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Correlation misreported as causation

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Hello, I'm working on a paper and want to include something like this in it. Can you please help me with this? What are your thoughts? This is not the actual assignment, simply something I found and want to include in my paper.

Correlation is sometimes misreported as causation. When two variables systematically change, there is a relationship. However, it does not necessarily mean that one variable caused the change in the other. "...Just because the relationship between variables is statistically significant, that doesn't prove that the independent variable actually caused the change in the dependent variable" (Donnelly, 2013, p. 706.)

There is a strong negative correlation in the United Stated between the number of attorneys and the number of cows per acre. Does having an attorney move into the neighborhood cause the cows to move away?

What elements do you think are necessary to establish causation?

How is this accomplished?

Give examples of a correlation that was incorrectly described as cause and effect.

If you use published works, please list the references.

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Correlation misreported as causation are examined.

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Hi there,

Thanks for letting me work on your post. Here is my explanation:

To establish causation, we need to perform experiments rather than just observations. In the experiment, we could have two variables, independent variables and dependent variables. For example, we have 10 attorneys at one town and the crime rate is ...

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