If a fieldwork sample includes data only from one neighborhood, what issue does this create?

• A. Extremely high data quality
• B. Over-generalization to the entire region
• C. Lack of representativeness due to limited geographic coverage
• D. Increased reliability of conclusions

Answer: (C)

In fieldwork, how broadly you collect data matters for whether the results can apply elsewhere. If the sample comes from only one neighborhood, it’s reflecting that specific place and may miss how things vary in other areas. That means the findings aren’t representative of the wider region, so you can’t confidently generalize them beyond where you collected data. This lack of representativeness stems from limited geographic coverage, which weakens the external validity of the conclusions. The issues aren’t about having exceptionally high data quality or increased reliability; they arise from sampling only a small, unrepresentative part of the area.