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Suppose you want to find out whether writing with a red pen causes people to write faster. Which of the following would be the most effective test of this hypothesis? (Not necessarily perfect, just most effective).

User Wtekiela
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Final answer:

The most effective test for determining if red pens cause faster writing would be a controlled experiment comparing the writing speeds of two groups, one using red pens and the other using pens of a different color, considering variables and statistical analysis.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find out whether writing with a red pen causes people to write faster, an effective test would involve a controlled experiment. This experiment would have two groups of participants, one group using red pens and the other using pens of a different color, preferably a color not hypothesized to affect writing speed. Both groups would be given the same text to write within a certain time frame, and their writing speeds would be measured and compared. To ensure accuracy, the experiment should include a large sample size and control for variables such as the complexity of the text and the participants' hand dexterity.

Performing multiple trials and applying statistical analysis would provide a clearer indication of any potential effect of pen color on writing speed. This methodology is consistent with how hypotheses are typically tested within scientific fields, providing both quantitative data and a basis for statistical comparison. If the results show a significant difference in writing speeds between the two groups, with the red pen group being consistently faster, the hypothesis could be supported.

User Timon Post
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