Washington University has strong reasons for wanting to portray moderate drinking among students. How can I believe this data?
T he SCANB survey was not conducted by Washington University . It was conducted by an outside institution, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), a highly regarded national public health research institution. EDC uses rigorous sampling and research techniques and conducts the survey from its offices in Newton , Massachusetts to ensure that the methodology is strictly adhered to. EDC must follow guidelines for research set by the National Institutes of Health and must adhere to principals for protecting the rights of research participants (in this case, students who are asked to complete the survey). This means that students are made aware of the survey procedures, including the fact that it is both anonymous and voluntary, as well as any potential risks and benefits of completing the survey (both of which are minimal). The NCHA was administered by WU but conducted by the American College Health Association. AlcoholEdu surveys were conducted by Outside the Classroom. Both of these or
