The Taste Test Module

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Problem Statement

"It's the real thing!" "Just do it!" "Cross the border!"

These are examples of common slogans that we encounter in our everyday lives in all of the advertising that we see. These catch phrases are designed to make consumers buy the products being promoted. Still, aside from all of the flashy commercials and catchy jingles, one of the most useful selling point that manufacturers try to use is the taste-test result, or the preference report. "In a national taste-test, Pepsi was declared the favorite soft drink." This could be true of Coke, it just depends on which company conducted the taste-test. Or perhaps you have heard "9 out of 10 doctors prefer Robitussin for cough relief". This is an example of what people prefer for what it does, feels like, or looks like. For example, automobiles, athletic footwear, electronics, and pretty much anything sold through mass media has been put into preference tests. In this lesson you will explore setting up a taste-test, check to see if there is a "true" winner, and learn how to defend that winner to someone on the street.

Day 1: Cola Wars and We have a Winner

Days 2 and 3: The Difference Statistic and Modeling

Day 4: Discuss results, Review process and Write a report