Bivariate Regression Regression analysis is a powerful and commonly used tool in business research. One important step in regression is to determine the dependent and independent variable(s). In a bivariate regression, which variable is the dependent variable and which one is the independent variable? · What does the intercept of a regression tell? What does the slope of a regression tell? · What are some of the main uses of a regression? Provide an example of a situation wherein a bivariate regression would be a good choice for analyzing data. Justify your answers using examples and reasoning. Comment on the postings of at least two peers and state whether you agree or disagree with their views. Types of Regression Analyses There are two major types of regression analysis—simple and multiple regression analysis. Both types consist of dependent and independent variables. Simple linear regression has two variables—dependent and independent. Multiple regression consists of dependent variable and two or more independent variables. · How does a multiple regression compare with a simple linear regression? · What are the various ways to determine what variables should be included in a multiple regression equation? · Compare and contrast the following processes: forward selection, backward elimination, and stepwise selection. Justify your answers using examples and reasoning. Critical Analysis Critical analysis involves thinking about what you're reading and interpreting it and evaluating it. Critical analysis of the books, papers, articles, and research that you read for your classes is an important skill. It is also an important skill in the workplace. Generally speaking, when you engage in critical analysis, you do the following things: Critical Analysis Principles Example Questions or Statements Identify and challenge starting assumptions Questions: Did the authors base their conclusions on the appropriate facts? Did the author consider the social conditions of the appropriate time period? Did the author use the appropriate resources to adequately address the question? Example: The author used widely-held social beliefs in 2007 to explain social changes that occurred in 1910. Distinguish facts from opinions, and distinguish objectivity from bias Questions: Has the author stated the facts from a research study, or did he just give us his opinion? Has the author explained the situation fairly? Did the author allow her personal opinion or involvement to prejudice her explanation and cloud her judgment? Example: This drug has been reported to be an effective treatment. However, all the reports come from the company that created and is selling the drug. There are no independent reports from uninvolved parties that support this claim. Make inferences from the facts Questions: What do these findings mean? What are the implications of these findings? Do these findings impact other areas or concepts? Did the author interpret the findings in a reas ...

1. Bivariate Regression
Regression analysis is a powerful and commonly used tool in
business research. One important step in regression is to
determine the dependent and independent variable(s).
In a bivariate regression, which variable is the dependent
variable and which one is the independent variable?
· What does the intercept of a regression tell? What does the
slope of a regression tell?
· What are some of the main uses of a regression?
Provide an example of a situation wherein a bivariate regression
would be a good choice for analyzing data.
Justify your answers using examples and reasoning. Comment
on the postings of at least two peers and state whether you agree
or disagree with their views.
Types of Regression Analyses
There are two major types of regression analysis—simple and
multiple regression analysis. Both types consist of dependent
and independent variables. Simple linear regression has two
variables—dependent and independent. Multiple regression
consists of dependent variable and two or more independent
variables.
· How does a multiple regression compare with a simple linear
regression?
· What are the various ways to determine what variables should
be included in a multiple regression equation?
· Compare and contrast the following processes: forward
selection, backward elimination, and stepwise selection.
Justify your answers using examples and reasoning.

2. Critical Analysis
Critical analysis involves thinking about what you're reading
and interpreting it and evaluating it.
Critical analysis of the books, papers, articles, and research that
you read for your classes is an important skill. It is also an
important skill in the workplace. Generally speaking, when you
engage in critical analysis, you do the following things:
Critical Analysis Principles
Example Questions or Statements
Identify and challenge starting assumptions
Questions:
Did the authors base their conclusions on the appropriate facts?
Did the author consider the social conditions of the appropriate
time period? Did the author use the appropriate resources to
adequately address the question?
Example:
The author used widely-held social beliefs in 2007 to explain
social changes that occurred in 1910.
Distinguish facts from opinions, and distinguish objectivity
from bias
Questions:
Has the author stated the facts from a research study, or did he
just give us his opinion? Has the author explained the situation
fairly? Did the author allow her personal opinion or
involvement to prejudice her explanation and cloud her
judgment?
Example:
This drug has been reported to be an effective treatment.
However, all the reports come from the company that created
and is selling the drug. There are no independent reports from
uninvolved parties that support this claim.
Make inferences from the facts
Questions:
What do these findings mean? What are the implications of
these findings? Do these findings impact other areas or

3. concepts? Did the author interpret the findings in a reasonable
manner?
Example:
The research showed that one of the moons contains oxygen.
This finding could mean that life might survive on this
particular moon.
Identify strengths and weaknesses of the experimental design
and of the data
Questions:
Did the author use the appropriate subjects, tools, or resources
to address the hypothesis or research question? Was the data or
evidence presented clearly? Was the data analyzed
appropriately? Do the results (data) directly address the original
hypothesis or question?
Example:
This study of Alzheimer’s patients was good because it included
a large number of participants. The study could have been
improved by using a wider variety of people (for example,
different cultures, ages, economic background).
Identify and sort conflicting claims, statements, data, or
conclusions
Questions:
Are there inconsistencies or paradoxes in the findings? Do the
authors talk about or explain conflicting results? Do the
author’s conclusions and interpretations match the results (data)
or evidence?
Examples:
The drug manufacturer claims that there are no side effects.
However, independent doctors say that many of the people who
take this drug have heart attacks.
Seek out and identify key pieces of information as well as
information that is lacking
Questions:
Are there other resources that deal with this question? Is there
additional evidence that should have been considered?
Example:

