Question: As part of a mediation process overseen by a federal judge to end a lawsuit that accuses Cincinnati, Ohio, of decades of discrimination against African Americans, surveys were done on how to improve Cincinnati police community relations. One survey was sent to the 1,020 members of the Cincinnati police force. The survey included a cover in which the chief of police and president of the Fraternal Order of Police encouraged participation. Respondents could either return a hard copy of the survey or complete the survey online. To the researchers dismay, only 158 surveys were completed ( Few Cops Fill Out Survey, The Cincinnati Enquirer, August 22, 2001, p. B3).
a. What type of errors or biases should the researchers be especially concerned with?
b. What step(s) should the researchers take to try to overcome the problems noted in (a)?
c. What could have been done differently to improve the survey s worthiness?