UNIT 3 - sampling and experiments Flashcards
(101 cards)
Can you stratify in an experiment?
NO. stratification is a sampling method, blocking is method used in experiments. They are similar ideas.
How are we proving causation in experiments and obs studies?
No causation in a study, maybe association or correlation. ONLY IN EXPERIMENTS TO YOU TALK ABOUT CAUSALITY.
When your sampling frame is different from the population, then you risk ____
undercoverage
What is wording bias
A type of response bias, When the wording of the question impacts response to it. (type of response bias)
Systematic, how do you find the N for every nth subject, and then how do you proceed?
TOTAL POP/SAMPLE SIZE= your n (round down). Then use RAND INT to Randomly choose first. RANDINT(1, n). And then take every nTH.
What is the standard sampling method? (the gold standard)
A Simple Random Sample (SRS) is our standard. Every possible group of n individuals has an equal chance of being our sample. That’s what makes it simple. Put the names in a hat.
How is Blocking in an Experiment Similar to Stratifying in a Sample?
The two are similar because they divide the subjects into homogenous groups where the subjects are all similar (these traits were already present in the population)
What is BIAS in sampling?
A systematic FLAW in your method.
How are we manipulating the environment differently in experiments and studies?
No manipulation or treatments in an observational study. You only manipulate environment in an experminet.
What is “control?”
You want to control the environment as best as you can so that the only difference between groups is the treatment, and the treatment only. Everything else should be similar.
Give example of randomized block design for a new anxiety med vs placebo with 100 volunteers (60m and 40f)
Block by gender. Randomly assign 30m to new and rest placebo. Randomly assign 20w new and rest placebo.
Name types of bias
undercoverage, non response, response, voluntary
What is the placebo effect?
When those who get the placebo show improvements, or show the effects of the treatment. This often happens to up 20% of participants!
what is the best way to reduce bias?
randomness and good sampling methods.
How are we making inferences differently in experiments vs studies?
In observaional studies, you make and inference about the population, in an experiment you make an inference about a treatment.
What is “replication?”
Having enough subjects. You don’t want to test fertilizer on just one plant.
Give an example of matched pair design for comparing a new blood pressure medication to an older version?
Have subjects use the new medication for a month and the old one for a month and compare. Be sure to randomize which month and blind.
Who can be blinded? ( two groups)
- Subjects (and dog owners..). The poeple getting treatment and 2. administrators. Those delivering treatments and assessing effectiveness of treatments.
What is a weakness of a SRS?
Suppose you want a sample of 50 high school students, with an SRS, although unlikely you could get “all freshmen” which wouldn’t be representative.
A 4 year high school of 2000 students, sampling 40 high students: Describe a cluster sample
Imagine that all of art classes have 10 students and they are mixed with fr, so, jr and srs… You would randomly choose 4 classes and survey everyone in each of the 4 classes.
Why does it make sense to double-blind an experiment?
It reduces bias in an experiment. If subjects don’t know what treatment they’re receiving, they won’t change their habits based on that knowledge. If evaluators don’t know which treatment each subject is receiving, they won’t bias the true results based on the results they expect to see
How are statistics and parameters different?
A statistics is a numerical description of a sample, and a parameter is a description of a population. The difference between these is called ERROR (sampling error).
A 4 year high school of 2000 students, sampling 40 high students: Explain how stratifying has “impossible groups”
You couldn’t get all freshmen in your sample
Suppose you want to see the relationship between gender and candy preference in squirrels. How may you do a stratified vs cluster sample
STRATIFIED: You can split the list of all of the squirrels in your neihborhood by gender and randomly select 20 males from th list of all of the males, and then 20 females (strata) from all of the females. CLUSTER: you can randomly choose to 5 different trees and survey all of the squirrels in those trees, assuming that there are 4 squirrels living in each tree (clusters, the trees have both M and F).