Question

Research question: Amongst all Penn State students, do traditional-age students and adult learners differ in terms of their grade point averages (GPA)?

Researchers are going to collect data from 1,000 Penn State students. They will call each student to ask whether they identify as a traditional-age student or as an adult learner. They will also ask each student for their GPA (scale of 0 to 4.0).

12. Using this scenario, describe an example of response bias. [8 points]

Response bias would occur in this study if…

13. Using this scenario, describe an example of non-response bias. [8 points]

Non-response bias would occur in this study if…  

14. If a difference is found in this study, can the researchers conclude that student type causes differences in GPAs? Explain why or why not. [8 points]

15. What is one possible confounding variable in this study? Explain why this is a possible confounding variable. [8 points]

Answer 1

12. Response bias would occur in this study if the student lies about their GPA.

13. In this scenario non response bias would occur if sample of 1000 students is not a proper representative of population . i.e. in this study the there were no any consideration taken before the selection of sample due to which proportion of adult learner in sample may be high and proportion of traditional age student may be less or vice-versa. Therefore there may be a chance of non response bias in study.

14) Yes ,if significant difference are found then we can conclude that students type causes differences in GPAs. Because the sample of 1000 students is taken from Pen State and we are concluding for the Pen State students only and it should be proper representative of the population .

15) In this study the possible confounding variable is class of students. Because the GPA grades may vary with class to class and if we mistakely choosen adult learners from the different class and traditional age students with different class then it may cause bias in the study.