CNS 600 Research & Statistics
Which of the following research question is best suited to an explanatory correlational study?
Using an explanatory research design, the researcher is interested in the extent to which two or more variables covary. The variables are measured at the same point in time.
In a correlational design, researchers
use statistics to relate participants' scores on two or more variables.
Which of the following statements does not reflect evidence of a high-quality correlational study?
Actually, the researcher should select the proper correlation statistic based on the types of scales being used to measure the variables in a study.
Survey research is often exempted from detailed review by an institutional review board unless it
Nevertheless, survey researchers should be sure they are carefully following ethical guidelines and meeting the expectations set for study approval.
How many groups of participants are typically involved in explanatory correlational research designs?
Compared to an experiment, which involves multiple groups or treatment conditions, in explanatory correlational research, the researcher collects scores from only one group and does not divide the group into categories (or factors).
Which of the following is an example of a between-group design?
Comparing the effect of phonics versus whole-language instruction on reading comprehension
Identifying effective interventions requires the researcher to consider all the following except
Considerations about providing diagrams or visualizations in the written report should have no bearing on identifying the interventions to be used.the ability to represent the intervention in a visual fashion as part of the research report.
It is inappropriate for a researcher doing correlational research to
Correlation does not indicate a causal relationship.
The statistical testing in correlational research is used to determine the tendency or pattern for two (or more) variables or two sets of data to vary consistently in
Correlational research allows the researcher to make an assertion, given one score, of how a participant will perform on another outcome.
Kathy has conducted a correlational study. Based on the results, she can predict a student's score on acollege mathematics exam with knowledge about his or her score on the SAT. The two variables are said to
Covary means that we can predict a score on one variable with knowledge about the individual's score on another variable.
In a prediction design, when two variables covary, researchers
Covary means "vary together." Thus, if we know a person's score on one variable, we can calculate an approximate score on the other.
Which of the following research questions is best addressed by experimental research?
Does peer tutoring lead to better writing performance than online tutorials do?
A unique problem that can arise in telephone interviews is
During an interview, the researcher should remain neutral and not share opinions. For example, agreeing with a participant is problematic and can sway the interview.
An analyst reviewing survey responses in a correlational study believes that a couple of participants misunderstood a question. What course of action is appropriate?
Educational researchers do not edit data. It is important to report any issues transparently.
Regarding the benefits of participating in a survey, it is important to
Good ethical practices dictate that survey researchers not overstate the benefits of participating.
Which of the following questions is likely addressed by a trend study?
How do public opinions about school enrollment choice change over time?
Assume you have determined that using a correlational design will best address your research problem. Which of the following responses correctly orders the steps to be taken as you conduct your research?
Identify the sample, identify two or more measures for each participant, collect data and monitor potential threats, analyze the data and represent the results, interpret the results
Federal guidelines for determining when a random experiment is justified do not stipulate which of the following?
If there are equally informative alternatives, the study is likely not justified.
What is the difference between a cohort study and a panel study?
In a cohort study, the individuals studied may differ at different points in time, but all belong to a particular population and share a common characteristic (thus qualifying them for the subgroup); in a panel study, the individuals studied at one point are the same individuals studied at later points in time.
Which of the following statements indicates a negative correlation between Internet use and academic achievement?
In a negative correlation, the points move in opposite directions; that is, when X increases, Y decreases, and when X decreases, Y increases.
In a prediction design, the predictor variable is
In a prediction design, researchers seek to anticipate outcomes by using certain variables as predictors.
A lower-quality experiment does what in terms of threats to validity?
In a lower-quality experiment, the researcher does not raise the topic of internal and external validity in the study or raises one or the other but not both.
Which of the following statements most appropriately expresses the relationship among two variables in a correlational study?
In this example, the researchers take care to indicate the magnitude and direction of the results of the study without suggesting causality.
When providing incentives for surveys, it is important to
Incentives should not be so large that they become unethical by coercing participation.
Which of the following sections of a research report would most likely contain a description of the participants and their assignment to groups?
Including information about the study participants and their assignment to groups is an integral part of the "Methods" or "Procedures" section of a research report.
A researcher who uses an English-only, timed intelligence test that has a heavy emphasis on mathematics computing and problem solving as an outcome measure in an intervention is likely to suffer a threat to which kind of validity?
Internal validity
A wave analysis is
Investigators group survey returns by intervals and check to see if the answers to a few select questions change from the first week to the final week in a study, indicating response bias. The responses of individuals responding in the final week of survey administration should be similar to those returning instruments in the first week. If they differ, researchers report that the potential for bias exists, that is, that the participants studied may not be representative of the sample and the population.
