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Dr. Roberts performed a replication of a study that showed that drinking orange juice is closely related to overall health. According to the reading "Failure is Moving Science Forward," if the second study showed no significant relation, which of the following is the BEST conclusion?

a) Drinking orange juice has no impact on overall health.
b) The original study was flawed.
c) More research is needed to confirm the relationship.
d) Orange juice consumption is harmful to health.

User Nandilov
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Final answer:

More research is needed to confirm the relationship between orange juice consumption and health, recognizing that scientific inquiry is complex and that observational studies can be influenced by many variables.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best conclusion to draw when a replication study shows no significant relation where a previous study did is that more research is needed to confirm the relationship. This approach is cautious and recognizes the complexity of scientific inquiry, especially in fields like health and nutrition where many factors can influence outcomes. The direct replication of a study, in this case involving orange juice consumption and overall health, might not show the same results for several reasons, such as differences in the study population, measurement techniques, or confounding variables.

Observational studies are often challenged by confounding factors that can make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about cause and effect. For example, as seen with the health effects of coffee, early studies found a correlation between coffee drinking and health problems, but further research showed that this was associated with a less health-conscious lifestyle. Considerations like these underscore the importance of comprehensive research that takes into account lifestyle and other variables.

User Kishankumar Vasoya
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