages we sent through Ted suffered damage. We learned a lesson: Don't let Ted handle any packages. He is extremely careless.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. "Im over seventy years old and got all of my natural teeth but one. The secret is to eat a dollop of raw veal bone marrow every day."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text."Of course he was outdoors Wednesday, Watson. Thats the only day there has been rain, and he had a good bit of dried mud on the heels of his boots."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Before every voyage, we toss a drink to the old man in the sea.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.The car usually makes it over the hills between here and the lake without any trouble. The only time it makes any trouble is when we have to pull the boat and trailer; they must make too heavy a load for the cars small engine.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. Id wash the car but for the fact that we dont need any more rain.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.My front door would creak every time I opened or shut it. I read in an old carpentry publication that the way to fix the problem is tighten the hinges and grease the screws. I did it, and it cured the problem.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.A lottery winner, asked why he thought he had won a major prize, pulled a small rhinestone four-leaf clover out of his pocket and said, "I think this had a lot to do with it."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Every time I play tennis my wrist hurts for several days afterward. If my doctor cant help me figure what to do about it, I may have to give up the game.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.February 2 is Groundhog Day. If the groundhog sees his shadow, therell be six more weeks of winter. If he doesnt, spring is right around the corner.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Studies indicate that close to 85 percent of university professors are liberal Democrats. It only stands to reason, therefore, that if you want to get a job as a college instructor, register as a Democrat.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. See? When she has a good day at the store and sells lots of clothes, she always is in a good mood. It just shows you how effective a good mood can be in the sales business. The customer eats that stuff up.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. "Four years ago, nonfat milk sold for 95 cents per half gallon. Today I paid $1.45 per half gallon at one of our low-priced supermarkets. Thats a 52 percent increase in just four years for an average of 13 percent per year, while the official government inflation rate is less than 3 percent. Why is this? Its not a coincidence that four years ago we got our first Republican governor in this state in a long time."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text. Cheryl and her new acquaintance, Ted, have just walked into Target when she spots her former boyfriend, Lemmy. "Oh, for crying out loud," Cheryl thinks. "Why would he come into Target, of all places? I'm sure I must be being punished for something I did."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Studies indicate that older women who attempt weight training seem to be in better shape physically than those who dont. This is a good reason for older women to lift weights.

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Sharon has observed that her teacher sometimes seems to be in a bad mood and speculates why. "Well," she thinks, "it seems to happen only when people havent done their assignments. That must be it."

Q: Evaluate the following argument in accordance with the criteria discussed in the text.Parkers mimosa tree is getting yellow and dropping leaves. He figures it must be the tiny little caterpillars he sees on it, since before he saw them the tree seemed fine.

Q: According to Department of Transportation statistics for 2005: 1% of drivers received a citation for a moving violation; 40% of them were under 30 years old. Which of the following conclusions (about 2005) CANNOT be deduced from this information? Explain your answer in no less than a half a page, and no more than one page.1. 99% of drivers did not receive a citation for a moving violation.2. 60% of those who received a citation for a moving violation were 30 or older.3. 60% of those who did not receive a citation for a moving violation were under 30.4. 60% of drivers under 30 years old received a citation for a moving violation.5. A cousin who is under 30 is more likely to get a citation for a moving violation than is a cousin who is 30 or older.

Q: "An FBI study of thirty-five serial killers [killers of several people, not all at once] revealed that twenty-nine were attracted to pornography and incorporated it into their sexual activity, which included serial rape and murder." This assertion, taken from an antipornography ad, seems to have been intended to show that pornography is a causal factor of serial rape and murder. Does it show that?

Q: Read and discuss the following report. In your discussion, identify the experimental and control groups, say whether there may be confounding variables in the study, and determine what the outcome probably was. (What does "no statistically significant difference" probably mean as it is used near the end of the report?)

Q: Critically discuss the following analogical argument:Economic sanctions simply do not work. As a weapon of international persuasion, they are about as effective as popguns.The United Nations imposed drastic sanctions upon Rhodesia; they failed utterly.We imposed sanctions upon Poland; nothing happened.Our government has forbidden trade with Cuba for the past twenty-five years; Cuba goes its own way. Most recently, the president has laid heavy sanctions upon Libya; our noble allies have pooh-poohed the effort.You can count on the same kind of result if economic sanctions are imposed on North Korea.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Mnica is an excellent Spanish classical dancer. With a bit of practice, shed probably be a fine flamenco dancer as well.

