ERIC Number: EJ770051
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2003
Pages: 14
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0973
EISSN: N/A
It's Not Effect Sizes so Much as Comments about Their Magnitude that Mislead Readers
Robinson, Daniel H.; Whittaker, Tiffany A.; Williams, Natasha J.; Beretvas, S. Natasha
Journal of Experimental Education, v72 n1 p51-64 Fall 2003
The authors investigated the influence of effect size and comment inclusion on readers' perceptions of research results. In three experiments, undergraduates, graduates, and faculty read a journal article that either included or did not include an effect size and commentary about the effect size. Contrary to a previous study by Robinson, Fouladi, Williams, and Bera (2002), which concluded that including effect sizes causes readers to overestimate result importance, the authors found that including a comment about the magnitude of the effect size was more important than simply including the effect size in influencing undergraduates' perceptions of research results' importance. Graduate students and faculty members were less influenced by inclusion of their effect sizes or comments. Recommendations concerning effect size and comment inclusion policies are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Journal Articles, Effect Size, Research Methodology, Reader Response, Graduate Students, College Faculty, Discussion, Undergraduate Students, Data Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A