91Ó°ÊÓ

For the studies in Problems \(45-50,\) (a) identify the research objective, (b) identify the sample, (c) list the descriptive statistics, and (d) state the conclusions made in the study. Favorite Presidents A poll commissioned by Washington College and conducted by Schulman, Ronca, and Bucuvalas, February \(7-10,2005,\) surveyed 800 U.S. adults. Asked who was the greatest president, \(20 \%\) of respondents chose Abraham Lincoln, \(15 \%\) Ronald Reagan, \(12 \%\) Franklin Roosevelt, \(11 \%\) John \(\mathrm{F}\). Kennedy, \(10 \%\) Bill Clinton, \(8 \%\) George W. Bush, and \(6 \%\) George Washington. The remaining \(18 \%\) selected other presidents. Washington College concluded that Abraham Lincoln ranks first among U.S. adults as the greatest president. (Source: Associated Press, Feb. 22, 2005)

Step by step solution

01

- Identify the research objective

The research objective is to determine who U.S. adults consider to be the greatest president of the United States.

02

- Identify the sample

The sample consists of 800 U.S. adults who were surveyed between February 7-10, 2005.

03

- List the descriptive statistics

The descriptive statistics are: 20% of respondents chose Abraham Lincoln, 15% Ronald Reagan, 12% Franklin Roosevelt, 11% John F. Kennedy, 10% Bill Clinton, 8% George W. Bush, and 6% George Washington. The remaining 18% selected other presidents.

04

- State the conclusions made in the study

The study concluded that Abraham Lincoln ranks first among U.S. adults as the greatest president.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Research Objective

In any study or survey, the research objective serves as the central question or goal that guides the research. It outlines what the researchers aim to discover or learn about a particular topic. For the 'Favorite Presidents' poll, the research objective was clear and straightforward. The primary goal was to determine who U.S. adults consider being the greatest president of the United States. By achieving this, researchers hoped to gather insights into the preferences and opinions of the general public about past U.S. presidents.

Sample Identification

In research, especially in surveys and polls, identifying and selecting an appropriate sample is crucial for obtaining reliable and accurate results. The sample represents the segment of the population that is surveyed to gather data, which in turn, reflects the opinions of the whole population. For the 'Favorite Presidents' poll, the sample comprised 800 U.S. adults. This group was surveyed over a specific period—February 7-10, 2005. Ensuring that the sample is both representative and large enough is essential to reduce biases and increase the credibility of the findings.

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics help summarize and present data in an understandable format. They give an overview of the data collected and often include measures like percentages, means, and medians. In the 'Favorite Presidents' poll, the descriptive statistics provided a breakdown of the preferences among the 800 surveyed U.S. adults. These included:

• 20% of respondents chose Abraham Lincoln
• 15% Ronald Reagan
• 12% Franklin Roosevelt
• 11% John F. Kennedy
• 10% Bill Clinton
• 8% George W. Bush
• 6% George Washington

The remaining 18% selected other presidents. These percentages give a clear picture of which presidents were considered the greatest by the surveyed individuals, allowing for easy comparison between different presidents.

Study Conclusions

After analyzing the collected data, researchers can draw conclusions that answer the research objective. Conclusions summarize the findings and offer insights based on the data. For the 'Favorite Presidents' poll, the study concluded that Abraham Lincoln ranks first among U.S. adults as the greatest president. This conclusion was drawn from the fact that the highest percentage of respondents (20%) selected Abraham Lincoln as their top choice, indicating his widespread favorability at the time of the survey. Such conclusions are essential as they provide definitive answers to the initial research question, guiding further research and public opinions.