Q: In evaluating the following generalization(s), identify sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative."In a study done by a University of Pennsylvania psychologist, 29 suburban and 38 inner-city children from the Philadelphia area, ranging in age from 3 to 12 years, were asked to consume foods mixed with disgusting substances, like apple juice stirred with a used comb or containing a dead grasshopper. Almost two-thirds of the children from 3 to 6 sipped juice in which a grasshopper floated. There were no differences between city and suburban children." Published in Developmental Psychology

Q: In evaluating the following generalization(s), identify sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Readers of Consumer Reports can write in their opinions of movies they have seen. Each month, CR reports the total number of opinion votes it receives in this way. In one issue, the average rating of a certain movie is 4 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 the bad end of the scale. The total vote on the movie is 107. How sound would a generalization from this sample to American moviegoers in general be?

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Memo: "We interviewed Haddow and found that she could handle each of the problems we gave her. I recommend we hire her."

Q: In evaluating the following generalization(s), identify sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. A New York newspaper stopped theatergoers as they exited from a performance of La Tragdie de Carmen and asked them whether they thought that Broadway theater was better or worse than it was ten years ago. When the majority of the respondents answered that they thought it was worse, the paper printed an article with the headline "Public Thinks Broadway Is Going Downhill." Does the poll justify the headline?

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Mr. Smythe has closed each of the last four contracts with France International. Seems to me hed be likely to do well with the rest of our overseas deals.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Hamilton City was considering annexing a portion of land adjacent to the city limits where construction of a subdivision was planned. To determine what the residents of the town thought about this annexation and about municipal growth in general, the city council had a poll taken. One thousand of the citys fifteen thousand registered voters were randomly selected and asked three questions: (1) Do you favor no growth, modest growth, or accelerated growth for Hamilton City? (2) Do you favor annexation of the eight-hundred-acre Osborne parcel north of town and its planned subdivision? (3) Should the city enter into agreements with developers promising to supply city services, such as sewers and street maintenance, in return for the added tax revenue the developers projects will produce? The results of this survey were taken to be the "official" opinion of the voters of Hamilton City.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Dont buy any Australian wine. Ive had Australian wine before and, believe me, you wont like it.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.According to a study published by Dr. William P. Newman III of Louisiana State University Medical Center in the New England Journal of Medicine, physicians in Bogalusa, Louisiana, conducted autopsies on thirty-five youngsters ranging in age from seven to twenty-four (the average age was eighteen) who had died mostly from accidents, homicides, or suicides. They found that all but six of the young people had fatty streaks on their aortas, the bodys main artery. Fatty streaks are the earliest gross recognizable lesions of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), according to Newman. Since there was a direct link between the number of fatty streaks and the cholesterol levels in the young people, Newman recommended that all schoolchildren be checked for high cholesterol levels.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.NEW YORK (AP)Women who read "bodice-rippers," a sexy, violent genre of historical romance novel, have sex 74 percent more often than nonreaders, according to a survey by two psychologists from the Emory Medical School in Atlanta, who interviewed 72 middle-class women in Atlanta, an equal number of them housewives, working women, and college students. Women who read the romances reported making love an average of 3.04 times a week, compared to 1.75 for nonreaders.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.

Q: In the following passage, identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Would our professors conclusion, "Sixteen percent of faculty nationwide deduct home office expenses on their federal income tax return," be more accurate if she restricted it to faculty in her own state? A college professor converted one room of her house into a home office and intended to deduct her expenses on her federal income tax return. She wondered how many other college faculty had done the same, thinking that the more who deducted home offices, the less likely her own return would be noticed by the IRS and hence the less likely she would be audited. So she decided to do her own informal survey of her colleagues to see how many of them had home offices. She sent out a questionnaire of three questions to all 1,200 instructors at her campus, and she received 950 responses. (Her promise to share the results of the survey apparently motivated faculty to respond.) As it turned out, 32 percent of her respondents answered yes to the question, "Do you maintain an office at home?" Half of these also answered yes to the question, "Do you deduct your home office expenses on your federal income tax return?" And 24 percent of the entire group of respondents answered yes to the question, "Is your campus office adequate?"

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Ronald is driving across the country when his car develops a minor mechanical problem. He can fix the trouble himself, but hell need a wrench of a size he doesnt have. He resolves to stop at the next Sears retail store he sees to purchase one. Hes been in four or five Sears retail stores in the past, and all of them have carried automotive tools. So he is confident that all Sears retail outlets stock them.

Q: In the following passage, identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Is it reasonable for our professor to conclude that faculty office space on the campus is inadequate? A college professor converted one room of her house into a home office and intended to deduct her expenses on her federal income tax return. She wondered how many other college faculty had done the same, thinking that the more who deducted home offices, the less likely her own return would be noticed by the IRS and hence the less likely she would be audited. So she decided to do her own informal survey of her colleagues to see how many of them had home offices. She sent out a questionnaire of three questions to all 1,200 instructors at her campus, and she received 950 responses. (Her promise to share the results of the survey apparently motivated faculty to respond.) As it turned out, 32 percent of her respondents answered yes to the question, "Do you maintain an office at home?" Half of these also answered yes to the question, "Do you deduct your home office expenses on your federal income tax return?" And 24 percent of the entire group of respondents answered yes to the question, "Is your campus office adequate?"

