Epäedustavan

Epäedustavan is a Finnish adjective form meaning not representative or unrepresentative. In a statistical, methodological, or analytical context, it describes something that does not accurately reflect the characteristics of the larger population, data set, or group being studied. The term is typically used to discuss sampling bias, nonrepresentativeness of a sample, or limitations that arise when the available data do not mirror the target population.

In Finnish grammar, epäedustava is declined like other adjectives. The form epäedustavan is the genitive singular of epäedustava, used to modify a noun in a possessive or descriptive construction, for example epäedustavan otoksen (of the unrepresentative sample) or epäedustavan väestön (of the unrepresentative population). The concept is most often encountered in research methods, statistics, media analysis, and critical discussions about generalizability and bias.

Common contexts include evaluation of survey results, polling data, or experimental findings where the sample’s composition—such as age, gender, geography, or response rate—fails to match the broader population. In such cases, researchers may note the potential impact of an epäedustavan otoksen or other nonrepresentative elements on conclusions, uncertainty, and the scope of inference.

See also: edustavuus, edustava, otos, tilastotiede, tutkimusmenetelmät.