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Biology AS AQA

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  1. 1-1-biological-molecules-carbohydrates
    11 主题
  2. 1-2-biological-molecules-lipids
    3 主题
  3. 1-3-biological-molecules-proteins
    5 主题
  4. 1-4-proteins-enzymes
    12 主题
  5. 1-5-nucleic-acids-structure-and-dna-replication
    8 主题
  6. 1-6-atp-water-and-inorganic-ions
    4 主题
  7. 2-1-cell-structure
    7 主题
  8. 2-2-the-microscope-in-cell-studies
    4 主题
  9. 2-3-cell-division-in-eukaryotic-and-prokaryotic-cells
    8 主题
  10. 2-4-cell-membranes-and-transport
    9 主题
  11. 2-5-cell-recognition-and-the-immune-system
    7 主题
  12. 2-6-vaccines-disease-and-monoclonal-antibodies
    6 主题
  13. 3-1-adaptations-for-gas-exchange
    6 主题
  14. 3-2-human-gas-exchange
    14 主题
  15. 3-3-digestion-and-absorption
    5 主题
  16. 3-4-mass-transport-in-animals
    6 主题
  17. 3-5-the-circulatory-system-in-animals
    4 主题
  18. 3-6-mass-transport-in-plants
    6 主题
  19. 4-1-dna-genes-and-chromosomes
    10 主题
  20. 4-2-dna-and-protein-synthesis
    3 主题
  21. 4-3-genetic-diversity-mutations-and-meiosis
    7 主题
  22. 4-4-genetic-diversity-and-adaptation
    6 主题
  23. 4-5-species-and-taxonomy
    4 主题
  24. 4-6-biodiversity
    9 主题
课 14, 主题 11
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3-2-11-correlations-and-causal-relationships

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Exam code:7401

Correlations & causal relationships

Correlation

  • A correlation is an association between variables, e.g.:

    • positive correlation: as variable A increases, variable B increases

    • negative correlation: as variable A increases, variable B decreases

  • A correlation coefficient can be calculated to determine the strength of a correlation

Charts show correlations: positive with upward trend, negative with downward trend, and no correlation with scattered points between variables A and B.
Correlations can be positive or negative

Causal relationships

  • Causation, or a causal relationship, is present when a change in one variable is caused by a change in the other

  • Correlation does not equal causation

    • The two variables may be linked by a third factor that has not been taken into account by the research

  • In order to demonstrate that a correlation indicates a causal relationship, researchers need to:

    • see the same results repeated across many studies

    • demonstrate that the causal factor is occurring before the resulting change

    • demonstrate the causal mechanism

    • carry out controlled trials (this is not always possible)

Examiner Tips and Tricks

When drawing conclusions from data in exams, you should always be careful not to go beyond what the data show.

For example, if a graph shows a positive correlation between pollution levels and COPD, it would be correct to say that:

  • there is an association between the two

  • increasing pollution levels are correlated with an increase in COPD / there is a positive correlation

It would not be correct to claim that the increase in one causes the other to increase; more data would be needed before reaching this conclusion.

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