Researchers are investigating whether people who exercise with a training partner have a greater increase, on average, in targeted exercise intensity compared with people who exercise alone. Two methods of collecting data have been proposed.

Method I: Recruit volunteers who are willing to participate. Randomly assign each participant to exercise with a training partner or to exercise alone.

Method II: Select a random sample of people from all the people who exercise at a community fitness center. Ask each person in the sample whether they use a training partner, and use the response to create the two groups.

Suppose the investigation produces a result that is statistically significant using both methods. What can be concluded if method I is used that cannot be concluded if method II is used? Explain your answer.

Question

Advanced Placement (AP)

Pablo Mcclure

28 April, 10:37

Researchers are investigating whether people who exercise with a training partner have a greater increase, on average, in targeted exercise intensity compared with people who exercise alone. Two methods of collecting data have been proposed.

Method I: Recruit volunteers who are willing to participate. Randomly assign each participant to exercise with a training partner or to exercise alone.

Method II: Select a random sample of people from all the people who exercise at a community fitness center. Ask each person in the sample whether they use a training partner, and use the response to create the two groups.

Suppose the investigation produces a result that is statistically significant using both methods. What can be concluded if method I is used that cannot be concluded if method II is used? Explain your answer.

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Ben Ayers · Answer 1

The conclusion that you will be able to reach if method I is used that cannot be concluded if method II is used is that the results can be generalized to the population as a whole.

In method I, the researchers decided to recruit volunteers. This sample includes people who do not exercise, people who exercise alone and people who exercise with a partner. On the other hand, method II will recruit participants at a community fitness center. Therefore, this sample will not include people who do not exercise. This means that method I will have a sample that is more representative of the general population.