A researcher is interested in the effect of wearing portable fitness monitors… Which component is missing?

Data collection methods refer to the techniques used to gather information during the research process, such as surveys or observational studies. While essential, these methods are not the missing component in this scenario, as they serve as the foundation for the study but do not address how the collected data will be evaluated.

Research design pertains to the overarching strategy that outlines how the study will be conducted, including the selection of participants and the experimental setup. Although important for structuring the research, it is not the missing component in this case, as it does not specifically focus on the analysis of the data obtained from the fitness monitors.

The sample refers to the group of individuals selected for the study, which represents the larger population of interest. While determining an appropriate sample is vital for generalizability, it is not the missing component in this context because it does not directly involve the plan for analyzing the data gathered.