What Makes a Sample Generalizable?

Very simply, generalizability is a measure of how useful the results of a study are for a broader group of people or situations. If the results of a study are broadly applicable to many different types of people or situations, the study is said to have good generalizability.

What makes something generalizable?

Generalizability is applied by researchers in an academic setting. It can be defined as the extension of research findings and conclusions from a study conducted on a sample population to the population at large. ... The larger the sample population, the more one can generalize the results.

How can a sample produce generalizable results?

Generalizability Overview

Because sound generalizability requires data on large populations, quantitative research -- experimental for instance -- provides the best foundation for producing broad generalizability. The larger the sample population, the more one can generalize the results.