Research Methods Midterm
A good beginning point in a literature search for the student with a very limited knowledge about a topic is a- Psychological Abstracts b- encyclopedias, textbooks, and literature reviews c- Dissertation Abstracts International d- current issues of several research journals in the area
B
For a predicted score of 30 and a standard error of estimate of 6, the chances are 95 out of 100 that the true score will be between a- 30 and 36 b- 24 and 36 c- 18 and 42 d- 12 and 48
C
For a study with two (or more) independent variables, such as type of instruction and sex, and one dependent variable, such as achievement, the most appropriate analysis technique is a- t test b- Spearman r c- factorial ANOVA d- simple ANOVA
C
If a thermometer measured the temperature in an oven as 400° five days in a row when the temperature was actually 337°, this measuring instrument would be considered a- reliable and valid b- valid but not reliable c- reliable but not valid d- unreliable and invalid
C
A null hypothesis is a- nearly always the same as the research hypothesis b- a statistical hypothesis that assumes that the participants in two treatment groups were unequal before treatment began c- a statistical hypothesis that assumes that there is a difference among the effects of treatments d- a statistical hypothesis that assumes that there is no difference among the effects of treatments
D
When the purpose of the research is to determine the effects of one independent variable (e.g., four groups) on one dependent variable (e.g., self-concept), the best choice of a statistical analysis is a- analysis of variance b- multiple t tests c- discriminant analysis d- MANOVA
A
Another term for the mean is the a- variance b- average c- 50th percentile d- median
B
A study that has one independent variable with three levels and three dependent variables should be analyzed by a- discriminant analysis b- ANOVAs c- dependent t tests d- independent t tests
A
When a researcher decides that an appropriate analysis for a research model is to evaluate how several variables might influence two other variables that in turn influence the outcome variable of interest, the appropriate statistical analysis is a- Structural Equation Modeling b- canonical correlation c- multiple regression d- factor analysis
A
When a tester divides the number of students who answered a test item correctly by the number of students who attempted the item, the result is called a- index of difficulty b- index of discrimination c- item variance d- KR-20 index
A
When we say that research is empirical, we mean that the researcher a- collects data on which to base decisions b- solves the problems through rationalization c- controls all extraneous variables d- finds positive support for the research hypothesis
A
A researcher sought to find out which of two exercises was more effective in building endurance. One group used exercise A, and another group used exercise B. At the end of study, the researcher should compare the two groups' scores by a- a dependent t test b- an independent t test c- the Spearman rank-difference correlation d- multiple regression
B
In evaluating the methods section of a research report, which is a very important question to keep in mind? a- Did the author clearly state the problem? b- Did the author provide enough information that the study could be repeated? c- Were the statistical data clearly summarized in tables or figures? d- Were each of the subjects clearly identified?
