Generalisability
The extent to which research findings from a sample can be applied to the broader population or to other similar contexts, enabling conclusions that go beyond the immediate study.
Real World
Paul Willis's 1977 study 'Learning to Labour' followed just 12 working-class boys in one Midlands school, yet its findings about counter-school culture have been widely applied to understanding working-class underachievement nationally — though critics question whether 12 boys justify such broad conclusions.
Exam Focus
Always specify the direction: small or unrepresentative samples limit generalisation — use the word 'population' to show you understand what findings are being generalised to.
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