Marketing Research Exam #2
________ is a probability sampling technique in which the sample is chosen by selecting a random starting point and then picking every ith element in succession from the sampling frame. a. Systematic sampling b. Stratified sampling c. Simple random sampling d. Cluster sampling
Systematic sampling
What is the main limitation of randomized block designs? a. They require an equal number of rows, columns, and treatment levels, which is sometimes problematic. b. The researcher can control for only one external variable. c. The number of treatment combinations increases multiplicatively with an increase in the number of variables or levels. d. They do not allow the researcher to examine interactions of the external variables with each other or with the independent variable.
The researcher can control for only one external variable.
A questionnaire can be a major source of response error. a. True b. False
True
All aspects of the questionnaire should be pretested, including question content, wording, sequence, form and layout, question difficulty, and instructions. a. True b. False
True
An analysis of social media content can shed light on the level of measurement that is appropriate in a given project. a. True b. False
True
Assuming no measurement error, the reliability of an estimate of a population parameter can be assessed in terms of its standard error. a. True b. False
True
Debriefing occurs after the experiment and entails informing test subjects what the experiment was about and how the experimental manipulations were performed a. True b. False
True
In many countries, the marketing, economic, structural, information, and technological environments are not developed to the extent that they are in the United States. a. True b. False
True
Price levels, package designs, and advertising themes are examples of independent variables manipulated by the researcher. a. True b. False
True
Respondents with responses that are difficult to articulate should be given aids such as pictures, maps, and descriptions to help them articulate their responses. a. True b. False
True
The constant sum should be considered an ordinal scale. a. True b. False
True
The origin is the highest level characteristic, i.e., a scale that has origin also possesses all the other basic characteristics. a. True b. False
True
With alternative forms reliability, a low correlation may reflect either an unreliable scale or nonequivalent forms. a. True b. False
True
Which of the following statements is not true about unstructured questions? a. Unstructured questions can suffer from order or position bias. b. Precoding can overcome some of the disadvantages of unstructured questions. c. Open-ended questions are useful in exploratory research. d. Open-ended questions are useful as opening questions.
Unstructured questions can suffer from order or position bias
The scientific concept of causality is complex. "Causality" means something very different to the average person on the street than to a scientist. If the ordinary meaning of a statement is "X is the only cause of Y," its related scientific meaning is: ________. a. the occurrence of X makes the occurrence of Y b. X is only one of a number of possible causes of Y c. we can never prove that X is a cause of Y. At best, we can infer that X is a cause of Y d. None of the above is correct.
X is only one of a number of possible causes of Y
All of the statements below are ways in which the researcher can encourage respondents to provide information they are unwilling to give except ________. a. preface the question with a statement that the behavior of interest is common b. use randomized techniques c. provide response categories rather than asking for specific figures d. all of the above
all of the above
Which of the following scales is not a type of comparative scale (Figure 8.2 in the text)? a. Likert b. constant sum c. semantic differential d. both A and C
both A and C
If in test marketing a new product, the researcher ensures that the product is positioned in the correct aisle in each store and obtains the right level of store acceptance and all commodity volume distribution, more than likely, the researcher used ________ to help control for extraneous variables. a. design control b. statistical control c. randomization d. matching
design control
A ________ describes how the analysis will be structured once the data have been collected. a. dummy plan b. analysis table c. dummy table d. none of the above
dummy table
When determining the sample size, the standard deviation may not be known. Which of the following was not mentioned in your text as a way to estimate the standard deviation? a. consult secondary sources b. estimate from the mean c. estimate based on researcher judgment d. conduct a pilot study
estimate from the mean
Analysis of social media can give an understanding that can be valuable in designing an appropriate questionnaire for use in social media surveys but not in traditional surveys. a. True b. False
false
If statistical estimation of sample size is at all attempted, it should be realized that the estimates of the population variance don't vary from country to country. a. True b. False
false
In the statistical approach to determining sample size, the precision level is specified in the end. a. True b. False
