Help organizing my thoughts
IHP 340 Module Five Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
This short paper assignment will help you understand hypothesis testing and its relationship to research questions.
Prompt
Read the short paper scenario below and answer the questions using the scenario and what you have learned in this course.
Scenario
The recommended number of calories for a young, active, female adult to consume in a day is 2,200 calories. Suppose you’re a nutrition consultant for the female sports team at College
Great. You would like to know whether the average amount of calories consumed per day, on average, for the female, varsity sports players at your college is equal to the recommended
amount, 2,200 calories.
1. Describe how you could choose a sample from the population of all female varsity sports players at College Great.
2. Write out a research question and provide a description of data.
a. Write out the research question this nutritionist is interested in finding an answer to in your own words.
b. Describe what data you would collect on this sample to answer the research question. Make sure you collect data on each variable that is part of your research question.
3. State the null hypothesis, H , and alternative hypothesis, H , that go along with your research question:
a. In words
b. Using statistical notation
4. Provide descriptive statistics and graph suggestions.
a. What descriptive statistics would you provide that would help you answer this research question?
b. What graph(s) could you provide that would help you answer this research question?
Now suppose others at the college get interested in this study, and they want to know if the female varsity sports players consume more calories than female students that do not play
varsity sports.
1. Write out this research question in your own words.
2. Identify the two variables you would need to collect data on from each subject to answer this research question.
3. Identify each variable as categorical or quantitative (continuous).
o a
4. State the null hypothesis, Ho, and alternative hypothesis, Ha, that correspond with your research question:
a. In words
b. Using statistical notation
5. What descriptive statistics would you provide that would help you answer this research question?
6. What graph(s) could you provide that would help you answer this research question?
What to Submit
Submit your paper as a Microsoft Word document that is roughly 2 pages in length, with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. References are not
required. The point of this paper is to show how well you understand hypothesis testing. However, if you do provide information from a published resource, be sure to cite and reference it
using APA style.
Module Five Short Paper Rubric
Criteria Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Research Question and
Variables
Research questions and
variable information provided
are correct
Some slight errors in research
questions or variable
information, but majority
correct
Major error in research
questions or variable
information
Major errors in research
questions and in variable
information
30
Hypothesis Statements Hypotheses correctly
expressed in very clear written
and notation form
Hypotheses expressed in
written and notation form with
minor errors
Hypotheses expressed in
written and notation form with
major errors
Hypotheses not expressed in
written and notation form
30
Descriptive Statistics and
Graphs
Correct descriptive statistics
and graphs clearly provided
Descriptive statistics and
graphs provided with minor
errors
Descriptive statistics and
graphs provided with major
errors
Descriptive statistics and
graphs not provided
30
Articulation of Response Submission is free of errors of
organization and grammar
Submission contains errors of
organization and grammar, but
errors are limited enough so
that the assignment can be
understood
Submission has major errors
related to organization and
grammar that negatively
impact readability and
articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to organization and
grammar that prevent
understanding of ideas
10
Total: 100%
