For the entire month of january 2014, the local domestic violence shelter ran a
ID: 3070911 • Letter: F
Question
For the entire month of january 2014, the local domestic violence shelter ran a series of ads on the government access cable television channel. The director of the shelter hypothesized that the ads would bring more attention to the problem of domestic violence and make victims of domestic violence more aware of the shelter’s programs. The director has monthly data on the number of new clients. At the end of April 2014, the director asks you to come up with a research design to help asses whether the ads had an effect on the number of clients served.
a. What type of research design would you use to test the hypothesis?
b. The director has monthly figures for the number of clients served in 2013. Are these data relevant for testing the above hypothesis? If so why?
Explanation / Answer
a) Experimental type of research design is used to test the hypothesis. Since two groups are selected, one before ads were ran and another after the ads were ran. The director has monthly data on the number of new clients, that means they are comparing how many people are added after seeing the ads.
b) The director has monthly figures for the number of clients served in 2013. These data are relevant for testing the above hypothesis because with the help of these data director can figure out how many new clients are added and how much is the increase in number of clients after the ads were ran. This will help the director to know how effective were these ads.