AP Statistics 1.13: Experiment Conclusions
Justify a cause-and-effect conclusion by checking random assignment and limiting the conclusion to experimental units similar to those studied.
- Syllabus
- Effective Fall 2025
- Course
- AP Statistics
1.13.D—Justify the appropriateness of the conclusions based on a well-designed experiment question 1
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the ligaments that help stabilize the knee. Surgery is often recommended if the ACL is completely torn, and recovery time from the surgery can be lengthy. A medical center developed a new surgical procedure designed to reduce the average recovery time from the surgery. To test the effectiveness of the new procedure, a study was conducted in which 210 patients needing surgery to repair a torn ACL were randomly assigned to receive either the standard procedure or the new procedure.
Based on the design of the study, would a statistically significant result allow the medical center to conclude that the new procedure causes a reduction in recovery time compared to the standard procedure, for patients similar to those in the study? Explain your answer.
Part (a):
Yes, it would be reasonable to conclude that the new procedure causes a reduction in recovery time, for patients similar to those in the study. The patients in the study were randomly assigned to the two procedures, which reduces the chance that confounding variables will affect the results. Therefore the statistically significant reduction in mean recovery time can be attributed to the new procedure being superior to the standard procedure.
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