Setting Up a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for Spin Class Study

Imagine you are a researcher tasked with designing a study to test the effect of instructor communication style on participants' performance in spin classes. Participants will be assigned to one of two groups:

1. Treatment Group: An instructor who yells at participants during the class.
2. Control Group: An instructor who speaks to participants in a normal, calm manner (referred to as the 'standard' or 'basic' treatment).

Your goal is to set up a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for this experiment.

Key Question:

• How would you structure a CRD for this study?
• What considerations must be made to ensure randomness and control for potential biases?
• How would you assign participants to these groups, and what factors (e.g., number of participants, class schedules, or baseline fitness levels) should be controlled or balanced?

Share your approach and discuss any challenges you foresee in setting up this CRD effectively.

*Learning outcome from this activity: Able to identify basic principle of experimental design