Chapter 5 - Producing data

This unit covers survey design, observational studies, and experimental design. The standards involved are found under section II:
II. Sampling and Experimentation: Planning and conducting a study (10%–15%)
Data must be collected according to a well-developed plan if valid information on a conjecture is to be obtained. This plan includes clarifying the question and deciding upon a method of data collection and analysis.
A. Overview of methods of data collection
1. Census
2. Sample survey
3. Experiment
4. Observational study
B. Planning and conducting surveys
1. Characteristics of a well-designed and well-conducted survey
2. Populations, samples, and random selection
3. Sources of bias in sampling and surveys
4. Sampling methods, including simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, and cluster sampling
C. Planning and conducting experiments
1. Characteristics of a well-designed and well-conducted experiment
2. Treatments, control groups, experimental units, random assignments, and replication
3. Sources of bias and confounding, including placebo effect and blinding
4. Completely randomized design
5. Randomized block design, including matched pairs design
D. Generalizability of results and types of conclusions that can be drawn from observational studies, experiments, and surveys

We have looked at the mechanics used in selecting random samples using the table of random digits and simpler methods.

HW due Monday: Work as many problems from pages 371-373 as you need to be proficient with blocking and matched pairs design.

HW due Wednesday: an annotated vocabulary list from this chapter. Include explanations of why each term is good for design or a problem for design.

HW due Friday: Bring a printed copy of your electronic research proposal. We will be modifying it. You should go to the Cobb County School District website to see what the requirements are for research in our schools. Also go to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) site for the college you are most interested in and review their requirements. Be sure to answer all the questions these forms aske except for the statistical analysis questions.