Question 2·Medium·Command of Evidence
Mean Ratings for Patients after 21 Days
| Measure | Mean rating for participants aware of taking a placebo | Mean rating for participants in the control group |
|---|---|---|
| Global improvement | 5.0 | 3.9 |
| Symptom severity reduction | 92.00 | 46.00 |
| Quality of life improvement | 11.4 | 5.4 |
To test whether a medication is effective, scientists compare outcomes for patients taking it and patients taking a placebo (a medically inactive substance). Patients normally aren’t told they’re receiving a placebo, but a research team conducted a study to see if there might be a medical benefit to telling them.
The team used various measures to evaluate participants, with higher ratings indicating greater well-being in each measure.
Compared to the mean ratings after 21 days for participants in the control group, the mean ratings for participants who were aware of taking a placebo ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the statement?
For questions that ask you to summarize or compare data in a table or graph, first identify exactly which groups or conditions the question wants you to compare. Then scan the relevant rows and columns, looking for a clear pattern such as “all higher,” “all lower,” or “mixed.” Translate that pattern into words (higher means more, lower means less, etc.), and finally choose the answer that directly matches the pattern without adding extra claims (like ranges, causes, or participant-to-participant variation) that the data do not show.
Hints
Focus on which two groups are being compared
The question asks you to compare participants aware of taking a placebo with those in the control group. Make sure you are looking at the correct two columns in the table.
Notice what the ratings mean
The passage says that higher ratings indicate greater well-being on each measure. Keep that idea in mind when you compare the numbers.
Compare row by row
For each measure (each row), check whether the number for the aware group is higher, lower, or the same as the number for the control group. Look for a pattern across all three measures.
Eliminate choices that don’t match the pattern
After you see the pattern in the numbers, cross out any answer that says the ratings are mostly lower, that none indicate greater well-being, or that talks about a range without actually comparing the two groups.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the table is showing
The table compares mean ratings after 21 days for two groups:
- Participants aware of taking a placebo (left numeric column)
- Participants in the control group (right numeric column)
It also tells you that higher ratings indicate greater well-being for all measures.
Compare the numbers for each measure
Look at each row and compare the two numbers:
- Global improvement: aware group = 5.0, control group = 3.9 → 5.0 is larger.
- Symptom severity reduction: aware group = 92.00, control group = 46.00 → 92.00 is larger.
- Quality of life improvement: aware group = 11.4, control group = 5.4 → 11.4 is larger.
In every row, the number for the participants aware of taking a placebo is higher than the number for the control group.
Translate the comparison into well-being
Because higher ratings mean greater well-being, the fact that the aware group has higher numbers in all three rows means that their overall well-being is greater across all three measures compared to the control group.
Match your conclusion to the answer choice
Now choose the option that says the mean ratings for the participants aware of taking a placebo are higher for all three measures, and that this shows greater overall well-being for them compared with the control group.
That option is D) were higher for all three measures, indicating greater overall well-being for these participants.