B
A predictive validity technique involving the construction of a two-way grid of percentages of students at different levels of an aptitude test who achieved different grades is called a- cross validation b- the known group differences c- an expectancy table d- index of discrimination
C
The term that denotes using ideas, writings, or drawings of others as your own is a- proselytizing b- misrepresentation c- confutation d- plagiarism
D
A physical education teacher develops a skill test in volleyball. After administering the test to 50 students, she asks the volleyball coach to rate the students on volleyball skills. She then correlates the students' test scores with the coach's rating. This is an example of what type of validity? a- criterion validity b- logical validity c- content validity d- face validity
A
A researcher wishes to compare the effects of two instructional methods given at two age levels on achievement on a test of knowledge of rules and on a test of strategy. The appropriate statistical analysis would be a- MANOVA b- discriminant analysis c- multiple regression d- factorial ANOVA
A
The term that describes the position of the hump in the curve of a distribution is a- kurtosis b- the stem c- skewness d- the leaves
C
To calculate L for a correlation of two sets of ranked scores, the degrees of freedom (N - 1) are multiplied by a- t square b- s square c- r square d- chi square
C
When a researcher states that a result is significant, this means that a- the effect is an especially important one b- the scores are not correlated c- the result is unlikely to be a chance occurrence d- the scores are correlated
C
Defining volleyball skill as a score on the AAHPERD Volleyball Test is a(n): a- operational definition b- experimental definition c- constituted definition d- dictionary definition
A
If two measures have a high positive correlation, and a person has a low score on one measure, her score on the other measure is most likely to be a- low b- high c- the same score d- dependent on whether one variable is the cause of the other
A
In a study designed to assess the comparative effectiveness of two workbooks used in teaching students about laboratory procedures, the independent variable of the study would be a- workbooks b- length of the treatment period c- test scores on laboratory procedures d- student attitude toward the intervention
A
In an item analysis, 14 of the 20 high-ability students answered an item correctly, whereas only 8 of the 20 low-ability students did. What is the discrimination index for this item? a- .30 b- .40 c- .50 d- .60 e- .70
A
It is desirable to carry out a pilot study prior to the actual research study because a- it permits a thorough check of the planned data collection and analysis procedures b- a pilot study involves more control over the procedures than is generally attained in the actual research project c- if the pilot study results are positive, further work on the research project will be unnecessary d- the researcher can use the results of the pilot study in the actual study, thus reducing the number of participants needed
A
The determining factor in the order of authorship of a research publication is that the first author is the person who a- develops the idea and plans the research b- gathers the data c- analyzes and interprets the data d- is alphabetically first by surname
A
The generalizability of the results pertains to what kind of validity? a- external b- internal c- construct d- logical
A
The single score that best represents all the scores in a distribution is the definition of a- central tendency b- standard deviation c- variability d- parametrics
A
This question pertains to the following study: "A researcher wishes to determine the effects of an outdoor adventure summer camp on the self-concept of inner-city boys. Boys are randomly assigned to the summer camp and to a control situation. The experimental treatment is for three months. A secondary purpose is to see if age (ages 6, 9, and 12) affects the relationship of the camp effects and self-concept."The researcher states that he is aware that responses to questions on a self-concept scale may not always be what the person really believes. This is an example of a(n) a- limitation b- operational definition c- basic assumption d- delimitation
A
What is the mode(s) for the following set of numbers? (5, 10, 4, 1, 4, 5, 12, 8, 9, 4 ) a- 4 b- 5 c- 5.5 d- 4 and 5
A
Which hypothesis is stated in the null form? a- There is no difference between the vocabulary scores of average- and high-ability students. b- The math achievement scores from School A are significantly higher than the scores from School B. c- The perceptual-motor development of first-grade girls is higher than that of first-grade boys. d- There is a positive relationship between attitude toward school and achievement scores.
A
Which of the following is information that should be found in the section on design and analysis of the data? a- An ANOVA was used to compare the three groups. b- The reliability of the attitude scale was .89. c- There was a significant difference between the two teaching methods. d- All of the 167 participants responded "Agree" to the first item
A
Which of the following statements would appear in the procedures part of the methods section of a research report? a- Participants in the experimental group exercised three days per week for 30 minutes per day for 10 weeks. b- The test-retest reliability of the test instrument was reported to be .88 by Smith (1993). c- Pearson product moment correlation was used to analyze the relationship between scores on the distance run and scores on the test of maximal oxygen consumption. d- Participants scored above the national mean on the dependent variable.
