Case Study

Evaluate the student researcher's conclusion. Explain whether descriptive statistics and effect sizes alone are sufficient for a formal research report in this scenario, and justify why or why not using the concepts presented in the text.

Case context: A student researcher conducts a study comparing two groups. The treatment group (n=50n = 50) has a mean score of 34.3234.32 (SD=10.45SD = 10.45) and the control group (n=50n = 50) has a mean score of 21.4521.45 (SD=9.22SD = 9.22), resulting in a Cohen's dd of 1.311.31. The student concludes that since Cohen's dd indicates an extremely strong effect, the treatment was effective and no further statistical analyses are necessary to present these findings in a formal research report.

Question: Evaluate the student researcher's conclusion. Explain whether descriptive statistics and effect sizes alone are sufficient for a formal research report in this scenario, and justify why or why not using the concepts presented in the text.

Sample answer: The student researcher's conclusion is partially incorrect. Although the descriptive statistics and the strong Cohen's dd of 1.311.31 clearly indicate that the treatment was effective, they are not sufficient on their own for a formal research report. Inferential statistics, such as a tt-test, are still required to formally report the results of the study.

Key points:

  • Descriptive statistics and Cohen's dd of 1.311.31 indicate treatment effectiveness.
  • Descriptive statistics alone are insufficient for a formal research report.
  • Inferential statistics (like a tt-test) are required for a formal research report.

Rubric: Grading Criteria: 1. Recognizes that the descriptive statistics indeed indicate the treatment was effective (2 points). 2. Clearly states that descriptive statistics/effect sizes alone are not sufficient for a formal research report (3 points). 3. Explains that inferential statistics (like a tt-test) are still required for the report (3 points).

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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