Observational study

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/observational-study

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Observational study known for?Hypothesis generation and understanding complex real-world phenomena
2. What is the research design type?Non-experimental research that observes subjects in their natural setting
3. What is the primary methodologies?Cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies
4. Why can’t researchers make people smoke to study cancer?Because it would be unsafe and unfair to force people to smoke. Instead, scientists look at people who already smoke and those who don’t, and compare their health. This keeps everyone safe while still learning important facts.
5. How do scientists collect data in an observational study?They can watch directly, ask questions in surveys or interviews, or look at existing records like medical files. They use careful methods to avoid mistakes and keep the data reliable.

Confounding Variable: An extraneous factor that influences both the independent and dependent variables.
Causality: The relationship where one event is the result of another event.
Epidemiology: The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in populations.