Create a new post where you present a statistical question and a study you could use to research it.
Create a statistical question. Remember that a good statistical question should have a specific, measurable answer that uses data to form a conclusion.
Describe a study that you might use to research your statistical question. Include the following information in your description:
the type of study (survey, observational study, or experiment) and why that is the best type
the population of the study
how to collect a sample
Choose another student’s study to review. Reply to their post by answering the following questions:
Will the statistical question provide specific measurable data? If not, explain why not and provide suggestions to improve the question.
Do you think the method of collecting the sample provide a representative, random sample of the population? Why or why not?
What possible errors might show up in this study?
Statistical Question:
What is the relationship between hours of sleep and academic performance among college students?
Description of Study:
To research the above statistical question, an observational study would be appropriate. This is because it would involve observing and collecting data on the relationship between sleep and academic performance, without manipulating any variables.
The population of the study would be college students from a specific university.
To collect a sample, a simple random sampling method could be employed. In this case, a list of all the college students attending the university would be obtained, and then a random selection of students would be chosen as the sample. This would ensure that all college students have an equal chance of being selected, making it more likely to have a representative sample.
Review of Another Student's Study:
Statistical Question:
What is the impact of exercise on mental health?
Description of Study:
The study proposed by the other student focuses on the potential impact of exercise on mental health. The type of study that could be used to research this question is an experiment. An experiment would involve manipulating the independent variable (exercise) and measuring its impact on the dependent variable (mental health).
The population of the study would ideally be individuals from various age groups and backgrounds, as it would be interesting to observe the effects of exercise on mental health across different demographics.
To collect a sample, stratified random sampling could be implemented. This method would involve dividing the population into different strata based on demographics (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity), and then randomly selecting participants from each stratum. This would help ensure a representative sample for analyzing the impact of exercise on mental health in different groups.
Review of the Statistical Question:
The statistical question, "What is the impact of exercise on mental health?" would provide specific and measurable data. By examining the mental health outcomes before and after exercise interventions, it would be possible to compare and measure any changes.
In terms of collecting the sample, the method proposed (stratified random sampling) seems reasonable, as it would allow for representation from different demographics. However, it would be important to ensure that the sizes of the strata are proportional to the population distribution to avoid bias.
Possible errors that might show up in this study include participant self-report bias, where participants may overstate or understate the impact of exercise on their mental health due to social desirability or memory recall bias. Additionally, there could be confounding variables that influence mental health, such as medication usage or concurrent therapy, which may impact the results and interpretation of the study. Ensuring a control group and accounting for these potential confounding factors would be important to minimize errors.