I’m working on a statistics discussion question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.
Find a news article on the Internet that discusses correlational research. For instance, look at the following example that I found after a basic Google News search:
Vigorous Exercise Linked With Better Grades
Note that the title uses the word “linked” and not “caused” because correlational research can only investigate patterns and tendencies, not causal relationships. In my article, research is discussed in which students who exercised vigorously tended to get better grades. Importantly, it is not necessarily the case that exercise is causing higher grades for these students. Rather, it’s possible that a third variable, such as personality, is causing both. For instance, students who are more conscientious may be more likely to exercise vigorously, and conscientious students may also be more likely to study hard and thus get better grades.
For this discussion assignment, post a link to your article and provide a very brief summary of the correlational findings. Be sure to indicate what two variables are correlated, whether it is a positive or a negative correlation, and whether you think any third variable(s) may be linked to the other two. Finally, discuss any other thoughts you have about the study. For instance, do you feel the author does a good job of avoiding claims about causality, given the correlational nature of the research? Are you surprised by the findings of the research? Do you feel the research is reliable and valid, as discussed by the author? You don’t have to answer each of these questions.
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