For each research situation below (clearly) identify the: (1) independent variable(s), (2) dependent

variable(s) and (3) level of measurement for each of the variables that you identified in (1) and (2).

a.

A supervisor in the solid waste management division of a city government is attempting

to assess two different methods of trash collection. One area of the city is served by

trucks with two-person crews who do "backyard" pickups, and the rest of the city is

served by "hi-tech" single-person trucks with curbside pickup. The assessment measures

include the number of complaints received from the two different areas over a six-month

period, the amount of time per day required to service each area, and the cost per ton of

trash collected.

b.

A graduate student is studying sexual harassment on college campuses and asks 500

female students if they have personally have experienced any such incidents. Each

student is asked to estimate the frequency of these incidents as either often, sometimes,

rarely or never. The researcher also gathers data on age ("How old are you?") and major

("What is your major?) to see if there is any connection between these variables and the

frequency of sexual harassment.