How to Experiment Well Answers

Aeronautical researchers have developed three different processes to pack a parachute. They want to compare the different processes in terms of time to deploy and reliability. There are 5,100 objects that they can drop with a parachute from a plane. Using a table of random digits, the researchers will randomly place the items, labeled 0001–5100, into three equally sized treatment groups suitable for comparison. Carry out the random assignment using the given selection from a table of random digits, starting with the first row and first column.

A researcher wants to know if eating a mint affects whether people can distinguish between two popular orange juice brands. To conduct an experiment, the researcher places participants in two groups. The treatment group will eat a mint before drinking a juice, while the control group will not eat a mint before drinking. Then the participants will guess the juice brand.

An education researcher is interested in comparing the learning outcomes of students who are taught a lesson using five different teaching techniques. There are 75 students in the school who can participate in the experiment. Using a table of random digits, the researcher will randomly place the students into five equally sized treatment groups suitable for comparison.

A researcher is interested in whether using mental imagery can help people remember specific details when given information. To conduct the experiment, the researcher asks 100 volunteers to participate. The first 50 people to arrive are put in the treatment group, while the rest are put in the control group. The volunteers’ names are written on slips of paper and placed in a hat. The researcher randomly selects a name to determine whose turn it is to participate.

A teacher wants to know if burning a scented candle affects students’ performance on pop quizzes. In the experiment, there will be a treatment group and a control group each taking their quizzes in a room that either does or does not have a scented candle burning.

An education researcher is interested in comparing the learning outcomes of students who are taught a lesson using five different teaching techniques. There are 75 students in the school who can participate in the experiment. Using a table of random digits, the researcher will randomly place the students into five equally sized treatment groups suitable for comparison.

Aeronautical researchers have developed three different processes to pack a parachute. They want to compare the different processes in terms of time to deploy and reliability. There are 1,200 objects that they can drop with a parachute from a plane. Using a table of random digits, the researchers will randomly place the 1,200 items into three equally sized treatment groups suitable for comparison.

A researcher is comparing three new formulas for grass killer. To conduct the experiment, the researcher purchases 30 pieces of sod from a local vendor and selects the treatment groups by placing slips of paper numbered 1–30 in a hat. To make three groups for the three formulas, the researcher randomly selects 10 numbers, making sure to mix the slips between each selection, to get the formula 1 group. Then the researcher selects 10 more numbers to get the formula 2 group. The remaining 10 numbers make up the formula 3 group.

A researcher is comparing the effectiveness of three devices designed to help people who snore. There are 120 people who snore participating in the experiment. Using a table of random digits, the researcher will randomly place the participants into three equally sized treatment groups suitable for comparison.

An education researcher is interested in comparing the learning outcomes of students who are taught a lesson using five different teaching techniques. Using a table of random digits, the researcher needs to randomly place 75 students, labeled 01–75, into five equally sized treatment groups suitable for comparison. Carry out the random assignment using the given section from a table of random digits, starting with the first row and first column.