Final answer:
To study the spread of a virus and its correlation with dorm room temperature, either a cohort study or a case-control study could be conducted. A cohort study is prospective and follows a group over time, while a case-control study is retrospective and compares infected subjects with non-infected controls.
Step-by-step explanation:
A medical researcher studying the spread of a virus among a population could choose from several types of study designs. To best understand how the temperature of dorm rooms correlates with the incidence of new infections, an observational study would be suitable. Among the observational studies, a cohort study or a case-control study can be considered.
In a cohort study, a group of similar subjects (the cohort) is selected at the start of the study and then followed over time, collecting data periodically. This prospective approach could enable researchers to observe the progression of infections in relation to temperature changes in the dorm rooms. However, cohort studies are costly and time-consuming.
A case-control study, on the other hand, compares a group of subjects with the infection (cases) to a group without it (controls) retrospectively. This can help identify if there was a correlation between room temperature and the incidence of the virus. If including surveys in the study, questions regarding room temperature, health status, and behaviors that could affect the spread of the virus should be included. The random sample of participants ensures that every individual has an equal chance of being included, which helps to avoid bias.