Explain how it might be possible for two groups of students to perform the same experiment, yet collect differ

Question

Explain how it might be possible for two groups of students to perform the same experiment, yet collect different data?

10 points for best explaination

Answer 1

It depends on the experiment. If for instance you are doing an IQ test to determine the average IQ of two different groups from the one classroom of students divided into two at random, then one result could well be different from another when a second experiment is performed and although the same students participate, the initial groups have been remixed thus resulting in a different average to the two groups.

In a situation where this occurs it is necessary to examine all the aspects of the experiment to discern where the variable lies, or whether the analysis of the data is consistent.

Further, you can have independent variables in an experiment which can be manipulated by the experimenter simply by moving the marker - eugenics is a prime example - e.g. the use of IQ testing to determine migration and sterilisation in America, the definition of a supreme race in Hitler's holocaust, and so on. (i.e. how does one determine that athletic ability is not a superior attribute to mental ability when it comes to survival? - the data may remain constant but the analysis is subject to the definition and application of the measuring stick.)

In many experiments, where it is possible, the addition of a control group increases the validity of the operational definition.

Cheers!

Answer 2

Depending on the experiment there could be any number of ways for that to happen. If it's a psychology experiment where subjects are rating how convincing various advertising statements are, maybe one group has a guy who sounds like James Earl Jones reading the questions to the subjects and the other guy has a guy who sounds like Gilbert Gottfried - same questions, but a huge difference in how they're perceived. If it's a chemistry experiment, maybe one group had cleaner glassware than the other group. Or maybe the temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, altitude, etc. were different between the two trials and that was significant. If it's an electricity experiment, maybe one of the instruments went out of calibration between the trials. Or maybe a battery was weaker for the second trial than it was for the first. Or maybe there was a loose connection in one of the trials. The most common reason would probably be simple human error, which could happen in any number of ways.

Answer 3

10 students at the beach grabing handfuls of sand 2 put in different buckets and the first bucket fills up 6 times faster than the 2nd bucket...Why...The first 5 students hands were smaller.

Answer 4

no experiments can be done precisely the same, so the results will be marginally different at least.. so you will collect slightly different data than the other kids..

Answer 5

The constants might not stay "constant."
(The stuff that needs to stay the same throughout the experiment for every trial.)
Whether it be temperature doesn't quite match in the beginning, time isn't kept in the same way, etc.

Answer 6

Obviously there could have been more than one correct result. If it was a chemistry experiment, that shouldn't happen.