SECTION 18: Representativeness & Generalisability

Can the findings from the small group you studied (the sample) be applied to the whole of society?

• Sampling: To be representative, your sample must reflect the diversity of the wider population (class, gender, ethnicity, age).

  • Large-scale surveys (like the Census) are highly representative.

  • Small-scale case studies (like Willis’s "Lads") are unrepresentative.

• Generalisability: If a study is representative, you can "generalise" the findings. If it isn't, you can only say the results apply to that specific group.