Identify and Explain a Source of Bias in the Study

question 24

Multiple Choice

Identify and explain a source of bias in the study described. Then suggest how the bias might have been avoided.
-A popular news source published an article that included these statements: "Ethanol--the renewable, clean Source of fuel that will break our country's ties to foreign oil for good! Several studies, reported in a reputable Journal of science and technology, showed that, when burned, Ethanol released fewer toxic chemicals than Petroleum-based fuels. The Farmers Association financed much of the research."

• A)Because Ethanol is made from corn and much of the funding was provided by the Farmers Association, the researchers may have been more inclined to provide favorable results. The bias could have been
• Avoided if the researchers had not been paid by this group.
• B)Because much of the funding was provided by a private agency and not a governmental one, the researchers may have been more inclined to show the petroleum industry in an unfavorable light. The bias
• Could have been avoided if the research had not been paid for privately.

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Definitions:

Pure Monopolist

A market structure in which a single firm has complete control over the entire market for a product or service, with no close substitutes.

Marginal Cost

The overhead added by producing an extra unit of a product or service.

Profit-Maximizing

A strategy or approach taken by businesses to adjust their price and output levels to achieve the highest possible profit.

Seller

An individual or entity that offers goods or services to others in exchange for compensation.