Any topic (writer’s choice)

Sample design is very important, as we saw in the U.S. 2000 presidential election, where Florida was initially declared for the Democratic candidate based on a sample that did not truly reflect the entire state. Careful consideration must be paid to ensure a representative sample if we are inferring those results on a population.
Have you seen or read about an example where data were presented on an issue, but the sample was not representative of the population from which it was drawn? If you can’t recall a specific example, locate one using an Internet search.

For this discussion, summarize the issue and respond to the following questions.

Why do you believe the sample was not representative of the population?
What are the undesirable consequences of using a poor sampling technique?
How could the inaccurate reporting of the data been prevented?
Your initial response should be four paragraphs in length. Use current APA formatting to cite your sources.
Make your initial post by the fourth day of the module week. Return to the discussion later in the module week to read and reply to at least two of your classmates’ posts.

Your replies should be at least two paragraphs. In your replies include the following.

What could have been done during the sample selection process to ensure the sample was representative of the population?
What additional undesirable consequences do you see from the inaccurate reporting of data from a non-representative sample?
Review the Discussion Rubric for detailed grading instructions.