Reflect on and respond to all of the following scenarios/questions:
1. In an experiment, one group of research participants is given 10 pages of material to proofread for errors. Another group proofreads the same material on a computer screen. The dependent variable is the number of errors detected in a 5 minute period. A .05 significance (alpha) level is used to evaluate the results.
a. What statistical test would you use for this study and why?
b. What is the null hypothesis? What is the research hypothesis?
c. What is the Type I error? The Type II error?
d. What is the probability of making a Type I error? Explain.
2. In Professors Dre's study, the average number of errors detected in the print and computer conditions was 38.4 and 13.2, respectively; this difference was not statistically significant. When Professor Seuss conducted the same experiment, the means of the two groups were 21.1 and 14.7, but the difference was statistically significant. Explain how this could happen.
3. Suppose that you work for the child social services agency in your county. Your job is to investigate instances of possible child neglect or abuse. After collecting your evidence, which may come from a variety of sources, you must decide whether to leave the child in the home or place the child in protective custody. Specify the null and research hypotheses in this situation. What constitutes a Type I and a Type II error? Is a Type I or Type II error the more serious error in this situation? Why?
4. A researcher investigated attitudes toward individuals in wheelchairs. The question was: Would people react differently to a person they perceived as being temporarily confined to the wheelchair than to a person who had a permanent disability? Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Individuals in one group each worked on various tasks with a confederate in a wheelchair; members of the other group worked with the same confederate in a wheelchair, but this time the confederate wore a leg cast. After the session was over, participants filled out a questionnaire regarding their reactions to the study. One question asked, "Would you be willing to work with your test partner in the future on a class assignment?" with "yes" and "no" as the only response alternatives. What would be the appropriate significance test for this experiment? Additionally, offer a critique of the dependent variable. Moreover, if you changed the dependent variable, would it affect your choice of significance tests? If so, how?
5. Identify at least 1 current social issue of interest. Discuss how you would address the difference in attitudes people have toward that issue. Next, propose a research study with at least 1 independent variable and 1 dependent variable (or one predictor and one criterion or outcome variable) involving the social issue. Make a specific hypothesis, and explain the rationale for it. Finally, identify the statistical test that would be most appropriate to analyze the data (note: you will need to explain how you would operationalize your variables in order to determine which test would be appropriate).
Discussion Forum Guidelines :
Rules for Discussion Postings: Postings must be made on at least two separate days to allow all students time to read and respond to others (so, in other words, you can't do all 3 postings on the same day). Original postings must be made by 11:59 PM on Saturday. The following points are what is looked for in your original postings to the discussion forum and your replies to others' postings:
Original Response to Posted Discussion Topic (16 points):
1. Relation of specific information from textbook or assigned reading to personal experience, beliefs, ideas, or opinions. You need to incorporate and explicitly reference at least 2 specific points from the textbook and/or slides, AND identify the page number or slide number from which the point was taken.
2. Discussion at a critical level, not just recitation of facts. Discussion at a critical level means discussing things such as your opinion of the issue mentioned, why you hold that opinion, how you see the point as consistent/inconsistent with what you have learned so far, implications of the issue or point, and so forth. In other words, critiquing means analyzing the issue and justifying your analysis.
3. Posting is made in time for others to read and respond. This means the original posting should be made by Saturday night in order to give classmates time to read it and respond...
Replies to Others' Postings :
1. Replies are posted to at least 2 other discussion postings.
2. Each reply discusses at least one point you like/agree with, or one point you dislike/disagree with AND WHY. You need to explain!
3. Postings are made in time for others to read and respond.
4. Be respectful of other students' opinions, which may be different than yours.