Question

Part I. Understanding What Makes an Experiment 1) Please identify the 3 vital components of an experiment. After identifying each component, write at least one sentence elaborating on/explaining each component (10 points) Answer – The most conventional type of experiment involves three major pairs of components: independent and dependent variables, pretesting and post testing, and experimental and control groups. An experiment examines the effects of independent variable on a dependent variable. 1- Manipulate at least one independent variable. This means the researcher create a variation by many deleting one variable and seeing its effect on the other. 2- Assigned participants to condition no way enables equivalents to all testing – Random assignment. Participants in the control and experimental groups must be equivalent at the start of the study, on average. 3- Control for all others systematic compound Once you have figured out the variables, use one of the following techniques to reduce the effect of those confounding variables: • Bias can be eliminated with random samples. • Introduce control variables to control for confounding variables. ... • Within subjects designs test the same subjects each time. 2) Based on the information you generated in question 1, write a paragraph in which you design a true experiment investigating the extent to which neighborhood factors lead to voting behaviors. You can feel free to further specify the independent and dependent variables as you elaborate on your experimental design. Be sure to explain how your true experiment incorporated the vital components you describe above. (15 points)

Answer 1

An experiment is a scientific investigation that aims to isolate cause and effect and attempts to eliminate alternative explanations of the relationship that was discovered between the variables. A true experiment aims to sideline the alternative explanations and find the true nature of the relationship that exists between the variables. An experiment consists of an independent variable and a dependent variable. Independent Variable (IV) is a variable that the experimenter changes or manipulates. The dependent variable (DV) is the variable that the experimenter measures. The experimenter tries to manipulate the independent variable, while keeping all other variables constant, and measures the changes that are caused in the dependent variable. Along IV & DV there are other variables like Confounding variables and extraneous variables. Confounding variables and extraneous variables act to hide the real effect of the IV which affects our results.

Designing a New Experiment

Research Topic: Effects on Billboard Advertisement on Voter turnout for the election of Governor

Independent Variables: Billboard Advertisement

Dependent Variables: Voter Turnout (than the previous election)

Confounding Variables: Other sources of Mobilization (media, social networks), Voters mood, weather and other conditions

Methodology: We selected 10 districts of California to study the effect of Billboard Advertisements on the final voter turnout. We decided to campaign using billboards in 5 districts and compare them with the other group (consisting of the other 5 districts) were no billboards were used. Districts were allocated to the two groups randomly. Ten billboards were installed along the highway and in different parts of the district. While in another five districts, there were no billboards.

Results: We collected the data from the local administration and analyzed it using statistical tools (we used linear regression). The results showed that there was no significant effect of billboards on the voter turnout in the 10 districts (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Thus, from the above data, we can conclude that a billboard advertisement doesn't affect the overall voter turnout in the district.