Comparing Breathing Frequencies in Swimming. Researchers from the United Kingdom

Question

Comparing Breathing Frequencies in Swimming. Researchers from the United Kingdom studied the effect of two breathing frequencies on both performance times and several physiological parameters in front crawl swimming.16 The breathing frequencies were one breath every second stroke (B2) and one breath every fourth stroke (B4). Subjects were 10 male collegiate swimmers. Each subject swam 200 meters, once with breathing frequency B2 and once on a different day with breathing frequency B4.
(a)Describe the design of this matched pairs experiment, including the randomization required by this design.

(b)Could this experiment be conducted using a completely randomized design? How would the design differ from the matched pairs experiment?

(c)Suppose we allow each swimmer to choose their own breathing frequency and then swim 200 meters using their selected frequency. Are there any problems with then comparing the performance of the two breathing frequencies?

Explanation / Answer

a) Each swimmer swims one time using each breathing technique (B2 and B4). A coin is tossed to determine the order in which these techniques are used.

b) In a completely randomized design, the 10 male collegiate swimmers would be assigned randomly to the two treatments, 5 swimmers using technique B2 and the other 5 using technique B4. If the assignment is random, and both the techniques are being assigned equally, it shall be a completely randomised design.

c)  If swimmers select their own technique, it would be an observational study.

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