Chapter 1. Chapter 1: Scientific Thinking

Review & Rehearse
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You must read each slide, and complete any questions on the slide, in sequence.

Instructions

Review the visual summaries and answer the essay questions below.

Make sure to enter a brief response that completely answers each question and explains your reasoning. When you click "Submit," you will be provided instant feedback, allowing you to check if your response is correct.

(This activity contains 18 total essay questions. Each new question will be revealed once you complete the preceding question.)

1.

1. In nationwide advertisements, the Dannon Company claimed that its Activia yogurt relieves irregularity and helps with “slow intestinal transit time.” Dannon also claimed that its DanActive dairy drink helps prevent colds and flu. These claims were based on no evidence. How would you design an experiment to try and validate these statements?

Two claims were made, requiring two double-blind experiments, since only one variable can be changed or tested at a time. Experiment 1: Measure intestinal transit time (the time it takes for consumed foods and other substances to travel through the digestive system) for two groups. Group 1 (control group) does not receive Activia yogurt and instead receives an inert yogurt substitute. Group 2 (experimental group) receives Activia yogurt. Intestinal transit times are measured for both groups. Neither the participants nor the administrators know which participants are consuming Activia and which are consuming the substitute. Data from group 2, the experimental group, are compared with data from group 1, the control group, to determine the effectiveness of Activia. If the data show that intestinal transit time is shorter in the experimental group, the statement by the Dannon Company is supported. Experiment 2: Determine whether DanActive dairy drink helps prevent colds and flu, again using two groups. Group 1 (control group) does not receive DanActive dairy drink and instead receives an inert dairy drink substitute. Group 2 (experimental group) receives DanActive dairy drink. The incidence of colds and flu is measured over a finite period of time, such as one year, for the two groups—the same period of time for both groups. Neither the participants nor the administrators know which participants are consuming DanActive dairy drink and which are consuming the substitute. Data collected from the experimental group are compared with data from the control group. If the incidence of colds and/or flu is lower in the experimental group, the statement made by the Dannon Company is supported.

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