false
The confidence interval approach to sample size determination is based on the construction of confidence intervals around the means or proportions using the standardized variate formula. a. True b. False
false
The door-in-the-face attempt at motivating potential respondents is more effective than foot-in-the-door. a. True b. False
false
When using the confidence interval approach to sample size determination, if the statistic of interest is a proportion, rather than a mean, the approach to sample size determination is very different. a. True b. False
false
The statistically determined sample size is the net or ________. a. completion rate b. initial sample size c. final sample size d. incidence rate
final sample size
According to the guidelines of Marketing Research and Intelligence Association of Canada, with the exception of ________, questionnaires that take more than ________ minutes to complete are generally considered "overly" long. a. in-home personal interviews; 30 b. computer-assisted personal interviews; 60 c. computer-assisted personal interviews; 30 d. in-home personal interviews; 60
in-home personal interviews; 30
Which method of improving response rate involves offering potential respondents monetary and non-monetary gifts? a. motivating the respondents b. follow-up c. incentives d. prior notification
incentives
Deciding if a question is necessary or if several questions are needed rather than one are decisions involved with ________. a. choosing question structure b. determining the order of scales c. choosing question wording d. individual question content
individual question content
Situational factors, such as the lack of clarity of the scale, including the instructions or the items themselves, and analysis factors, such as differences in scoring and statistical analysis are both ________ in measurement. a. potential sources of error b. systematic error c. potential sources of reliability d. random error
potential sources of error
Which method of improving response rate involves sending potential respondents a letter notifying them of the imminent mail, telephone, personal, or Internet survey? a. motivating the respondents b. follow-up c. incentives d. prior notification
prior notification
The scale descriptors "never," "rarely," "sometimes," "often," and "very often" are commonly used when studying the ________ construct (Table 9.3 in the text). a. attitude b. purchase intent c. purchase frequency d. satisfaction
purchase frequency
Respondents' inability to remember leads to three types of error. Which of the errors listed below is not mentioned in the text as one of the types of errors created by respondents? a. omission error b. creation error c. recall error d. telescoping
recall error
When trying to overcome respondents' unwillingness to answer, the researcher might list the possible responses a respondent might make. More specifically, the list is an effort by the researcher to ________. a. increasing the unwillingness of respondents b. obtain sensitive information c. reduce the effort required of the respondents d. put the information request in context
reduce the effort required of the respondents
The choice between nonprobability and probability samples should be based on all of the following considerations except (Table 11.5 in the text) ________. a. size of the population b. statistical and operational considerations c. variability in the population d. the nature of the research
size of the population
Experimental design is the set of experimental procedures specifying the test units and sampling procedures and all of the following except ________. a. specifying the plan for data analysis b. specifying how to control the extraneous variables c. specifying the independent variables d. specifying the dependent variables
specifying the plan for data analysis
There are several basic questions involved in sampling design. "Should a sample be taken? If so, what process should be followed?" are two such questions. Which of the following questions is also involved in sampling design? a. What can be done to control and adjust for nonresponse errors? b. How large should the sample be? c. What kind of sample should be taken? d. All of the above are correct.
All of the above are correct
Which of the following statements is correct about implicit alternatives? a. Making an implied alternative explicit may increase the percentage of people selecting that alternative. b. The split ballot technique should be used to rotate the order in which a list of alternatives appear. c. When alternatives are close in preference or large in number, the alternatives at the end of the list have a greater chance of being selected. d. All of the above are correct.
All of the above are correct
n =(s^2)(z^2)/(D^2) Based on the above formula for sample size, sample size increases with increases in all of the items below except ________. a. sample size increases with an increase in the degree of confidence b. sample size increases with an increase in the precision level required of the estimate c. sample size increases with an increase in the population variability d. All of the above are true. Sample size increases with increases in all of the items above.
