Consider the following hypothetical circumstance. Imagine that within the past three months The Body Builder magazine has added five additional pages of advertising to its weekly issue. These pages have been added on a test basis and were only included in magazines sent to retail outlets and subscribing homes in the capital city. The magazine now wants to assess perceptions of the advertising, specifically, whether readers believe there is currently too much, not enough, or just the right amount of advertising. The opinions of individuals who read the test issues will be compared to those who receive the normal issue. Two population definitions are required, one for the test and one for the non-test (control) conditions. Six researchers each present a different definition of the target population for the test condition.
Sample definition A: Purchasers of the magazine. Sample definition B: Subscribers to the magazine. Sample definition C: Readers of the magazine. Sample definition D: Any individuals who have read the magazine within the past 30 days.
Sample definition E: Any individuals between the ages of 21 and 45 who have read at least the last three issues of the magazine within the past four months. Sample definition F: Any individuals over the age of 17 who have read at least the last three issues of the magazine within the past four months. Explain why all six definitions of the population above for the test condition are inadequate and try to formulate one that would be better. Check your answers on this chapter's Web site.