Which option represents a valid way to strengthen an argument that generalizes from a small sample?

• A. Ignore alternative explanations
• B. Increase sample diversity and control variables
• C. Rely on a single anecdote
• D. Use more emotional appeals

Answer: (B)

Strengthening a generalization from a small sample comes from improving the study design to reduce bias and isolate the effect of interest. Increasing sample diversity makes the sample more representative of the broader population, capturing different subgroups and reducing sampling bias. This boosts external validity, meaning the results are more likely to apply beyond the exact individuals studied. Controlling variables keeps other factors from influencing the outcome, so any observed effect can be attributed more confidently to the variable you’re examining rather than to extraneous influences. Together, these steps make the generalization more reliable and less dependent on a particular, unusual group.

Other approaches don’t add reliability to generalization: ignoring alternative explanations lets confounds slip in; relying on a single anecdote is not representative of a larger population; and relying on more emotional appeals affects persuasion rather than strengthening evidence.