For the previous homework assignment, you read and evaluated a paper about a study that tested the relationship between internet use and classroom performance. The researchers were quite careful in their attempts to control for various possible alternative explanations to a relationship between these variables. Despite these attempts, however, the question still remains whether the relationship observed constitutes a causal relationship. In the end, the nature of the data from that study did not allow for strong conclusions about causality.
For this homework assignment, the task is to come up with a way to test the hypothesis that internet use impairs classroom performance experimentally. That is, you are expected to (1) choose a true experimental design that is suitable to test this hypothesis, (2) explain why your design is suitable to address this particular research question, (3) describe exactly how you would operationalize the independent and dependent variables (i.e., how you would manipulate the IV and measure the DV, respectively), and (4) explain how you would examine statistically whether you found support for the hypothesis or not.
In order to do well on this assignment, it is important that you carefully think through every decision that you make as you develop your experiment. Use what you have learned from class and from the book about potential threats to validity, about the remedies available to reduce them, and about the pros and cons with specific experimental designs. The specific questions that you need to address are presented on the following page.
Space limits
The document you hand in should be no longer than 2 pages (line spacing: single; Font size: 12). You are not expected to write an essay here, but clearly and succinctly answer the questions on the next page of this document. You do not have to include the questions in your document (just indicate the number of the question you are responding to).
Deadline
The deadline for this assignment is Monday 4/15. You must upload your assignment to SafeAssign by 11:59pm.
Questions
1 What experimental design will you use to test the hypothesis? (2 points)
2 Why did you decide to use this particular design? What specific threats to validity guided your choice of experimental design? (4 points)
3 How will you operationalize your independent variable? Here you first have to define the construct (so that we can evaluate whether your operationalization appropriately captures the construct). Then you also have to describe the general outline of the experiment so that we can evaluate your manipulation in the right context. For example, where will you conduct the experiment? Will you have a cover story for participants about the purpose of the study? If so, what will you tell them? Finally, how will you ensure that your manipulation of the independent variable is “clean” (no confounds)? (6 points)
4. How will you operationalize your dependent variable? Again, you must first define the construct, and then explain how you will measure it. You must also explain why you decided to measure your dependent variable in this way – and not in another way. (6 points)
5 State your hypothesis – using your specific operationalizations of the constructs. (2 points)
6 How will you test your hypothesis statistically? Under what circumstances would you conclude that the data supports your hypothesis?
