Cardy argues that studies conducted with students are appropriate for research in management communication when the purpose of the study does not concern generalizing to population parameters. That is, external validity is often irrelevant. This article expresses agreement but responds that the problem of making inferences from any subject sample in management communication is one that demands internal, not external, validity. Student samples in studies of management communication are especially vulnerable to charges that important situational and perceptual variables have not been taken into account in gathering the data.
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