Consider this example: A fitness instructor wants to test the effectiveness of a

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Consider this example: A fitness instructor wants to test the effectiveness of a performance-enhanding herbal supplement on students in her exercise class. To create experimental groups that are similar at the beginning of the study, the students are assigned into two groups at random (they cannot choose which group they are in). Students in both groups are given a pill to take every day, but they do not know whether the pill is a placebo (sugar pill) or the herbal supplement. The instructor gives Group A the herbal supplement and Group B receives the placebo (sugar pill). The students' fitness level is compared before and after sik weeks of consuming the supplement or the sugar pill. No differences in performance ability were found between the two groups suggesting that the herbal supplement was not effective. 10) Is this an example of an observational study or an experimental study? Why? 11) Was the fitness instructor attempting to establish "cause and effect"? Explain View as 4 14

Explanation / Answer

Answers

Part (10)

This is an experimental study because each group is subjected to a different treatment and the responses of the groups are observed separately to draw conclusions. ANSWER

Part (11)

In a restricted sense, the instructor is attempting to establish a cause-effect relationship between herbal supplement and performance. Restricted sense is used because the study can only indicate if there is an effect of the supplement and cannot quantify the effect, if any.

ANSWER

Part (12)

It is important to check pre and post treatment performance because, then only one can for sure conclude the difference in performance is due to the treatment. ANSWER

Part (13)

Any other addition to the treatment can lead to error in conclusions drawn from the study. This is so because, if data establish there is significant effect on the performance of the study group, it may not be due exclusively to the herbal supplement treatment, but might as well be due to confounding effect of the other additions.ANSWER

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