Answer:
In a study examining the effect of gum chewing on college students' test scores, two groups were compared. One group consisted of students who chewed peppermint gum while they studied for the test, and the other group did not chew gum. The purpose of this study was to determine if gum chewing had any impact on test performance.
To conduct the study, the following steps can be followed:
1. Randomly assign participants: Randomly assign a group of college students to either the gum-chewing group or the non-gum-chewing group. This helps ensure that any differences in test scores between the groups are not due to preexisting factors.
2. Standardize study conditions: Ensure that all participants have a similar study environment, such as providing a quiet room with minimal distractions. This helps control for external factors that may influence test scores.
3. Provide instructions: Instruct the gum-chewing group to chew peppermint gum while they study, and instruct the non-gum-chewing group to study without gum. This ensures that participants follow the assigned condition.
4. Study duration: Decide on a specific duration for studying, such as one hour, to provide consistency between participants.
5. Administer the test: After the designated study period, administer the test to both groups under the same conditions. This can include the same test format, time limit, and instructions.
6. Analyze and compare results: Collect the test scores from both groups and analyze the data. Calculate the mean test scores for each group and compare them using statistical methods, such as a t-test or analysis of variance (ANOVA), to determine if there is a significant difference between the groups.
7. Draw conclusions: Based on the analysis, draw conclusions about the effect of gum chewing on test scores. If there is a significant difference between the groups, it suggests that gum chewing may have influenced test performance.
It is important to note that conducting a study involves careful planning, ethical considerations, and statistical analysis to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings. Additionally, the study design should be adjusted to address any potential confounding variables or limitations that may impact the results.