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Seventeen percent of Winchell State students intend to pursue careers as computer programmers or analysts. Thats what a recent survey of WSU students conducted by psychology major Jack Nafarik shows. Nafarik passed out questionnaires to students who voted in the March student election as they exited from the polling stations in the student union. "The results didnt surprise me," Nafarik said. “The figure may seem fairly high, but youd expect that in a technical school like Winchell State.”

Q: In the following passage, identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Would our professors conclusion, "About 32 percent of college faculty nationwide maintain home offices," be more likely if she had included faculty from other institutions among her survey? Why? A college professor converted one room of her house into a home office and intended to deduct her expenses on her federal income tax return. She wondered how many other college faculty had done the same, thinking that the more who deducted home offices, the less likely her own return would be noticed by the IRS and hence the less likely she would be audited. So she decided to do her own informal survey of her colleagues to see how many of them had home offices. She sent out a questionnaire of three questions to all 1,200 instructors at her campus, and she received 950 responses. (Her promise to share the results of the survey apparently motivated faculty to respond.) As it turned out, 32 percent of her respondents answered yes to the question, "Do you maintain an office at home?" Half of these also answered yes to the question, "Do you deduct your home office expenses on your federal income tax return?" And 24 percent of the entire group of respondents answered yes to the question, "Is your campus office adequate?"

Q: In the following passage, identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Do you find any flaw in our professors reasoning about the usefulness of the survey for her own purposes? Should she believe that the more people who have home offices, the more likely her own will escape attention from the IRS? A college professor converted one room of her house into a home office and intended to deduct her expenses on her federal income tax return. She wondered how many other college faculty had done the same, thinking that the more who deducted home offices, the less likely her own return would be noticed by the IRS and hence the less likely she would be audited. So she decided to do her own informal survey of her colleagues to see how many of them had home offices. She sent out a questionnaire of three questions to all 1,200 instructors at her campus, and she received 950 responses. (Her promise to share the results of the survey apparently motivated faculty to respond.) As it turned out, 32 percent of her respondents answered yes to the question, "Do you maintain an office at home?" Half of these also answered yes to the question, "Do you deduct your home office expenses on your federal income tax return?" And 24 percent of the entire group of respondents answered yes to the question, "Is your campus office adequate?"

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Thirty percent of American people ages nineteen to thirty-nine diet at least once a month, according to a news syndicate poll released last November. These findings are based on telephone interviews with a random sample of people listed in the Los Angeles telephone directory.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.A poll of fifty weight lifters at a southern California gym determined that thirty-three payed close attention to their diets as well as to their exercise. Of those thirty-three, twenty-five (50 percent of the original fifty) made it a point to eat more than the minimum daily amount of protein for large adults, and twenty (40 percent of the original fifty) took vitamin pills and other dietary supplements. The chain of health-food stores that took the poll concluded that weight lifters constitute a substantial market for its products, since it is likely that 40 percent of all weight lifters across the country take vitamin pills and supplements and that an additional 10 percent are at least highly conscious of their diets.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.A majority of Americans think that tobacco companies should be prohibited from advertising their products. In a survey of 1,213 adults, 86 percent said that prohibiting tobacco advertising would lower smoking rates. The results of the nationwide telephone survey, conducted by American Opinion Research, Inc., were published in this weeks edition of Research Fact. Spokespersons for the American Tobacco Council had no immediate comment on the findings.

Q: In evaluating the following generalization(s), identify sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Seventy-two percent of those interviewed at a luncheon sponsored by the Camellia Chamber of Commerce favored local tax incentives to attract new businesses. Would this finding generalize to the Camellia population?

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Osteoporosis is a degeneration of bone tissue that afflicts between fifteen and twenty million Americans and leads to approximately 1.3 million bone fractures every year. The condition is found mainly among women. A conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health in 1994 reported that calcium was one of the "mainstays of prevention and management of osteoporosis." In a localized study designed to help predict the future incidence of osteoporosis in women in a midwestern community, a county hospital did a survey on calcium intake. It selected five hundred women at random and asked them to keep a record of their food and dietary supplements for one month. The data were analyzed to determine the amounts of calcium each woman received. It was determined that 85 percent of the surveyed women received less calcium than the recommended amount of 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams per day. County medical authorities concluded that about 85 percent of the communitys women were getting less than the recommended intake of calcium. They also concluded that local medical facilities would soon see an increase in the number of cases of osteoporosis as the calcium deficiency showed its effects. Given just the information presented here, how much confidence would you have in these conclusions?

