Based on the principles of a multiple-baseline design, what conclusion should the researchers draw about the reading intervention's effectiveness, and why justify this conclusion?
Case context: A school district implements a new reading intervention across three elementary schools using a multiple-baseline design. They collect baseline reading scores at all three schools for the first few weeks. They introduce the intervention at School A in Week 3, School B in Week 6, and School C in Week 9. Suppose reading scores improve dramatically at all three schools simultaneously in Week 4.
Question: Based on the principles of a multiple-baseline design, what conclusion should the researchers draw about the reading intervention's effectiveness, and why justify this conclusion?
Sample answer: The researchers should conclude that they cannot demonstrate the intervention is effective. Because reading scores improved at Schools B and C before the intervention was introduced to them (and simultaneously with School A), the improvement is likely due to an external coincidental factor affecting all schools at the same time, rather than the specific reading intervention.
Key points:
- Cannot conclude the intervention caused the improvement
- Improvement occurred at Schools B and C before they received the treatment
- Simultaneous change suggests a coincidental or external factor
Rubric: Full credit requires stating that the intervention's effectiveness cannot be confirmed and explaining that simultaneous improvement across baselines (before treatment at Schools B and C) indicates a coincidental external factor.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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