A
A chi-square analysis compares the responses to a question on recreational preferences of males and females at three grade levels. The resulting two-way classification structure is called a a- frequency distribution b- contingency table c- stem-and-leaf display d- Yates continuity table
B
A correlational technique frequently used in the construction of an instrument (such as an attitude inventory) that statistically groups test items that seem to be measuring a particular dimension or trait is called a- Spearman r b- factor analysis c- path analysis d- multiple regression
B
A main disadvantage of nonparametric techniques that has frequently been stated (although there is some disagreement with this claim) is that they a- have more assumptions to be met than parametric techniques have b- are not as powerful (less likely to detect a false null hypothesis) as parametric techniques c- require a larger number of participants to attain significance d- are more difficult to calculate than parametric techniques
B
An important principle set forth by the American Psychological Association is the right of informed consent, which states that the researcher is obligated to a- receive approval from a committee that evaluates ethical considerations of the proposed study b- explain the major features of the study to the participants before the beginning of the study so that they have the opportunity to decline to take part c- weigh the potential worth of the study against any potential harm to the participants before doing the study d- brief the participants on the results of the study before the article is submitted for publication
B
At the end of a well-written introduction, the reader should be able to predict the a- organization of the literature review b- statement of the problem (purpose of study) c- statistical analysis d- measurement tools to be used
B
If ANOVA has found a significant difference among four treatment groups, a follow-up test such as the Scheffé is needed to determine a- whether the F ratio is significantly different from chance b- which of the groups differ significantly from the others c- the percentage of variance accounted for by the treatments
B
In discriminant function analysis, one is able to predict a- a continuous variable b- group membership c- the probability of an occurrence d- a multiple criterion variable
B
The abstract of a study should a- dwell primarily on the theoretical bases for the study b- be a concise summary of the study c- be a lengthy summary of the study d- be mysterious in order to stimulate the reader to read the entire study
B
The extent to which the results of a study can be attributed to the treatments used in the study is the definition of what kind of validity? a- criterion b- internal c- content d- external
B
The inductive and deductive processes are important in a- the advancement of hypotheses b- the statement of the problem c-empirically testing the hypotheses d- statistically testing the hypotheses
B
Which of the following is a technique for providing information about the reliability of an instrument? a- bivariate prediction b- coefficient alpha c- factor analysis d- chi square
B
Which one of the following statements does not describe an advantage of repeated measures? a- Repeated measures control for individual differences among participants. b- Repeated measures can eliminate the influence of some unwanted variable. c- Repeated measures are more economical because fewer participants are needed. d- Repeated measures allow the researcher to study a phenomenon across time.
B
A researcher decides to use an alpha of .01 and a power of .80. To determine the needed sample size the researcher must ascertain the expected a- beta b- stem-and-leaf distribution c- effect size d- skewness
C
A researcher wishes to know whether there is a significant difference in the number of knee injuries reported among four sports. How many degrees of freedom are there for this chi-square analysis? a- 1 b- 2 c- 3 d- 4
C
A thesis was submitted with the title "A study comparing the achievement of sixth-grade students in Moscow, Idaho, instructed in health education through closed-circuit television and regular classroom procedure for a period of 16 weeks." This title a- fails to identify the broad area of research b- is likely to be indexed improperly c- is too long d- does not tell what the study has done
C
After a population of 1,000 high school seniors is divided by sex and size of school attended, the random selection of a sample to represent these proportions of the population is called a- systematic sampling b- matched-pair sampling c- stratified random sampling d- cluster sampling
C
In the example in chapter 1 of the experiment that compared aerobic dance with jogging, what was the dependent variable? a- age of the participants b- number of exercise sessions per week c- skinfold-measured fat d- gender
C
In which part of the methods section should you expect to find information about when the participants were tested? a- Participants b- Instruments c- Procedures d- Design and Analysis
C
The primary sources of a literature review are a- the most current indexes b- encyclopedia summaries c- research journal articles d- recent textbooks
C
The type of scale that uses items such as "Worthless-Valuable" is called a a- Thorndike scale b- Thurstone scale c- semantic differential d- Likert scale
C
