Randomized Comparative Experiment

The Women's Health Study randomly assigned nearly 40,000 women over the age of 45 to receive either aspirin or a placebo for over 10 years to examine the effect of aspirin on cancer risk to healthy women. This long-term trial was best conducted as:

• a census.

• an observational study.

• a randomized comparative experiment.

• a single-blind randomized comparative experiment.

• a double-blind randomized comparative experiment.

What kind of experiment is shown in the picture?

• Randomized Block Design

• Completely Randomized Design

• Matched Pairs

• SRS

What kind of experiment is shown?

• Matched Pairs

• Block Design

• Completely Randomized Design

• SRS

An experiment will be conducted to determine whether children learn their multiplication facts better by practicing with flash cards or by practicing on a computer. Children who volunteer for the experiment will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. Because the children’s gender may affect the outcome, there will be blocking by gender. After practice, the children will be given a test on their multiplication facts. Why will it be impossible to conduct a double-blind experiment?

• The experimenter will know whether the child is a boy or a girl and whether he or she used flash cards or the computer.

• The child will know whether he or she is a boy or a girl.

• The child will know whether he or she used flash cards or the computer.

• The person who grades the tests will know whether the child was a boy or a girl.

• The person who grades the tests will know whether the child used flash cards or the computer.

The study described in the report is a randomized comparative experiment. Match the treatment, the treatment group, and the control group. A psychologist wants to determine if working below fluorescent lights could cause lethargy. At a particular company new lights are installed, where half are fluorescent and half are incandescent. A month later, workers take a survey about their energy level while at work.

• group working under incandescent light

• Control Group

• working below fluorescent light

• Treatment

• group working below fluorescent lights

• Treatment Group

A researcher randomly selected 30 people to participate in a study to investigate which of two materials, A or B, used in the heels of sneakers will last longer. The researcher is considering two design types for the study. Which of the following best describes each design?

• Design 1 is a completely randomized design, and design 2 is a matched pairs design.

• Design 1 is a matched pairs design, and design 2 is a completely randomized design.

• Design 1 is a matched pairs design, and design 2 is a matched pairs design.

• Design 1 is a completely randomized design, and design 2 is a completely randomized design.

• Design 1 is a completely randomized design, and design 2 is a randomized block with materials as blocks.

To investigate the effectiveness of an herbal medication for pain relief, a researcher randomly selected 80 patients who were undergoing physical therapy while recovering from an injury. Of the patients, 40 had knee injuries, 16 had arm injuries, and 24 had foot injuries. The researcher will use two treatments for the investigation: the herbal medication and a standard medication. After the patients are on the medication for two weeks, the amount of pain reduction will be measured for each patient. Which of the following best describes why a randomized block design is appropriate for the investigation?

• The 80 patients were selected at random from all patients undergoing physical therapy while recovering from an injury.

• The sample size was greater than 30.

• Each patient will be randomly assigned to either the herbal medication or the standard medication.

• Blocking on injury type will help to separate natural variability from differences due to injury type.

• Each patient assigned to the herbal medication will be paired with a patient assigned to the standard medication.

A research study in which available subjects are randomly assigned to two or more different treatments in order to compare how responses to the treatments differ.

• observational study

• experiment

• sample survey

• placebo