Question

Design a research study that can be analyzed with either a One-Way ANOVA or a Simple Linear Regression. Identify your (1) Research Question, (2) State your Hypotheses (3) Independent Variable, (4) Dependent Variable, (5) Scale of Measurement, (6) State why this is an appropriate statistical test for your research design.

An example response is provided below. You may use this as a guide. However, please use your own words and change your responses to reflect your own interests in Public Health.

Example Answer:

(1) I am interested in learning if the amount of time spent looking at screens (e.g. computers, phones, gaming systems) influences the frequency of migraines.

(2) I hypothesize that as screen time increases, the number of migraines will also increase.

My Alternative Hypothesis: β NOT = 0

My Null Hypothesis: β = 0

(3) My independent variable is time spent looking at a screen.

(4) My dependent variable is number of migraines.

(5) Both my independent and dependent variables are ratio measurements. They have a natural zero, but fall on a continuous scale.

(6) A simple linear regression is an appropriate test because both of my variables are continuous measurements (not categorical). A simple linear regression is also appropriate, because it allows for one continuous independent variable and one continuous dependent variable. If I was interested in two independent variables (e.g. screen time and amount of sleep), a multiple regression would be more approriate.

Answer 1

1. Research Question:

I am keen to know whether sleeping hours have an effect on the anxiety level of people

2. Hypothesis

I hypothesize that fewer sleeping hours will have a significant effect on the anxiety level.

Null Hypothesis: There is no relationship between sleeping hours and anxiety level

Alternate Hypothesis: There is a significant relationship between sleeping hours and anxiety level

3. Independent Variable:

The independent variable is sleeping hours

4. Dependent Variable:

The dependent variable is the anxiety level.

5. Scale of Measurement

Ratio scale can be used to measure the sleeping hours and anxiety level on a continuous scale

6. Appropriate statistical test for the research design

The appropriate test would be a simple regression analysis. This test will give the relationship between both variables. It can determine the effect of independent variable on dependent variable.