To begin improving your understanding of experimental design, first visit the following websites, read the page contents (all quick reads!), and watch the videos:
– https://whydoscientists.org/validating-experiments-controls/
– https://whydoscientists.org/fair-comparisons-randomisation/
– https://whydoscientists.org/bias/
– https://whydoscientists.org/markers-surrogates/
In your initial post, begin by defining these terms in your own words based on the above readings (give examples if it helps you to explain): positive control, negative control, randomization, experimental blinding, placebos, markers, and surrogates.
Then, check out the following article on Science Daily about the health benefits of eating crickets: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180803134654.htm
(and if you’re convinced, here’s a link to some sweet ones: https://www.amazon.com/Hotlix-Assorted-Cricket-Sucker-Lollipop/dp/B00SZ8W5PW)
You will need to reference this article as well as the following images in order to complete the discussion post this week.
Here are some of the elements of study design included in the actual research article. You are encouraged (but not required) to actually check out the article itself, as it is posted in a PDF version on this week’s D2L contents.
Experimental Setup:
Figure 1
Study Flow Diagram:
Figure 2
To complete your post this week, answer the following questions:
1. Did these scientists have controls set up, and how do you know? If so, what were the controls, and do you think they were they good controls (& why)? Would you have added anything else?
2. Was the experiment a fair comparison? How do you know? Why is it important to include this feature in scientific experiments?
3. The researcher who designed this study thinks that insects taste pretty good, according to the Science Daily article. Does this make her biased in the experiment? Can you identify any ways that bias was addressed in this study, and do you think it was properly addressed? Explain, and add anything else that you might have done if this were your experiment.
4. Did this study include obvious surrogates or markers? Identify them and explain how you recognized those in the experimental design. Would you have done this differently, and how? Explain.
5. Have you ever heard of beneficial bacteria? What is the microbiome? Microbiota? How do these influence human health?
6. Are you convinced that eating crickets is good for your health, and would you now consider eating them? Would you recommend it to a friend? Explain.
