Summary
Experiments and correlational studies are the methods used in research, and they are often confused with each other. The purpose of this essay is to compare the results of experimental and correlational studies and find out what makes them different. The comparison is supported by two studies examining the correlation between the quality of rest and student achievement. The primary distinction between these two types of studies lies in their findings, which reveal different relationships between the variables.
Experimental Study
The question for this study is: Do students who sleep before an exam receive better grades? This study hypothesizes that high-quality sleep before the exam positively influences students’ performance. The participants are 100 college students divided into two groups. The participants from the first group are expected to have slept for about 8 or 9 hours before the exam. The other spend the night studying.
The independent variable in this study is the quality of sleep. The students’ grades serve as the dependent variable. The students download a special app where they mark the time they went to sleep on the eve of the exam and the time they woke up, so the researchers can accurately fixate the data. The students who are supposed to study all night send information about their activities during the night, including instances when they accidentally fall asleep or take time to rest.
The students from the first group demonstrate better memory of the material and less anxiety. The students from the second group are more likely to forget what they studied, even if it was only a few hours ago. They are less likely to present information consistently, and it is hard for them to concentrate. The students from the second group are also more stressed. All of this negatively influences their performance. Their grades are worse than those of the group that had high-quality sleep.
The conclusion is that high-quality sleep has a positive influence on students’ exam performance. Students who sleep well before an exam tend to achieve higher grades than students who spend the night before the exam studying. This research is beneficial for students, as it demonstrates how to organize their exam preparation in a way that is more effective and convenient for them.
Correlational Study
The question for this study: Is there a connection between the quality of sleep and students’ grades? This study hypothesizes that there is a correlation between the quality of students’ sleep and their course grades. The participants are 60 college students in their second year of study, who are interviewed about the quality of their sleep, including the time and duration of sleep, and their physical well-being after waking up. For estimating grade ratings, the daily data of their academic achievement is used. The independent variable is sleep quality, and the dependent variable is the student’s grades.
The study investigates whether sleep quality affects students’ cognitive performance. Students with high academic achievements tend to have high sleep quality. Students with average and low grades have approximately the same sleep quality.
However, according to research estimates, their sleep quality is lower than that of students who consistently achieve high grades. However, the sleep quality of students with low grades prevails over that of students with average grades. The conclusion is that a correlation exists between sleep quality and students’ grade ratings. This research is helpful for students to understand the factors that are likely to influence their academic performance.
The study’s findings differ in that the experimental study demonstrates a direct relationship between the quality of sleep and performance. In contrast to the experimental study, the correlational study reveals a connection between these two variables. There is a specific interrelation between students’ sleep quality and their grades, but there is no evidence that one is the cause of the other.