Essay Question
A researcher has investigated the relationship between IQ and grade point average (GPA) and found the correlation to be .75.
For this essay, critique the results and interpretation of a correlational study.
• Evaluate the correlational result and identify the strength of the correlation.
• Examine the assumptions and limitations of the possible connection between the researcher's chosen variables.
• Identify and describe other statistical tests that could be used to study this relationship.
Your essay response must address the following questions:
• How strong is this correlation?
o Is this a positive or negative correlation?
o What does this correlation mean?
• Does this correlation imply that individuals with high Intelligence Quotients (IQ) have high Grade Point Averages (GPA)?
• Does this correlation provide evidence that high IQ causes GPA to go higher?
o What other variables might be influencing this relationship?
• What is the connection between correlation and causation?
• What are some of the factors that affect the size of this correlation?
• Is correlation a good test for predicting GPA?
If not, what statistical tests should a researcher use, and why?