Question

25. Marc, a psychology major, collected survey data about the number of hours that college students study for finals and their grades on those finals. His data indicates that students who spend more time studying for finals tend to do better than other students. What can Marc now conclude?

(A) Studying improves a student's grade on a final exam.
(B) A relationship exists between studying and exam grades.
(C) A significant relationship exists between studying and grades.
(D) Students who do not study for final exams will not do well on those exams.
(E) Students with higher IQs tend to study more than those with
lower IQs.

Answer 1

Marc's data suggests that a relationship exists between the number of hours spent studying and final exam grades, which is a reliable correlation but not necessarily indicative of causation or significance.

Step-by-step explanation:

Marc's data from his psychology survey allows him to conclude that a relationship exists between studying and exam grades. This means that as the number of hours spent studying increases, so do the grades on finals, indicating a positive correlation. However, to claim a causal relationship or to infer significance, further analysis like hypothesis testing would be needed.

It is important to note that without additional details, such as the specific statistical tests used and p-values, Marc cannot claim that the relationship is significant (option C). He also cannot conclude that students who do not study will certainly not do well (option D), as there may be other factors contributing to a student's performance. Finally, his data does not support conclusions about students' IQ and their study habits (option E).