Why did you decide to use this particular design? What specific threats to validity guided your choice of experimental design?

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For this homework assignment, the task is to come up with a way to test the hypothesis that internet use impairs classroom performance experimentally. That is, you are expected to (1) choose a true experimental design that is suitable to test this hypothesis, (2) explain why your design is suitable to address this particular research question, (3) describe exactly how you would operationalize the independent and dependent variables (i.e., how you would manipulate the IV and measure the DV, respectively), and (4) explain how you would examine statistically whether you found support for the hypothesis or not.
1 What experimental design will you use to test the hypothesis? (2 points)

2 Why did you decide to use this particular design? What specific threats to validity guided your choice of experimental design? (4 points).

3 How will you operationalize your independent variable? Here you first have to define the construct (so that we can evaluate whether your operationalization appropriately captures the construct). Then you also have to describe the general outline of the experiment so that we can evaluate your manipulation in the right context. For example, where will you conduct the experiment? Will you have a cover story for participants about the purpose of the study? If so, what will you tell them? Finally, how will you ensure that your manipulation of the independent variable is “clean” (no confounds)? (6 points)

4. How will you operationalize your dependent variable? Again, you must first define the construct, and then explain how you will measure it. You must also explain why you decided to measure your dependent variable in this way – and not in another way. (6 points)

5 State your hypothesis – using your specific operationalizations of the constructs. (2 points)

6 How will you test your hypothesis statistically? Under what circumstances would you conclude that the data supports your hypothesis? (2 points)