What Does It Mean to Be "Representative"?

Medical and population health science researchers frequently make ambiguous statements about whether they believe their study sample or results are "representative" of some (implicit or explicit) target population. Here, we provide a comprehensive definition of representativeness, with the goal of capturing the different ways in which a study can be representative of a target population. We propose that a study is representative if the estimate obtained in the study sample is generalizable to the target population (either due to representative sampling, estimation of stratum specific effects, or quantitative methods to generalize or transport estimates) or the interpretation of the results is generalizable to the target population (based on fundamental scientific premises and substantive background knowledge). We explore this definition in the context of four COVID-19 studies, ranging from laboratory science to descriptive epidemiology. All statements regarding representativeness should make clear the way in which the study results generalize, the target population the results are being generalized to, and the assumptions that must hold for that generalization to be scientifically or statistically justifiable.