Professor Golder is studying hyperactivity in preschool-age children. She is concerned that differences in child rearing, diet, and so forth may affect her results. To minimize these potential preexisting variables, she should be sure to do which of the following?
A) Use random assignment when forming her groups.
B) Include an independent variable.
C) Include a dependent variable.
D) Assign boys to the experimental group and girls to the control group.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using random assignment when forming the groups will help ensure that any preexisting variables are evenly distributed between the experimental and control groups, minimizing their impact on the results. Including an independent variable and dependent variable are both important components of a scientific study, but they will not necessarily minimize preexisting variables. Assigning boys to the experimental group and girls to the control group would introduce gender as a confounding variable and is not a valid approach to minimizing preexisting variables.

Professor Golder Is Studying Hyperactivity in Preschool-Age Children