All of the above are true. Sample size increases with increases in all of the items above
Ethical dilemmas associated with sample size determination include all of the following except ________. a. what should be done when a difference in the actual standard deviation and the estimated standard deviation results in a larger confidence interval than desired b. inflating the standard deviation to increase sample size and project revenue c. investigating the possibility of non-response bias and making a reasonable effort to adjust for it d. All of the above pose ethical dilemmas.
All of the above pose ethical dilemmas
Which statement is true if deciding on the number of scale categories to use in a non-comparative itemized rating scale? a. If telephone interviews are involved, many categories may confuse the respondents. b. If the respondents are interested in the scaling task and are knowledgeable about the objects, a larger number of categories may be employed. c. Space limitations may restrict the number of categories in mail questionnaires. d. All of the statement above are true.
All of the statement above are true
Which statement is not true concerning a standard test market? a. Test markets are selected and the product is sold through regular distribution channels. b. It is a one-shot case study. c. Where external validity is important, at least four test markets should be used. d. All statements are correct.
All statements are correct.
The ________ is called the standard error of the mean or the proportion to indicate that it refers to a sampling distribution of the mean or the proportion, and not to a sample or a population. a. standard deviation b. variance c. coefficient of variation d. standardized variate
standard deviation
Most refusals occur ________. a. when the potential respondent first opens the mail package b. immediately after the interviewer's opening remarks c. Both A and B are correct. d. when the potential respondent is well into the interview
Both A and B are correct
Which of the following is true of the one-shot case study preexperimental design (X O1)? a. It does not provide a basis of comparing the level of O1 to what would happen when X was absent. b. There is no random assignment of test units. c. Both A and B are correct. d. In this design, a group of test units is measured twice.
Both A and B are correct.
Which of the following is an ethical concern associated with doing experiments? a. how to disguise the purpose of the research in a manner that does not violate the rights of the respondents b. how to find respondents for the experiment c. ensuring that the appropriate experimental design for the problem was used d. Both A and C are correct.
Both A and C are correct.
________ are one of two types of scaling techniques in which there is direct comparison of stimulus objects with one another. a. Comparative scales b. Non-comparative scales c. Preference scales d. None of the above
Comparative scales
________ is a type of validity that addresses the question of what construct or characteristic the scale is measuring. An attempt is made to answer theoretical questions of why a scale works and what deductions can be made concerning the theory underlying the scale. a. Criterion validity b. Content validity c. Construct validity d. Internal consistency validity
Construct validity
The mathematical symbols "σX" and "SX" represent a ________ for the population and the sampling distribution respectively. a. variance b. standard error of the mean c. standard deviation d. proportion
standard deviation
________ is a statistical experimental design that is used to measure the effects of two or more independent variables at various levels and to allow for interactions between variables. a. Factorial design b. Randomized block design c. Solomon four-group design d. Latin square design
Factorial design
A questionnaire is an informal set of questions for obtaining information from respondents. a. True b. False
False
An alternative that is not explicitly expressed in the options is an explicit alternative. a. True b. False
False
Evidence of concomitant variation, time order of occurrence of variables, and elimination of other possible causal factors, when combined, demonstrate conclusively that a causal relationship exists. a. True b. False
False
Field experiments have some advantages over laboratory experiments. The field experiment offers a high degree of control because it isolates the experiment in a carefully monitored environment. a. True b. False
False
It is not feasible to have large sample sizes when conducting marketing research in social media. a. True b. False
False
Of the three itemized rating scales considered, the semantic differential scale is used the least. a. True b. False
False
Omission error takes place when a respondent "remembers" and event that did not actually occur. a. True b. False
False
Ratio scales allow proportionate transformations of the form y = bx, where b is a positive constant. One can add an arbitrary constant, as in the case of an interval scale. a. True b. False
False
There are three primary scales of measurement: nominal, ordinal, and ratio. a. True b. False
False
When more than one variable must be controlled, the researcher must use true experimental designs. a. True b. False
False
XO = XT + XS + XR represents the pure score model. a. True b. False
False
Which statement is not true about nonresponse issues in sampling? a. Increasing the response rate may not reduce nonresponse bias. b. Nonresponse error is one of the most significant problems in survey research. c. For a given study, if the nonrespondents differ from the respondents on the characteristics of interests, the sample estimates will only be mildly biased. d. Response rates themselves do not indicate whether the respondents are representative of the original sample.
