A researcher would like to evaluate the claim that large doses of vitamin C can

Question

A researcher would like to evaluate the claim that large doses of vitamin C can help prevent the common cold. One group of participants is given a large dose of the vitamin (500 mg per day), and a second group is given a placebo (sugar pill). The researcher records the number of colds each individual experiences during the 3-month winter season. a. Identify the dependent variable for this study. b. Is the dependent variable discrete or continuous? c. What scale of measurement (nominal, ordinal, or interval/ratio) is used to measure the dependent variable? d. What is the independent variable? e. What research method is being used (experimental or correlational?

Explanation / Answer

Solution :

        We are given that : A researcher would like to evaluate the claim that large doses of vitamin C can help prevent the common cold. One group of participants is given a large dose of the vitamin and second group is given a placebo. The researcher records the number of colds each individual experiences during the 3 month winter season.

Part a) Identify the dependent variable for this study.

Since researcher records the number of colds each individual experiences during the 3 month winter season, so

number of colds each individual experiences is depends on the Treatments ( Vitamin , Placebo ). Thus dependent variable is : "the number of colds each individual experiences" .

Part b) Is the dependent variable Discrete or Continuous ?

Since dependent variable is counts number of colds each individual experiences during the 3 month winter season,

So dependent variable can have values like 0 , 1 , 2, 3 , 4, ... etc.

Thus it takes isolated and individual values. Thus dependent variable is Discrete.

Part c) What scale of measurement ( Nominal , Ordinal or interval / ratio ) is used to measure the dependent variable?

It is ratio. Since dependent variable has true zero point ( means : cold = 0 , means cold dose not exists)

Part d) What is the independent variable ?

Treatments ( Large dose of Vitamin C and Placebo ( Sugar pill ) ) is the independent variable.

Because we apply these two treatments on participants and check how many colds they experienced.

This Treatments is the independent variable.

Part e) what research method is being used ( experimental or correlational )?

Researcher is applying the treatments ( Vitamin C and Placebo) on participants and check how many colds they experienced during the 3 month of season, so this is experimental study.

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