A scientist adds 5 mcg of the mineral cadmium to the daily diet of 100 4-week-old laboratory mice.After 12 weeks,the researcher weighs and takes blood samples from each mouse.According to her findings,the mice lost weight during the 12-week period,and they have abnormal levels of certain hormones in their blood.Based on this information and your knowledge of scientific research,what would you tell the researcher about her findings?
A)Her results are very interesting,and she should report her findings to nutrition scientists,so they can repeat her study and confirm the results.
B)The findings are not meaningful or valid because of the way she designed her study.
C)She needs to conduct more tests on the animals' blood,because her findings are incomplete.
D)The findings need to be summarized in a research article for submission to a peer-reviewed nutrition journal.

Question

A scientist adds 5 mcg of the mineral cadmium to the daily diet of 100 4-week-old laboratory mice.After 12 weeks,the researcher weighs and takes blood samples from each mouse.According to her findings,the mice lost weight during the 12-week period,and they have abnormal levels of certain hormones in their blood.Based on this information and your knowledge of scientific research,what would you tell the researcher about her findings?   
A)Her results are very interesting,and she should report her findings to nutrition scientists,so they can repeat her study and confirm the results.
B)The findings are not meaningful or valid because of the way she designed her study.
C)She needs to conduct more tests on the animals' blood,because her findings are incomplete.
D)The findings need to be summarized in a research article for submission to a peer-reviewed nutrition journal.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The study design is lacking a control group and a randomized selection of the mice. Without these elements, it cannot be determined if the weight loss and abnormal hormone levels are due to the addition of cadmium or other factors. Therefore, the findings are not meaningful or valid.

A Scientist Adds 5 Mcg of the Mineral Cadmium to the Daily