For a given study, if the nonrespondents differ from the respondents on the characteristics of interests, the sample estimates will only be mildly biased.
________ is the degree to which a study based on a sample applies to a universe of generalizations. a. Generalizability b. Validity c. Reliability d. None of the above
Generalizability
Which of the following statements is not an advantage of unstructured questions? a. Unstructured questions are good as first questions on a topic. b. Unstructured questions have a much less biasing influence on response than structured questions. c. Implicitly, unstructured questions give extra weight to respondents who are more articulate. d. Unstructured questions are useful in exploratory research.
Implicitly, unstructured questions give extra weight to respondents who are more articulate
________ is a method to adjust for nonresponse by assigning the characteristic of interest to the nonrespondents based on the similarity of the variables available for both nonrespondents and respondents. a. Imputation b. Trend analysis c. Subjective estimates d. Weighting
Imputation
A recent study indicated that consumers prefer ________ surveys versus the ________ method of surveys. a. Internet; mail b. telephone; Internet c. Internet; telephone d. mail; telephone
Internet; telephone
________ is a scale in which the numbers are used to rate objects such that numerically equal distances on the scale represent equal distances in the characteristic being measured. a. Ratio scale b. Ordinal scale c. Nominal scale d. Interval scale
Interval scale
Which statement is not true about laboratory experiments? a. Laboratory experiments allow for more complex designs than field experiments. b. Laboratory experiments are likely to have higher external validity than field experiments. c. The artificiality of the environment may cause reactive error, in that the respondents react to the situation itself, rather than to the independent variable. d. The laboratory environment offers a high degree of control because it isolates the experiment in a carefully monitored environment.
Laboratory experiments are likely to have higher external validity than field experiments.
Consider a scale from 1 to 100 for locating consumers according to the characteristic "attitude toward department stores." Each respondent is assigned a number from 1 to 100 indicating the degree of (un)favorableness, with 1 = extremely unfavorable, and 100 = extremely favorable. ________ is the actual assignment of a number from 1 to 100 to each respondent. ________ is the process of placing the respondents on a continuum with respect to their attitude toward department stores. a. Scaling; Ranking b. Measurement; Scaling c. Ranking; Measurement d. Scaling; Measurement
Measurement; Scaling
________ is a method of adjusting for nonresponse in which the researcher tries to discern a trend between early and late respondents. This trend is projected to nonrespondents to estimate their characteristic of interest. a. Subsampling of nonrespondents b. Imputation c. Subjective estimates d. None of the above are correct.
