Final answer:
A research question about the impact of nutrition education on fruit consumption among high school students can be tested using hypothesis testing. Data is collected using food frequency questionnaires, analyzed through a paired t-test, and a decision is made to accept or reject the null hypothesis based on the significance of the results.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hypothesis Testing and Data Collection
Imagine we want to investigate the impact of nutrition education on fruit consumption among high school students. We might formulate a research question as follows: Does a four-week nutrition education program increase the daily consumption of fruits among high school students? Accordingly, our null hypothesis would state that there is no difference in fruit consumption before and after the education program, while the alternative hypothesis would claim that there is an increase in consumption post-program.
To collect data randomly, we would recruit a sample of students from different high school grades and ensure they represent various demographics. Data collection could involve food frequency questionnaires completed before and after the intervention. The type of data we would handle includes the number of fruit servings consumed daily, which is quantitative.
For data analysis, we might employ inferential statistics such as a paired t-test to compare the pre- and post-intervention fruit consumption means. This test determines if the observed change in fruit consumption is statistically significant and not due to random chance. The process of hypothesis testing involves:
- State the null and alternative hypotheses.
- Collect and analyze the sample data.
- Conduct the t-test to compare data means.
- Make a decision to reject or not reject the null hypothesis based on the p-value.
- Draw a meaningful conclusion from the data.
Finally, a well-documented conclusion will be made based on whether the data supports the initial hypothesis, thus contributing to our understanding of nutrition education's effectiveness.