Sample interview questions: How would you design a study to examine the impact of indoor air quality on individuals’ cognitive performance?
Sample answer:
- Define the Research Question:
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Clearly define the specific research question you aim to answer. For example: “To what extent does exposure to different levels of indoor air quality affect individuals’ cognitive performance, particularly attention, memory, and problem-solving abilities?”
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Select Participants:
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Recruit a diverse group of participants who represent the population you are interested in studying. Ensure they are healthy and have no pre-existing conditions that could confound the results.
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Design the Experimental Conditions:
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Create two or more experimental conditions with different levels of indoor air quality. This could involve manipulating factors like ventilation, air filtration, temperature, humidity, and the presence of pollutants.
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Measure Indoor Air Quality:
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Use appropriate equipment and techniques to accurately measure indoor air quality parameters such as particulate matter, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and temperature.
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Cognitive Performance Assessment:
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Develop a battery of standardized cognitive tests to assess participants’ attention, memory, and problem-solving abilities. These tests should be sensitive to changes in cognitive function.
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Randomized Controlled Trial:
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Conduct a randomized controlled trial, where participants are randomly assigned to different experimental conditions. This helps to minimize bias and ensure the results are reliable.
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Control for Confounding Variables: Read full answer
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