Focusing on coverage of the U.S. presidential election, Julia R. Fox, a telecommunications professor at Indiana University, wondered whether The Daily Show, despite its comedy format, was a valid source of news. She coded a number of half-hour episodes of The Daily Show as well as a number of half-hour episodes of the network news (Indiana University Media Relations, 2006). Fox reported that the average amounts of “video and audio substance” were not statistically significantly different between the two types of shows. Her analyses are described as “second by second,” so, for this exercise, assume that all outcome variables are measures of time.

a. As the study is described, what are the independent and dependent variables? For nominal variables, state the levels.

b. As the study is described, what type of hypothesis test would Fox use?

c. Now imagine that Fox added a third category, a cable news channel such as CNN. Based on this new information, state the independent variable or variables and the levels of any nominal independent variables. What hypothesis test would she use?