Which of the following is an indicator of higher-quality survey research?
In higher-quality survey research, the researcher uses a systematic procedure for selecting the sample size based on tabled values or a sample size calculation.
After identifying the interview protocol to be used, the next step a researcher should take is
It is critical that the interviews be conducted in the same manner so that results are not affected by varied procedures.
Why is quasi-experimental design more often used in educational research than true experimental design?
It is far more common to see quasi-experimental research in education because student groups (classes, rosters, etc.) are established according to institutional standards.
Which of the following is important for interviewers to record after the interview?
It is important for interviewers to record their own feelings about the interview, such as areas they could have probed more. OK
When writing a report on a survey research study, what is important to include in the "Discussion" section?
It is important to include in the "Discussion" section comments about the generalizability of the results to the population.
The best way to protect confidentiality is to
It is important to minimize links between answers and specific participant identifier, such as through an ID number.
The two basic types of survey designs are
Longitudinal studies collect data over time, and cross-sectional studies involve collecting data at one point in time.
Which of the following is an example of an interaction effect in a factorial design?
Male and female students each reported more positive reactions to the ninth-grade health class when it was taught by a teacher of their own sex.Remember that in a factorial design, researchers study the independent and simultaneous effects of two or more independent treatment variables on an outcome.
A lower-quality correlational study does what in terms of displaying results?
Provides a correlation matrix with only the significant variables
Regarding quality criteria about the survey instrument for data collection, which of the following is an indicator of higher quality?
Providing a reference for locating the instrument
What are the two components of a measure of correlation?
Researchers determine direction (if points on a scatterplot intersect, or move in the same or different directions) and strength (the magnitude of the relationship between the variables).
When removing outliers, it is best to report
Researchers need a clear rationale for removing outliers and must be transparent about reporting their rationale and procedures with outliers.
jay tee is considering a survey research project in which the identity of the interviewer is hidden. Critique this plan.
Researchers should not put the interviewer in a position of being deceptive or misleading.
Chuck plans to collect data for his correlational study that will include an identifier, age, sex, end-of-year exam score, and an anxiety score. What is the best way for him to set up data collection?
Rows for each individual and a column for each variable
An indication that a correlational study is of lower quality might be that
Selection of appropriate statistical tests, based on the types of scales being used, is critical for high-quality correlational research.
Which of the following is best studied with a single-subject research design?
Single-subject designs are appropriate when a researcher wants to know about the behavior of single individuals separately or in groups.
The first step in conducting an experimental study is to
Some other form of research design may better serve your purposes, so you must consider your needs and intentions carefully.decide whether or not an experiment addresses your research problem.
Survey research has the most in common with what other design?
Survey research has much in common with correlational designs. Survey researchers often correlate variables.
Which of the following would be least likely aided by a survey design?
Survey research assesses/tracks trends, opinions, behaviors, and attitudes. Academic achievement would be more likely studied through the use of experimental, quasi-experimental, or correlational research.
Surveys are meant to describe
Surveys are used to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics of the population.
What type of research problem best fits survey research?
Surveys are used to identify beliefs and attitudes.
The main purpose of including a cover letter with a questionnaire is to
The cover letter should explain the importance and significance of the study, which will help individuals decide whether to respond.
In an experimental study, a hypothesis
The hypothesis conveys the researchers' expectations about the impact of the independent variable(s) on the dependent variable.
Response bias occurs when
Wave analysis is a procedure to check for response bias in which investigators group returns by intervals and check to see if the answers to a few select questions change from the first week to the final week in a study, indicating response bias. The responses of individuals responding in the final week of survey administration should be similar to those returning instruments in the first week. If they differ, researchers report that the potential for bias exists, that is, that the participants studied may not be representative of the sample and the population.
The name for the line that is the "best fit" for all the points of scores on the scatterplot is the
This line comes closest to all the points on the scatterplot and is calculated by drawing a line that minimizes the squared distance of the points from the line.
Which of the following questions is not best addressed with a correlational design?
This question would be best answered by experimental or quasi-experimental research. Correlational research is used when researchers want to predict scores and explain the relationships among variables.
Which of the following research problems is best addressed by a cross-sectional design?
To determine what aspects of a research training program participants found most helpful
When writing a cover letter, it is important to explain to participants
To encourage individuals to complete the questionnaire, they need to know why the instrument was sent to them.
