Abstract
- The purpose of our study was to ascertain if a relationship existed between the grade level of high school students and the amount of texts they send on a monthly basis. Furthermore, we planned to investigate whether or not gender affected the amount of texts a person sends. We also wanted to test our suspicion that freshman text more on average than seniors.
- In our background research, we searched for information on Google relating to teenage texting. Our first website focused on statistics car accidents involving texting for teenagers. Our second website discussed general growths and trends for texting in general in the USA over the past several years. The third site we visited claimed that texting had a detrimental effects on teenage language abilities. Finally, in the last part of our background research, we focused on the growing phenomenon among teenagers called "sexting."
- Data was collected throughout the middle of May through surveys. We sent out 40 surveys to each gender within each grade randomly to collect information. Of the 320 surveys we sent out, 233 people responded with usable information.
- Two chi-square analyses were used to analyze the data and determine whether any relationship existed between the gender or grade level of students and the amount of texts they sent in the last month. In each case, the p-value exceeded the set alpha value, and the null hypothesis was not rejected. Therefore, no useful relationships existed between the grade level or gender of high school students and the amount of texts they send. However, we also ran a 2-sample t-test comparing the mean average amount of texts freshman sent last month versus the mean average amount of texts seniors sent last month. The p-value was less than the set alpha value, and the null hypothesis was rejected. Thus, North Olmsted High School freshman do send more texts on average than seniors.
- For weaknesses, see the Discussion page.