SC 200 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Null Hypothesis, Publication Bias, Alternative Hypothesis
Document Summary
Conclusions are stronger from experiments than from observational (correlational) studies. Experimental studies allow the researcher to control the variables in the study, while correlational ones involve just looking at the data that already exists. Experimental studies allow the researcher to draw conclusions about one variable causing changes in another. If people know what"s going on, they will give the sickest kids the drugs or mess with the experiment. If both are blind, the results come out cleaner and can"t be tampered with. Generalization is an essential component of the wider scientific process. In an ideal world, to test a hypothesis, you would sample an entire population. You would use every possible variation of an independent variable. In the vast majority of cases, this is not feasible, so a representative group is chosen to reflect the whole population. You must ensure that the sample group is as truly representative of the whole population as possible.
