One of the more common hybrid designs uses gender as the non-experimental factor. In such a design, researchers cannot make causal claims (not even tentative causal claims) about the effects of gender. However, gender differences are a favorite topic in the popular press and sometimes the findings get discussed in ways that imply causality.

Conduct a search of popular media sources (newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc.) and locate articles focused on the differences between men and women.

 

Select one story or report as the focus of your primary post. Reread the story or report and assess how the gender differences are discussed. Does the reporter or author accurately describe the findings as non-causal? Summarize the findings presented by the story or article and report how well you think the reporter or author did in describing gender as a non-experimental factor. Include the citation of your article in your post along with other reference citations to support your positions and conclusions.