This question pertains to the following study: "A researcher wishes to determine the effects of an outdoor adventure summer camp on the self-concept of inner-city boys. Boys are randomly assigned to the summer camp and to a control situation. The experimental treatment is for three months. A secondary purpose is to see if age (ages 6, 9, and 12) affects the relationship of the camp effects and self-concept."The researcher is proceeding on the belief that self-concept can be changed in a summer (three months). This is an example of a(n) a- limitation b- operational definition c- basic assumption d- research hypothesis
C
A report of a research study submitted for a four-chapter thesis and the same study prepared for a journal differ with respect to the length of the a- introduction and review of literature b- description of the methods c- conclusions d- a and b e- a, b, and c
D
A researcher used a t test to compare treatments and obtained a t of 3.45. One group had 48 participants, and the other group had 40. The table value for significance at the .01 level was 2.64. Which of the following is the correct way to express these results? a- t(40, 48) = 2.64, p > .01 b- t(88) = 3.45, p < .01 c- t(2, 86) = 3.45, p < .01 d- t(86) = 3.45, p < .01
D
A statistical technique that tests for significant differences between observed and expected frequencies of occurrence is a- analysis of covariance b- canonical correlation c- Mann-Whitney test d- chi square
D
A teacher wishes to determine the reliability of three trials on a performance test. He uses ANOVA to obtain the reliability coefficient. This technique is called a- interclass correlation b- partial correlation c- equivalence correlation d- intraclass correlation
D
After receiving approval from the university committee on the use of humans as research participants (Institutional Review Board), the researcher a- may begin the study any time within three years. b- does not have to obtain informed consent from participants if they are from the same university. c- does not have to obtain informed consent if the participants are volunteers. d- should include a description of this compliance in the methods section of the thesis or dissertation.
D
For confidentiality, the researcher should a- make certain no unauthorized individuals have access to the research data b- inform the participants about the people who will have access to the data c- remove names from data-collection instruments and replace them with a code d- all of the above
D
For scores from a test to have good content validity, the following statement(s) must be true: a- The test is highly correlated with the final grade in the course. b- The test adequately samples what was covered in the course. c- The percentage of points for each topic area reflects the amount of emphasis given that topic. d- b and c only e- a, b, and c
D
If the researcher fails to reject the null hypothesis when there really is a difference, this is an example of a a- one-tailed test b- two-tailed test c- type I error d- type II error
D
Reliability of a measure may be established by a- giving the test to the same people on two different occasions and correlating the two sets of scores b- correlating scores from alternate forms of the same test c- correlating the test with some independent criterion d- a and b only e- a, b, and c
D
The only type of research that can manipulate treatments and establish a cause and effect is a- descriptive research b- analytical research c- correlational research d- experimental research
D
The researcher's statement that "the boys in the adventure program will make significantly greater gains in self-concept than the boys in the control group" is an example of a(n) a- limitation b- operational definition c- basic assumption d- research hypothesis
D
This question pertains to the following study: "A researcher wishes to determine the effects of an outdoor adventure summer camp on the self-concept of inner-city boys. Boys are randomly assigned to the summer camp and to a control situation. The experimental treatment is for three months. A secondary purpose is to see if age (ages 6, 9, and 12) affects the relationship of the camp effects and self-concept."The categorical variable is a- self-concept b- three months c- adventure summer camp d- age level
D
Three levels of a treatment variable were evaluated for males and females on three dependent variables. A significant F is reported for the interaction of treatment and gender on a linear composite of the three dependent variables. Which statistical analysis was used? a- factorial ANOVA b- discriminant analysis c- LISREL d- MANOVA
D
When the purpose of the research is to evaluate the effects of an independent variable on a dependent variable while controlling the influence of another characteristic, the best choice of a statistical analysis is a- analysis of variance b- multiple regression c- discriminant analysis d- analysis of covariance
D
Which of these statements is/are true concerning the "significance of the study" section in the introduction of a thesis? a- The section should have continuity with the introduction. b- The section should point out conflicts with previous research. c- The section should describe gaps in previous knowledge relative to the study. d- All of the above
D
With regard to capitalization only in APA style, which of these references is/are correct? a- (Book) Plagenhoef, S. C. Patterns of human motion b- (Journal) Cassell, J. Ethical patterns in fieldwork. American Educational Research Journal c- (Journal) Miller, S. I. Defining Educational Policy Studies as a Field. Educational Studies d- a and b
D
