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Based on the provided context, diagnose the nature of this student's extreme score. Is this outlier a result of an error, or does it represent a genuine case? Explain your reasoning.
Case context: A developmental psychologist is measuring the reading comprehension scores of a group of third-grade students. Most students score between and on the assessment. However, one student scores a . Upon reviewing the session notes, the researcher discovers that this student is enrolled in a gifted reading program and completed the assessment exactly as instructed without any equipment or recording issues.
Question: Based on the provided context, diagnose the nature of this student's extreme score. Is this outlier a result of an error, or does it represent a genuine case? Explain your reasoning.
Sample answer: This outlier represents a genuine case on the variable being measured. The extreme score of falls significantly above the rest of the distribution, making it an outlier. However, because there were no equipment malfunctions, participant misunderstandings, or researcher errors, and the student is known to be in a gifted reading program, the score reflects a truly high reading comprehension level rather than a mistake.
Key points:
- Diagnoses the score of as an outlier.
- Identifies the score as a genuine case on the variable being measured.
- Notes the absence of researcher error, participant misunderstanding, or equipment malfunction.
- Justifies the genuine nature of the score using the student's enrollment in a gifted reading program.
Rubric: The student must diagnose the score as a genuine case and justify this by pointing out the absence of errors (equipment, participant, or researcher) and the evidence supporting a naturally extreme value on the measured variable.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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