A [hypothetical] study measured several variables for a random sample of childre

Question

A [hypothetical] study measured several variables for a random sample of children entering first

grade. One of the variables was the amount of time parents or care-givers spent reading to the child during the first four years of life. Another variable was the child’s score on a placement test consisting of solving word and arithmetic puzzles. A positive relationship was found between these two variables.

a. Was the study more likely to have been an observational study or a randomized experiment? Explain how you know.

b. What is the explanatory variable and what is the response variable in the reported relationship? c. The investigator was quoted as saying “Parents, if you want your children to score higher on our placement test, you need to read to them more when they are very young.” Do you agree with the investigator’s conclusion? Explain why or why not.

d. Identify a possible confounding variable in this situation, and explain how it fits the definition of a confounding variable (as covered in Lecture #1).

Explanation / Answer

a) The study more likely to have been an observational study because, an observational study draws inferences from a sample to a population where the independent variable is not under the controlof the researcher because of ethical concerns or logistical constraints. Here the independent variable is the amount of time parents or care giver spent reading to the child during the first four years of life of child which is not in control of investigator.

b) Explanatory Variable: the amount of time parents or care-givers spent reading to the child during the first four years of life.

Response Variable: the child’s score on a placement test consisting of solving word and arithmetic puzzles.

c) Yes , I do agree with the investigator conclusion because the result is showing positive association. Positive association means the more time spend on reading child during first four years will result good child's score.

d) Firstly Confounding variable is   an outside influence that changes the effect of a dependent and independent variable. So in this case the confounding variable may be IQ of the child or may be the interest of the child. In this age few children only want to play irrespective of how much amount of time parents or care giver spend on the children. One more thing here child' score of solving puzzles so in this case IQ of child will be as confounding variable.

Please Note: Answer is on my personal perspective. There can be confounding variables other than IQ and interest of child.

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