1

Michael Bollinger & Jordon Halteman

Mr. West
AP Statistics
6 December 2012
Experimental Design
The science of statistics is not meant to be contained inside the classroom, but to be used
for scientific purposes outside of it. Our knowledge of statistics was culminated for this project
and we used it to answer the question: What is the best way to preserve apple slices both from
browning and from losing moisture?
The experimental units for our experiment were 18 apple slices taken from three apples
that were similar in every way. Our explanatory variables were whether or not it was sealed and
if it was dipped in a lemon juice mixture (50% lemon juice, 50% water) for two minutes, making
both of the variables categorical. The experiment had three experimental treatments namely
being open in the fridge, being sealed in an air tight package in the fridge, and being dipped in
the lemon juice mixture for two minutes before being placed unsealed in the fridge. The level of
browning and the amount of moisture in the apple were our quantitative response variables. We
measured the level of browning by rating it on a scale of one to ten of brownness; one being no
brown and ten being completely brown. For measuring the amount of moisture we weighed the
apple slice before and after, comparing the two numbers thus yielding a moisture difference. The
manner in which we conducted the experiment itself is best shown by the attached schematic.
The control was the apple slices open in the fridge because they were neither exposed to the
lemon juice additive nor were in an air sealed packaging. Random assignment was used in the
form of each of the three apples being exposed to one of the three treatments at random.
Replication in this experiment was shown by using 18 different apple slices, however many more
units could have been used to create a more valid experiment if the funds and time were readily
available.
Blocking and blinding were not used in this experiment. Our concerns with this
experiment are numerous, and if we were to do it over again we would have done it differently.
First we would design our experiment in a way that each of the variables were matched with
each other. For instance, we would have one experimental unit be sealed with the juice and one
sealed without the juice. Then two more units would consist of one not sealed with the juice, and
one not sealed without the juice. These treatments were not done and we thereby did not isolate
the variables to clearly show which variable was associated with which outcome. Secondly, the
use of random allocation was not used for individual apple slices but only for the entire apple.
Without randomly assigning the slices to treatments we cannot infer on the population. Although
multiple faults are apparent, the experiment was still conducted in an effective manner and in
conducting a valid experiment we have exhibited cause-and-effect relationships.
From our results multiple conclusions can be drawn including the observation that the
best way to preserve freshly cut apple slices is by dipping them in lemon juice for two minutes
before placing them in the fridge. After three days these apples appeared and tested to be fresh. A

2
second conclusion is that the worst way to keep apple slices preserved is by sitting them in the
fridge uncovered and untreated. This made the apples lose moisture and turn dark brown. A third
possible preservation method, vacuum sealing the slices, was proven to be in the middle of the
other two treatments. It kept them mostly fresh, yet they still lost moisture and turned light
brown.