None of the above are correct
Which of the following is not a measure developed to evaluate social media sites based on information that is publicly available? a. output (frequency, quantity) b. inbound links c. media citations d. technorati, bloglines or blogpulse followers e. longevity
technorati, bloglines or blogpulse followers
Which of the following statements is not a consideration when making non-comparative itemized rating scale decisions? a. balanced versus unbalanced scales b. forced versus non-forced choice c. the order of the scale questions d. the number of scale categories to use
the order of the scale questions
When considering ________, accumulated evidence from several investigations increases our confidence that a causal relationship exists. a. concomitant variation b. the elimination of other possible factors c. the role of evidence d. the time order of occurrence of variables
the role of evidence
All of the following statements are limitations of simple random sampling except ________. a. simple random sampling often results in lower precision with larger standard errors than other probability sampling techniques b. the sample results may be projected to the target population c. simple random sampling may or may not result in a representative sample d. it is often difficult to construct a sampling frame that will permit a simple random sample to be drawn
the sample results may be projected to the target population
The statement 'An effect cannot be produced by an event that occurs after the effect has taken place,' refers to ________. a. the time order of occurrence of variables b. the role of evidence c. concomitant variation d. the elimination of other possible factors
the time order of occurrence of variables
A major issue related to Internet sampling is representativeness because of lack of computer ownership and Internet access in many households in the United States. a. True b. False
true
Creative Research Systems (www.surveysystem.com) is a Web sites on the Internet that offer free use of sample size and/or confidence interval calculator. a. True b. False
true
Generally, large samples are desirable in social media research. a. True b. False
true
High response rates decrease the probability that nonresponse bias is substantial. a. True b. False
true
In simple random sampling, each element in the population has a known and equal probability of selection. a. True b. False
true
Prepaid incentives have been shown to increase response rates to a greater extent than promised incentives. a. True b. False
true
Quota sampling ensures that the composition of the sample is the same as the composition of the population with respect to the characteristics of interest. a. True b. False
true
Research indicates that questions that rely on unaided recall can underestimate the actual occurrence of an event. a. True b. False
true
Stratified sampling differs from quota sampling in that the sample elements are selected probabilistically rather than based on convenience or judgment. a. True b. False
true
The process of generalizing the sample results to the population results is called statistical inference. a. True b. False
true
The representativeness of information from general social media can be improved by screening result in a more targeted and representative sample. a. True b. False
true
The researcher has an ethical responsibility to the client to develop a sampling design that is appropriate for controlling the sampling and nonsampling errors. a. True b. False
true
To control for order bias, several forms of the questionnaire should be prepared with the order in which alternatives are listed varied from form to form. a. True b. False
true
Trend analysis is an attempt to discern a trend between early and late respondents. a. True b. False
true
Two major nonresponse issues in sampling are improving response rates and adjusting for nonresponse. a. True b. False
true
When determining the sample size, if the population standard deviation, σ is unknown and an estimate is used, the standard deviation should be re-estimated once the sample has been drawn. Next a revised confidence interval should be calculated to determine the precision level actually obtained. a. True b. False
true
When the sample size is 10 percent or more of the population size, the standard error formulas will overestimate the standard deviation of the population mean or proportion. Hence, these should be adjusted by a finite population correction factor. a. True b. False
true
Observational forms should specify the who, what, and when of the behavior to be observed. The forms should also specify all of the items below except a. whether b. where c. why d. way
whether
The equation for a 95% confidence interval is: ________. a. x ± 1.96 σ b. x ± 1.65 σ c. x ± 1.65 σ d. A, B, C are incorrect
x ± 1.96 σ
________ is a statistical design in which the test units are blocked on the basis of an external variable to ensure that the various experimental and control groups are matched closely on that variable. a. Solomon four-group design b. Factorial design c. Latin square design d. Randomized block design
Randomized block design
Which of the following practices should be avoided when reproducing the questionnaire? a. Sideways formatting and splitting should be done to conserve space. b. If the printed questionnaire runs to several pages, it should take the form of a booklet. c. Directions or instructions should be placed as close to the questions as possible. d. Surveys directed at different respondent groups can be reproduced on different colored paper.
Sideways formatting and splitting should be done to conserve space
________ is a form of internal consistency reliability in which the items constituting the scale are divided into two halves and the resulting half scores are correlated. a. Test-retest reliability b. Alternative-forms reliability c. Split-half reliability d. Internal consistency reliability
Split-half reliability
________ involves measuring the extraneous variables and adjusting for their effects through statistical analysis. a. Design control b. Statistical control c. Randomization d. Matching
Statistical control
________ refers to an extraneous variable that occurs when test units with extreme scores move closer to the average score during the course of the experiment. a. Instrumentation b. Statistical regression c. Selection bias d. None of the above
Statistical regression