4. The chemical make-up of the rock was an important feature in
understanding the results of this study. The weight and
thickness of the rock are also important, but the author did not
provide this information.
Imagine, explore, and explain alternative hypotheses, theories,
and explanations
Questions:
Can the findings be explained by another hypothesis or theory?
Are there other ways to explain these observations?
Example:
The author states that the children in this study misbehave
because of the length of the school day. I think the findings
could also be explained by the amount of attention that children
receive at home.
Compare and contrast (i.e., identify similarities and differences
between or among) conditions, experimental subjects, and
results
Questions:
How is the evidence similar? How is this evidence different? At
what level are they similar and/or different? How do these
similarities and differences impact the overall interpretation or
conclusion?
Example:
The two cells were similar in their size and their role in sugar
metabolism. However, these two cells were different in where
they are located in the body and how much energy they use.
Identify the relevance and perspective of the research to the
overall discipline
Questions:
Did the authors explore a new or original idea, or test an
existing view? Is the perspective of the author considered
controversial or radical, or represent the prevailing viewpoint in
the discipline?
Example:
The authors' approach to evolution represents a departure from
the Darwinian view and may be considered controversial to

5. most evolutionary scientists.
Explore the applications of the ideas presented in the article
Questions:
How might this research and findings be applied to real-life
situations?
Example:
The study on social groups of monkeys found that the incidence
of affiliations between group members was correlated with
reduced stress. I wonder if such stress reduction could apply to
humans as well.
Critical analysis is often confused with the process of
summarizing. Critical analysis and summarizing are two
different processes and have two different purposes. When we
summarize, we rephrase an idea, a concept, or a passage of text
in our own words. When we do this we typically leave out some
of the details and reduce the overall length of the original
material. When summarizing, we simply restate the original
material in an abbreviated version; we do not add our own
interpretation or analysis of the original material (for this is
critical analysis).
The following boxes will help to further illustrate critical
analysis and summarizing. The first box provides an excerpt of
an article titled Cellular Safety. The second box provides a
summary of the article. Notice that it is merely a restatement of
the information in the article. The third box provides a critical
analysis of the article. Notice that it does not restate the
original article. Instead, it asks questions about the article,
points out strengths and weaknesses of the article, and presents
some new ideas on the subject.
Article
Cellular Safety
For more than a decade, public debate has focused on whether
cell phone radiation causes cancer, particularly brain cancer.
Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine
in St. Louis have found that radiation from cell phones doesn't
appear to cause cancer in rats. The research team exposed rats

6. to the two most common types of cell phone radiation for four
hours a day, five days a week for two years. "We tried to mimic
a high level of exposure that humans might experience," says
study leader Joseph L. Roti. "We found no statistically
significant increases in any tumor type, including brain, liver,
lung, or kidney, compared to the control group." From The
Science Teacher, Sept 2002, pg 12.
Summary
Researchers exposed rats to two common types of cell phone
radiation for four hours a day, five days a week for two years.
These rats did not exhibit an increased number of tumors of any
type.
Notice how this is merely a restatement of the facts in the
article above.
Critical Analysis
Although these research results are promising, it's difficult to
determine whether this experiment really did mimic humans'
exposure to cell phone radiation. Was the intensity of the
radiation signal modulated appropriately to compensate for the
differences between the thickness and density of the human and
rat skulls? And although this research may have provided
promising results for the two most common forms of cell phone
radiation, we have no idea whether these results are applicable
to other forms of cell phone radiation. So the title of the article
"Cellular Safety" is misleading and this conclusion does not
necessarily apply to all cell phone usage in humans.
Notice how this does not include a restatement of anything in
the original article. Instead, this passage shows that the reader
has thought about the information provided and come up with
some new ideas and questions, and has identified weaknesses in
the research.
Project: Critique Paper and Peer Review Critique Paper
Addresses Course Outcome #1
•recognize the use of the scientific method to weigh evidence,

7. make decisions, and solve problems
•apply knowledge of cellular and molecular processes to
understand infectious disease mechanisms
•synthesize knowledge of microbial pathogenesis and disease
prevention methods and communicate this knowledge to the
community
Purpose:
To critically analyze scientific information presented in the
popular media.
Description:
In this assignment, you will be using the following skills:
•critical evaluation of information presented in popular media
•evaluation of the scientific method
•evaluation of a website
•use of library databases/resources
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO (step by step):
STEP 1: Choose an article
•Select an article
•Your article must come from a reputable web news source
(such as sciencenews.org, sciencedaily.com, or
newscientist.com), or from a published peer-reviewed scientific
journal.
•The article must explain a scientific study with specific details
about that study. The article needs to provide actual scientific
data, not just a general review of a topic.
•You need to submit the link to the article for approval one
week prior to the deadline (in the Article Critique Discussions).
•Once you have submitted your choice, check back to see if it
has been approved.
If you need additional information about your article, you can
request a copy of the original scientific paper using the
following link: request the original article with the original
research from the library.