Q: In evaluating the following generalization(s), identify sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. Lets say that according to statewide studies done in Montana and Virginia, the infant mortality rate for these two states averaged 10.5 per thousand live births. Could this figure be generalized to the infant mortality rate in the United States? What factors might be relevant to the generalization?

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.As part of his work for NASA, Dr. Murdock was asked to find out what percentage of Americans saw Halleys comet when it was last visible. He randomly selected three citiesSeattle, Cleveland, and Bostonand polled several hundred randomly selected individuals from these cities. His findings are that fewer than 5 percent of Americans saw the comet.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.A survey was made in 1948 in which a large number of names were randomly selected from the telephone book of a large city. The individuals called were asked whether they preferred Truman or Dewey in the presidential race. Over half of the respondents named Dewey, so the pollsters concluded that Dewey would carry the city and region.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Haslett wanted to know what percentage of students at his college vote in local elections. He asked each of his professors (he was a political science major) to ask for a show of hands in his classes, so he could make a count. He found that 45 percent of the 120 classmates polled vote in local elections. He concludes that about 45 percent of the students at his college vote in those elections.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. FRESNOIn a new study of dangerous Halloween pranks, Fresno State University sociologist Joel Best has documented the exact number of American children killed or seriously injured by anonymously given, booby-trapped Halloween treats. Best reviewed supposedly real Halloween horror stories appearing from 1958 to 2004 in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and the Fresno Bee. He did not find a single case in which a Halloween treat anonymously given to a child caused serious harm. He concluded that the infamous Halloween sadist is an "urban myth."

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.ATLANTA (UPI)A long-term federal study by the National Centers for Disease Control of 13 million U.S. births shows increases in the rate of eleven different types of birth defects, including a 17.5 percent yearly average increase in patent ductus arteriosus and a 10.8 percent increase for ventricular septal defects, over a fourteen-year period. The study was conducted by the Birth Defects Monitoring Program of the CDC, which collected its data from hospitals across the country. From 1970 to 1983, over 13 million births were monitored. [An adaptation]

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.A random survey of 1,000 callers to a drug hotline number produced the following results: 535 of the callers were heavy users of either cocaine freebase, amphetamines, or heroin; 220 were "recreational" users of cocaine or hashish; 92 were not drug users at all; and the remainder refused to answer the survey questions. This should put to rest the claim that most people who take drugs are of the occasional, "recreational" type.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Gridley has been going to the Silver Dollar Fair every year for the past fifteen years. An acquaintance suggests they go to the fair, but "For Gods sake, lets dont eat there, well die." Gridley knows better; hes never even once gotten sick from Silver Dollar food.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative. SUSANVILLEFewer than 20 percent of college professors consider themselves shy, according to a new study by two psychologists. "We were surprised by this result because other studies have reported that almost 50 percent of adult Americans think of themselves as shy," said Elliot Smalley, professor at Colusa State University. "College professors are sometimes thought to be an introverted lot, and so we expected perhaps a majority to think of themselves as shy," he said.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Victor has just heard somewhere that regular injections of testosterone help improve the memories of men his age, but he cant recall where he heard it. "Probably was on the TV news," he figures. "I dont read the newspaper very often."

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative."How come the people in these big motor homes always have a couple of midget dogs with them," Jasper wonders.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Noting that recent scientific research suggests that a daily glass of wine or two might be good for the heart, Mr. Laub decides to tank up. "Why in hell not," he says. "If one glass of wine is good for you, most likely five or six is really good for you."

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Stortz has heard from his friends that the folks in North Carolina are pretty friendly, so he looks forward to going through it on his bike trip to Florida.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Fong notes that the pavement deteriorates as he crosses into the next county. "Guess they dont keep up their roads very well," he thinks.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Parker recommends the latest Larry McMurtry novel to Moore. Moore decides not to bother, since every other novel Parker has recommended turned out to be a dud, in Moores opinion.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.The cocktail Beatrice orders before dinner is watery, so she decides not to eat there after all. "Dont think they can fix decent dinners if they cant even make a decent martini," she mutters.

Q: Evaluate the following generalization(s), identifying sample, population, attribute of interest, and the extent to which the claims involved are knowable. Consider carefully the size and diversification of the sample and the extent to which the population differs or may differ from the sample; remember, whats important is that the sample be representative.Stratton takes one look at his new teacher and concludes he is going to like the course. "You can just tell," he says to his girlfriend later, "its gonna be a great course. The teacher brought up all these interesting subjectsand it was only the first day."