Quiz on Experimental Design and Observational Analysis

What did RA Fisher compare calling a statistician after an experiment to?

• Designing a new experiment

• Performing a pre-experiment analysis

• Conducting a post-mortem examination

• Analyzing data in real-time

What is a key benefit of good experimental design?

• It allows for simple analyses

• It eliminates the need for randomization

• It requires complex analyses

• It increases the cost of experiments

Why are observational studies often more feasible than experimental designs?

• They are more expensive

• They can be conducted without control over variables

• They allow for randomization

• They require less ethical consideration

What is a common challenge in analyzing observational data?

• High cost per subject

• Need for complex modeling

• Lack of data

• Excessive control over variables

What was the error in the Chicago Tribune's announcement about the presidential election?

• Inadequate sample size

• Lack of randomization

• Biased sampling

• Incorrect data collection

What is the purpose of randomization in A/B testing?

• To compare different experiments

• To increase the sample size

• To ensure different groups receive different treatments

• To ensure groups are similar except for the treatment

What is confounding in observational data analysis?

• A type of experimental design

• A method to increase sample size

• A variable that contaminates results

• A technique for randomization

What is the concept of counterfactuals in causal inference?

• Comparing two different experiments

• Analyzing data without assumptions

• Considering two states of existence for the same unit

• Randomizing treatments across groups

What is the purpose of blocking in experimental design?

• To eliminate the need for randomization

• To reduce the sample size

• To control for known factors within groups

• To increase the complexity of the analysis

Why is blocking used in agricultural experiments?

• To increase the number of crops

• To randomize treatments across different fields

• To reduce the cost of experiments

• To control for environmental gradients