SOUND AN ALARM - THE PROBLEM OF BIAS

• NCJ Number: 6130
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (JULY 1968) Pages: 115-121
• Author(s): G W SMITH; L T WILKINS
• Date Published: 1968
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED WHICH FAILS TO EXAMINE THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-SAMPLING BIAS.

Abstract

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE RESEARCHER TO ANALYZE HIS DATA FOR POSSIBLE BIAS AS WELL AS TO ASSESS THE POSSIBLE EFFECT A DISCOVERED BIAS MIGHT HAVE ON THE RESULTS. THIS PAPER DEMONSTRATES HOW A RELATIVELY SMALL LOSS OF INFORMATION CAUSED BY A 9.3 PER CENT LOSS OF DATA FROM A TOTAL SAMPLE OF NEARLY 20,000 CASES EFFECTIVELY REDUCED THE POWER OF THE SAMPLE TO LESS THAN 2,000 CASES. THE ASSUMPTION THAT A LOSS OF INFORMATION DOES NOT RESULT IN SERIOUS BIAS IS NOT JUSTIFIABLE. TOO FEW RESEARCHES REALIZE THAT A VERY LARGE, CARELESSLY CHOSEN SAMPLE THAT CONTAINS A BIAS FOR WHICH IT IS DIFFICULT TO ADJUST IS NOT PREFERABLE TO A SMALLER, CAREFULLY CONTROLLED RANDOM SAMPLE. THE LATTER FREQUENTLY COSTS LESS AND MAY YIELD MORE VALID AND RELIABLE RESULTS. AUTHOR ABSTRACT