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QuestionArt
Researchers investigated the possible beneficial effect on heart health of drinking black tea and whether adding milk to the tea reduces any possible benefit. Twenty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Every day for a month, participants in group 1 drank two cups of hot black tea without milk, participants in group 2 drank two cups of hot black tea with milk, and participants in group 3 drank two cups of hot water but no tea. At the end of the month, the researchers measured the change in each of the participants’ heart health.
a. Did the researchers conduct an experiment or an observational study? Explain.
b. Why did the researchers include a group who drank hot water but no tea?
c. Is it reasonable to generalize the results of the study beyond the 24 participants? Explain why or why not.
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Answer
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Step 1I'll solve this problem step by step, following the specified formatting guidelines:
Step 2: Analyzing the Study Design
The researchers conducted an experiment, not an observational study. This is because they: - Randomly assigned participants to different groups - Deliberately manipulated the independent variable (tea consumption with/without milk) - Controlled for a baseline group (hot water) - Measured a specific outcome (changes in heart health) Key characteristics of an experiment: - Random assignment - Controlled intervention - Deliberate manipulation of variables
Final Answer
a. Experiment b. To provide a baseline comparison and control for hot liquid consumption c. Not fully reasonable due to small sample size and potential limitations in participant representation
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