Question

Data were collected in 30 urban areas on the percentage of women in the workforce. Data were collected in 2010 and again in 2014. Increases, or decreases, in this percentage were the measurement upon which the study’s conclusions were to be based. What kind of design is this?      

I. A two-related-samples design.

II. An observational study.

III. An experiment that uses a static group design.

A) I only    

B) II only   

C) III only   

D) I and III only   

E) I and II only   

Answer 1

The correct answer is B) An observational study

Data were collected in 30 urban areas on the percentage of women in the workforce. Data were collected in 2010 and again in 2014.

An obseravtional studies make no attempt to control the variables of interest. In this case the variable of interest is percentage of women in workforce

This is essentially a survey being done at 2 points of time, and it is an observational study because the researchers cannot control the percentage of women in the workforce.

This is Not an experimental study since there is no other variable to control the variable of interest

This is also not a two-related-samples design, since the samples are not related , these are just two samples in different points in time.