Experimental Design quiz Flashcards
BackRelated flashcards
Related practice sets
More sets
Terms in this set (33)
What is a false positive in the context of experimental design?
A false positive is an outcome that falsely indicates the presence of a result, such as a pregnancy test indicating pregnancy when the person is not pregnant.
What is a false negative in experimental design?
A false negative is an outcome that falsely indicates the absence of a result, such as a pregnancy test indicating not pregnant when the person is actually pregnant.
Why are control groups important in a well-designed experiment?
Control groups are important because they help prevent false positives and false negatives by providing a baseline for comparison.
What is the purpose of a negative control in an experiment?
The purpose of a negative control is to prevent false positives by using a group where no response is expected, such as a placebo.
What is the purpose of a positive control in an experiment?
The purpose of a positive control is to prevent false negatives by using a group where a response is expected, such as a proven effective drug.
How does a negative control help in preventing false positives?
A negative control helps prevent false positives by providing a baseline where no response is expected, ensuring that any observed effect is due to the experimental treatment.
How does a positive control help in preventing false negatives?
A positive control helps prevent false negatives by providing a baseline where a response is expected, ensuring that the experimental setup can detect an effect if it exists.
What is the role of the independent variable in an experiment?
The independent variable is the factor that scientists have control over and manipulate to observe its effect on the dependent variable.
What is the role of the dependent variable in an experiment?
The dependent variable is what scientists measure in the experiment, such as drug effectiveness in healing a toe injury.
What would be an example of a negative control in a drug effectiveness experiment?
An example of a negative control would be using a sugar pill (placebo) that is not expected to have any effect on the condition being treated.
What would be an example of a positive control in a drug effectiveness experiment?
An example of a positive control would be using a brand name pill that has been proven to work successfully in the past.
What does it mean if a negative control shows a 100% drug effectiveness?
If a negative control shows 100% drug effectiveness, it indicates a false positive, meaning the placebo had an unexpected effect.
What does it mean if a positive control shows 0% drug effectiveness?
If a positive control shows 0% drug effectiveness, it indicates a false negative, meaning the proven drug did not show the expected effect.
Why is it important to include both positive and negative controls in an experiment?
Including both positive and negative controls is important to ensure the reliability of the experimental results by preventing false positives and false negatives.
- what treatment is being compared to the control in the experiment?The treatment being compared to the control in the experiment is the experimental pill, which is compared against a placebo (negative control) and a brand name pill (positive control).
- which of the following would be the most appropriate control for this experiment?The most appropriate control for this experiment would be a placebo as a negative control and a brand name pill as a positive control to prevent false positives and false negatives.
- which of the following pieces of evidence would best support the researchers’ claim above?Evidence showing that the experimental pill has a higher drug effectiveness than the brand name pill would best support the researchers' claim of its superior efficacy.
- which of the following choices correctly matches a tool and its proper application?A placebo is correctly matched as a tool for a negative control to prevent false positives in an experiment.
- based on the data in figure 1, which of the following best describes the concept illustrated?The concept illustrated is the relationship between the independent variable (type of pill) and the dependent variable (drug effectiveness), showing how different treatments affect outcomes.
- what hypothesis did the researchers test in this study?The researchers tested the hypothesis that the experimental pill is more effective in treating toe injuries than the placebo and the brand name pill.
- the figures can best assist in answering which of the following questions?The figures can best assist in answering questions about the effectiveness of different treatments on toe injuries, comparing the experimental pill to controls.
- based on the data in table 1, which of the following best evaluates the student’s hypothesis?The evaluation would depend on whether the data shows the experimental pill's effectiveness surpassing that of the brand name pill, supporting or refuting the hypothesis.
- where in a data table should units of measurement be shown?Units of measurement should be shown in the headers of the columns or rows where the data is presented, ensuring clarity and understanding.
- what change would most improve the usefulness of the graph?Adding error bars to the graph would improve its usefulness by indicating the variability and reliability of the data points.
- which of the following provides evidence to best support the researchers’ claim?Evidence showing a statistically significant increase in drug effectiveness of the experimental pill compared to the placebo and brand name pill supports the claim.
- which choice best summarizes the outcome of redi’s experiment?Redi's experiment demonstrated that maggots on decaying meat came from fly eggs, not spontaneous generation, supporting the hypothesis that life arises from existing life.
- which explanation is best supported by the numbers in the chart?The explanation that the experimental pill has a higher effectiveness than the placebo and comparable or superior to the brand name pill is best supported by the chart.
- which experiment would most likely contain experimental bias?An experiment lacking proper controls, such as not using a placebo or a positive control, would most likely contain experimental bias.
- why is it important to pour slowly and avoid air bubbles?Pouring slowly and avoiding air bubbles is important to ensure accurate measurement and prevent errors in experimental results.
- which of the following claims is best supported by the data in table 1?The claim that the experimental pill is more effective than the placebo and potentially more effective than the brand name pill is best supported by the data.
- which time point on the graph shows when the antibiotic was first added?The time point on the graph where there is a noticeable change in the dependent variable, such as a decrease in bacterial growth, indicates when the antibiotic was first added.
- why was the total amount of rac measured in experiment 2?The total amount of rac was measured to assess the overall effectiveness of the treatment and ensure consistency across experimental conditions.
- how were the designs of pasteur’s and redi’s experiments different?Pasteur's experiment used swan-neck flasks to prevent microbial contamination, while Redi used covered and uncovered jars to demonstrate that maggots come from flies, not spontaneous generation.