If we collect information on students' study practices and exam scores and find strong evidence of a positive association between not studying more than two hours and high grades, when can we generalize this finding to the general population?
The students participated in the study after seeing signs about the survey posted around campus. The signs were posted in every campus building, and so all students would see these signs and have the opportunity to participate. Therefore, all students are represented.
There is at least one student from each year and ethnicity that is represented in the general student body.
A student list for the college was obtained and students were randomly selected from the list to participate.
The student participants come from the student population. Additionally, the students in the study cannot have any misdemeanors, otherwise their answers could not be trusted.