Research conducted by Dr. Patricia Chen and her team examining publications in the Journal of Applied Psychology from 2015 through 2020 demonstrates a troubling deterioration in research methodology standards over this period: publications from 2015 maintained an average of 850 study participants with 89% utilizing appropriate control groups, while by 2020, publications averaged merely 340 participants with only 67% implementing sufficient controls, resulting in significant statistical power deficiencies that reviewers routinely identified. Given the journal's established policy mandating minimum statistical requirements for publication approval, Chen and colleagues hypothesize that a credibility crisis developed circa 2020, which was presumably resolved—notwithstanding the journal's ongoing budgetary limitations constraining review resources—when incoming editor-in-chief Dr. Martinez chose to ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A
preserve existing sample size requirements while enforcing more rigorous control group criteria that could be assessed through current review protocols.
B
elevate the minimum sample size threshold beyond the levels mandated in 2015.
C
mandate larger sample sizes while preserving the control group criteria utilized in 2020 publications.
D
create funding to assist researchers lacking adequate training in control group methodologies.

Question

Research conducted by Dr. Patricia Chen and her team examining publications in the Journal of Applied Psychology from 2015 through 2020 demonstrates a troubling deterioration in research methodology standards over this period: publications from 2015 maintained an average of 850 study participants with 89% utilizing appropriate control groups, while by 2020, publications averaged merely 340 participants with only 67% implementing sufficient controls, resulting in significant statistical power deficiencies that reviewers routinely identified. Given the journal's established policy mandating minimum statistical requirements for publication approval, Chen and colleagues hypothesize that a credibility crisis developed circa 2020, which was presumably resolved—notwithstanding the journal's ongoing budgetary limitations constraining review resources—when incoming editor-in-chief Dr. Martinez chose to ______

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A

preserve existing sample size requirements while enforcing more rigorous control group criteria that could be assessed through current review protocols.

B

elevate the minimum sample size threshold beyond the levels mandated in 2015.

C

mandate larger sample sizes while preserving the control group criteria utilized in 2020 publications.

D

create funding to assist researchers lacking adequate training in control group methodologies.

Accepted Answer

preserve existing sample size requirements while enforcing more rigorous control group criteria that could be assessed through current review protocols.

Answer

elevate the minimum sample size threshold beyond the levels mandated in 2015.

Answer

mandate larger sample sizes while preserving the control group criteria utilized in 2020 publications.

Answer

create funding to assist researchers lacking adequate training in control group methodologies.

Text from Passage	Analysis
Research conducted by Dr. Patricia Chen and her team examining publications in the Journal of Applied Psychology from 2015 through 2020 demonstrates a troubling deterioration in research methodology standards over this period:	What it says: Chen study: methodology standards declined 2015-2020 What it does: Introduces the research findings about declining standards What it is: Opening context/research finding
publications from 2015 maintained an average of 850 study participants with 89% utilizing appropriate control groups,	What it says: 2015: 850 participants avg, 89% proper controls What it does: Provides specific baseline data for the starting point What it is: Quantitative evidence
while by 2020, publications averaged merely 340 participants with only 67% implementing sufficient controls,	What it says: 2020: 340 participants avg, 67% controls What it does: Contrasts with the 2015 data to show decline What it is: Comparative evidence
resulting in significant statistical power deficiencies that reviewers routinely identified.	What it says: low power, reviewers noticed problems What it does: Explains the consequences of the declining standards What it is: Causal outcome
Given the journal's established policy mandating minimum statistical requirements for publication approval,	What it says: journal has min stats requirements What it does: Provides context about journal's existing standards What it is: Policy context
Chen and colleagues hypothesize that a credibility crisis developed circa 2020,	What it says: Chen: credibility crisis around 2020 What it does: States the researchers' interpretation of events What it is: Hypothesis/interpretation
which was presumably resolved when incoming editor-in-chief Dr. Martinez chose to ______	What it says: crisis resolved by Martinez's action What it does: Sets up the question about what action resolved the crisis What it is: Missing conclusion

Research conducted by Dr. Patricia Chen and her team examining publications in the Journal of Applied Psychology from 2015 through...

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