What is the minimum number of participants required for DEOCS results to be released?

• A. 10 participants
• B. 16 participants
• C. 20 participants
• D. 30 participants

Answer: (B)

This question tests the rule about when DEOCS results can be released based on how many people participated. The key idea is balancing respondent privacy with the reliability of the data. Releasing results from a very small group risks identifying individuals and produces unstable, untrustworthy statistics. Setting a minimum participation threshold ensures that the data are both protective of privacy and reasonably stable for interpretation. For DEOCS, the minimum to release results is sixteen participants. If fewer than that respond, the results aren’t released and may be aggregated with larger groups or delayed until enough responses are collected. The other options are either below the threshold (not eligible for release) or exceed it (they would still meet the minimum but aren’t the smallest allowed).