In correlational data analysis, a lapse of ethics has occurred when a researcher
To help with this problem, researchers use a conceptual model or theory to guide the selection of variables for measurement. In this way, all possible predictors can be considered.
The basic idea underlying experimental research is to assess the effects of.
an independent variable on a dependent variable.
In an interview, it is better to ask sensitive questions
ater, because the first part of survey provides a warm-up period.
One of the criteria for making causal inferences in an experiment is that each participant could potentially be part of the intervention or control. This principal is known as
causal manipulation
All the following are considered important considerations when using mailed questionnaires except
clearly setting forth the stance of the interviewer.
A university admissions officer seeks to determine if SAT score predicts college GPA. She additionally measures parental income because she believes it also correlates with college GPA. In this case, parental income is a
covariate
One drawback to conducting survey research is that
data consist of self-reported information, reflecting what people think but not necessarily their actions/behaviors.
In an experimental study, another name for the outcome variable is the
dependent variable
When writing the results from a correlational study, researchers should also report the significance testing and
effect sizes.
An experiment is the best choice when you need to
establish cause and effect.
Complete the following analogy: trend study : panel study ::
n a trend study, researchers collect data from the same general population over time, but the individual participants may vary within that population. In a panel study, the same sample population is studied over time. In other words, the same individuals are studied at multiple points in time in a panel study.
Random assignment : random selection ::
placing in groups : equal probability of inclusion in study
To establish equivalent groups, a researcher should rely on
random assignment.
Correlational analyses are visually displayed via
scatterplots.A scatterplot is a pictorial image displayed on a graph of two sets of scores for the participants.
Which of the following describes a higher-quality experiment based on the participants' involvement in the intervention?
A criterion for a higher-quality experiment is that the intervention is given to all participants, even the control group—those on a "wait list" after the experiment concludes.
Rebecca has found a statistically significant correlation coefficient of -.50 between hours spent surfing the Internet and homework completion. What does this mean?
A negative correlation means that as the first variable increases in size, the second variable decreases in size. This does not indicate causation, however.
Training interviewers is important to prevent problems such as
A potential problem with the interviewer is asking questions out of order.
Katja is developing a timeline for her survey research project. For what step should she allocate the most time?
Administering the survey
The sample size in survey design is _____. correlated with _____.
As sample size decreases, sampling error increases.
Despite using accepted procedures, Emily ended up with a response rate of 40% for her survey study of low-income families. What concern will she raise when interpreting the results?
Because so many people chose not to respond, the responses of those who did respond may systematically differ from those of nonrespondents. It is important to consider response bias
Beth has done a survey study using a convenience sample. In terms of the sample, critique this research.
Nonprobability approaches, such as convenience sampling, are indicators of lower quality.
Alyssa conducts an experiment of a promising new intervention to improve child nutrition, which has been a major problem with the existing nutrition program. What is a strategy for the ethical concern with withholding the intervention from the control group?
One strategy to deal with this ethical issue is to offer the treatment, if it was beneficial, to the control group after the experiment concludes.
A correlational study that includes a mediating variable that relates to both the predictor and criterion would use what type of coefficient?
Partial correlation coefficient
Which of the following is least likely to be an ethical concern with regard to experimental research?
Participants' identifying information must be kept confidential
When conducting survey research, what step does the text suggest comes right after deciding if a survey is the best design to use?
The next step is to identify research questions or hypotheses.
Carol conducted a correlational study to examine whether and to what extent sex predicts if a student enrolls in college after high school. What type of correlation test should she obtain?
The phi coefficient
A prediction design is used when the researcher wants to
The purpose of a prediction research design is to identify variables that will predict an outcome or criterion.
Federal guidelines for determining when a random experiment is justified do not stipulate which of the following?
The study must have equally informative alternatives.
Student smoking rates were measured once a year during a 4-year intervention designed to decrease teen smoking. Which of the following extraneous factors would cause the most concern with regard to interpreting this repeated-measures design?
he rising cost of cigarettes would likely influence the rate of student smoking over time; if study results showed a drop in teen smoking at the end of 4 years, researchers would be less confident in attributing it to the treatment because the decrease could very well be explained by some students' inability to meet the rising cost of tobacco.
Christy has developed a survey to assess students' attitudes regarding a new Read-in-School program. One question on the survey asks, "Do you read a lot at home?" She gives the survey to a colleague to review, and the colleague recommends she change this item because
the question as currently written is unclear.
