Math215- Statistical Concepts Franklin University

Scavenger Hunt: Statistical Report

The Gallup Organization (www.gallup.com) or Pew Research Center (www.pewresearch.org) provides data on all
aspects of lifestyles of people around the world. There are many other organizations who try to determine what
the public is thinking about a certain topic by conducting scientific polls. Find a report at an opinion poll source
(Gallup, Pew, or any other) that lists as much information as possible. The report should site the title and
source of the study. You need to attach the report of the poll you found to this assignment.

1. (1 pt) What is the title and source of the report you found?

Obesity, Smoking Damage U.S. Economy

http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/195242/obesity-smoking-damage-economy.aspx?
g_source=CATEGORY_WELLBEING&g_medium=topic&g_campaign=tiles

2. (4 pts) Look for the answers of the questions below that are addressed in the report you found. The report you
find must provide answers to at least five of these seven questions.

a. Who carried out the survey?

Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index

b. What was the population of interest?

American Adults 18 and older. 341,650 in 2008 and 174,387 in 2015

c. How was the sample selected? What was the sampling method used?

Simple Random Sampling of 30,000 adults per year. 60% cellphone and 40% landline.

d. What was the sample size?

2008 – 341650
2015 – 171387

e. How were the subjects contacted? By phone, by mail, by web poll, etc…
Telephone – Cellphone and Landline

f. When was the survey conducted?

2008 – Jan.2 – Dec. 30
2015 – Jan. 2 – Dec. 29

g. What were the exact questions asked?

If they smoked, exercised, had diabetes, and daily stress levels.

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Math215- Statistical Concepts Franklin University

3. (1 pt) Describe the parameter of interest in your report. This may or may not be given numerically in the report,
but you should be able to describe it. (Remember parameter describes the population)

30,000 respondents were surveyed each years between the ages 19-35 by telephone

4. (1 pt) Give a statistic from the report.

In 2015 60% cellphone and 40% landline respondents

5. (1 pt) Describe the variable(s) studied in the survey.

Obesity, Diabetes, Exercise, Smoking, and Significant Daily Stress

6. (1 pt) Do you think the survey you studied has any potential bias? If yes, explain what kind of bias is involved. If
no, explain how you’ve come to that conclusion.

To an extent yes this survey was biased. They only surveyed adults between the ages of 19 and 35 for the entire survey.
Sampling bias I believe is the kind of bias involved with this survey. The majority of respondents were from cellphone
users and the younger population uses cellphones more than the older population.

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