Question
Researchers want to study the average weight of adult squirrels in a city park. Researchers set up traps to capture squirrels near a popular picnic area and weigh the captured squirrels.
Why might undercoverage be a problem in this study?
(1 point)
Responses
Squirrels near the picnic area are likely to be heavier due to access to food scraps, which can skew the results of the study.
Squirrels near the picnic area are likely to be heavier due to access to food scraps, which can skew the results of the study.
The scale used to weigh the squirrels might not be accurate.
The scale used to weigh the squirrels might not be accurate.
Squirrels living in other areas of the park, away from the picnic area, might have different weights and not be represented in the sample.
Squirrels living in other areas of the park, away from the picnic area, might have different weights and not be represented in the sample.
The traps might malfunction, preventing some squirrels from being captured and weighed.
The traps might malfunction, preventing some squirrels from being captured and weighed.
Why might undercoverage be a problem in this study?
(1 point)
Responses
Squirrels near the picnic area are likely to be heavier due to access to food scraps, which can skew the results of the study.
Squirrels near the picnic area are likely to be heavier due to access to food scraps, which can skew the results of the study.
The scale used to weigh the squirrels might not be accurate.
The scale used to weigh the squirrels might not be accurate.
Squirrels living in other areas of the park, away from the picnic area, might have different weights and not be represented in the sample.
Squirrels living in other areas of the park, away from the picnic area, might have different weights and not be represented in the sample.
The traps might malfunction, preventing some squirrels from being captured and weighed.
The traps might malfunction, preventing some squirrels from being captured and weighed.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct response is:
**Squirrels living in other areas of the park, away from the picnic area, might have different weights and not be represented in the sample.**
This highlights the issue of undercoverage because the study focuses only on squirrels in the picnic area, which may not accurately represent the average weight of all adult squirrels in the entire park. By excluding squirrels from other areas, the researchers may miss significant variations in weight that occur due to differences in diet and habitat.
**Squirrels living in other areas of the park, away from the picnic area, might have different weights and not be represented in the sample.**
This highlights the issue of undercoverage because the study focuses only on squirrels in the picnic area, which may not accurately represent the average weight of all adult squirrels in the entire park. By excluding squirrels from other areas, the researchers may miss significant variations in weight that occur due to differences in diet and habitat.