An agricultural scientist investigated the effect of a new organic bio-stimulant on crop productivity. A matched pairs design was used, involving 15 agricultural plots treated with the bio-stimulant and 15 agricultural plots treated with a standard synthetic fertilizer. Each plot was monitored over a 12-week cultivation cycle. The scientist matched the plots in pairs based on their baseline soil nitrogen content and average daily sunlight exposure.
The scientist recorded the total crop yield (in kg) harvested from each plot at the end of the cycle. It was found that the plots treated with the bio-stimulant produced a significantly higher crop yield compared to those treated with the standard fertilizer.
Question: Outline one advantage of using a matched pairs design in this study.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Scientific processes with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 689 questions, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
