Question

An experiment was conducted and the results involving the effect of a particular experimental variable was widely reported. Later a critic commented that, in fact, nothing could usefully be learned from the study because the observed effect was confounded. What did the critic mean by this?

A) The experimenter really wasn't clear about what was desired so the experiment was not well defined.

B) The results were so badly described that the critic could not figure out exactly what was being concluded.

C) The critic felt there was confusion as to whether or not the study was an observational study or was a real experiment.

D) Because of the way the experiment was conducted the effect observed in the experiment, ascribed to a particular variable, was mixed up with other influences.

E) Without knowing more about the experiment we can't know exactly what the critic meant by this.

Answer 1

Option D) is correct.

D) Because of the way the experiment was conducted the effect observed in the experiment, ascribed to a particular variable, was mixed up with other influences.