Question

Scenario A: A professor is interested in whether taking online quizzes over a chapter before discussing the chapter in class will improve students’ test performance. The professor is interested in examining the testing effect, the finding that taking a memory test not only assesses what one knows, but also enhances later retention. The professor hypothesizes that students who take chapter quizzes will score higher on the midterm exam than students who do not take chapter quizzes.

1. Design and describe an experiment that could test this hypothesis.

2. Identify the IV and DV.

3. Provide an operational definition of each variable.

Answer 1

There should be an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group will take chapter quizzes before discussing the chapter in class. The control group will not take any quiz at all. The members in each group should be matched on as much variables as possible including age, intelligence level, previous academic performance, etc. After a considerable period, the same academic test should be given to both the groups. The performance can be compared. If the experimental group performs better, the professor's hypothesis can be accepted.

The independent variable is the quiz and the dependent variable is the academic performance of the students.

Operational definition:

Independent variable: The quiz is a pre discussion memory test given to the students in the experimental group.

Dependent variable: The academic performance is the marks scored by the students in the mid term examination.