8. (http://www.umuc.edu/library/delivered.shtml) This takes some
time, so plan ahead!
SUBMISSION of STEP 1:
•Post your topic choice in the ARTICLE CRITIQUE discussions
•Indicate your article choice in the subject line
•Place the complete title and URL link in the text box of your
post; please include an active URL link.
Please review the course schedule for the due date. Selecting an
article on time is a component of your final grade.
STEP 2: Choosing supporting references
Choose two additional supportive sources: choose at least one
website and one source found in the UMUC library database.
Web Source:
•Use the criteria found on the UMUC library web page when
evaluating your Internet source:
http://www.umuc.edu/library/guides/web.shtml.
•Your Internet source must be from a reputable site such as NIH
or CDC. Do not use personal websites, blogs, or sites that are
for-profit (and thus may be biased).
Library Source:
•If you need help locating a library source for your paper,
please visit the UMUC library website
http://www.umuc.edu/library/database/articles.shtml .
•You should choose only sources that have the "full-text"
version available.

9. •Do not use abstracts as sources, these are NOT acceptable.
Abstracts are simply a quick overview to help readers decide if
they want to read the full paper.
•You should only cite and use the FULL paper as a source.
Some abstracts available in the library database do not have free
links to the full paper. Do not use these, as there are many other
free articles available through the UMUC database.
STEP 3: Critical Analysis and Format
Format:
Your critique should be 1,200 to 1,500 words, NOT including
references, titles, etc. Your paper should be well-written,
organized, and demonstrate a logical flow of information. It
should also be spell-checked and grammatically correct.
Critique the article: There is a useful guide to Critical Analysis
located in the Science Study Skills section of the classroom
(located in the Course Content area under the link for Science
Learning Center).
The UMUC guide to Critical Analysis will help you with the
following:
•how to identify and challenge starting assumptions
•how to distinguish facts from opinions
•how to make logical assumptions from the facts presented
•how to identify strengths and weaknesses of the experiments
and data
•how to find and sort out conflicting claims
•how to identify key information
•how to identify missing information and consider alternative
theories
•how to determine the relevance of the study

10. You may also find Cornell's guide to critiquing a research paper
helpful.
You should present your critique in the following format:
•A summary of the article. Be sure to include: ◦Background
information that led to the study. In the background you should
include basic information about the topic. For example, if your
article describes a study about tuberculosis, you should include
a description of the disease as well as a description of the
microbe that causes the disease. What are the characteristics of
the organism that causes tuberculosis? Disease course? Etc. …
◾This is essentially a mini report. It should provide enough
background information to give us an idea of why this research
is important.
◾You should be sure that you are using reliable sources for
information. You should integrate your two sources into your
paper (remember in-text citations!).
•A discussion of the science. Be sure to include: ◦What is the
goal of the study?
◦Summary of the experiments done (include things such as
sample size, length of experiments, dosages, etc.). ◾This should
be thorough, so that the reader knows exactly what was done
without having to read the article.
◦Include a brief summary of the findings of the study and why
they are important.
◦Conclusions drawn from the study.
◦Are any future experiments planned?
•Your opinion: ◦Faults, some things to consider: ◾Were there
good controls? Why or why not?
◾Sample size too small or biased?
◾Conclusions not supported by experimental evidence?

11. ◾Will this study apply to the general population?
◦If you find no faults, justify your reasons.
•Real-World Application
• ◦Include your own thoughts and opinions on the topic. Relate
the points/conclusions of the article to another issue in YOUR
everyday life and/or to work you have completed in class. Be
sure to make your contributions clear, such as "I believe ..., I
think ..., etc."
•Citations. Cite all your references using APA format.
http://www.umuc.edu/library/citationguides.shtml#apa Include
in-text citations. Use the following websites for help in
formatting your citations:
•http://www.umuc.edu/library/citationguides.shtml
•http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ewp_writingcenter/writinggde/c
hapter5/print5-17.shtml
SUBMISSION:
•Post your completed review paper in the Article Critique
discussions.
•Copy and paste your critique into the response box (and not as
an attachment). ONLY text posted within the response box will
be graded. Please conserve the formatting when posting.
Please review the course schedule for the due date.
STEP 4: Analysis of a classmate's critique
Read one other student's critique that is different than the
article you chose.

12. •Provide your opinion about the quality of the
science/experiments in the article. Explain fully.
•What did you learn?
•What other questions could be asked to further this
information?
•Provide other resources (websites) or additional information
related to this topic.
•Can you relate the information to something in your own life or
the news?
This is worth 5% of your grade, so your response should be
thought-provoking and contribute in some way. Short responses
that basically say "good job" will receive only minimal partial
credit.
Be sure to review comments made to your critique and respond
appropriately.
Please refer to the course schedule for due date.