Sample Answer

In Dr. Williams’ experiment, the independent variable is time spent volunteering, and the dependant variable is life satisfaction. His experimental group would consist of individuals that are instructed to spend a specified number of hours volunteering then taking the questionnaire. The control group would not volunteer at all, and only take the questionnaire based on their current level of life satisfaction. One variable Dr. Williams should consider to increase his experiment’s internal validity is eliminating confounders. Elections, popular events, holidays, etc., could all be contributing factors to life satisfaction, so it is crucial that the researcher ensures the experiment occurs during a neutral time. Another detail that Dr. Williams should account for is other variables that may skew the results of his experiment. For example, age, gender, medical conditions, etc., could all compromise the experiment’s internal validity. Accounting for this would ensure that the procedure is standardized. Finally, Dr. Williams could conduct the experiment on a smaller scale before producing the final results, as this will allow him to detect and fix any problems that arise.

To add protections for participants, the researcher should ensure that all participants are granted informed consent. The research’s purpose, expected duration, and potential risks involved should all be disclosed in entirety. Also, participants should know of their right to withdraw at any time during the experiment. With this modification, I believe the potential benefits of the knowledge gained from the study far outweigh the potential harm to those involved. If the results from this study were successful, and volunteering truly did affect life satisfaction, this information would be a great benefit to society.