ESS Research Methods Midterm Exam
Halo Effect
"Brownie Points"
Maturation
Biological/sociological changes (aging, hunger, etc.)
d. Basic assumption
The premise that the Minnesota Attitude Inventory is a valid measure of attitude toward school is an example of a: a. limitation b. research hypothesis c. null hypothesis d. basic assumption
Empirical
The researcher collects data on which to base decisions
Reductive
The researcher takes individual events (data) and uses it to establish general relationships
d. plagiarism
The term that denotes using ideas, writings, or drawings of others as your own is a. proselytizing b. misrepresentation c. confutation d. plagiarism
a. Tenacity
The unscientific method of problem solving that arises when the researcher clings to certain beliefs or superstitions despite the lack of supporting evidence is called: a. Tenacity b. Intuition c. Deductive reasoning d. Empirical reasoning
Solomon four-group
This design contains two extra controls groups, which serve to reduce the influence of confounding variables and allow the researcher to test whether the pretest itself has an effect on the subjects
d. Age level
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
External Validity
Trait of research that is commonly referred to as "generalizability" of the study
Basic Research
Type of research that may have limited direct application but in which the researcher has careful control of the conditions
Historical
Unrelated events pertaining to the study
Extraneous variable
Variables that have not been controlled, considered a basic problem in research
Epidemiologic Research
Viable approach to studying problems dealing with health, fitness, and safety concerns
Authority
When you accept something as true, just because someone in a position of authority says it is true or it is an authoritative publication E.g. Parents, teachers, books
c. Pilot study findings
Which of the following is included in the Methodology of a research proposal? a. Significance of the study b. Operational definitions c. Pilot study findings d. Research design and statistics
a. Questionnaire-based research and interview-based research
Which of the following types of research are most similar to each other? a. Questionnaire-based research and interview-based research b. Historical research and job analysis research c. Meta-analyses and qualitative research d. Case studies and historical research
Inductive Reasoning
conclusions based on reasoning that moves from specific observations to more general conclusions
One-group pre-test
pre-test, treatment, post-test
b. Research hypothesis
A researcher predicts that there will be a positive relationship between attitude scores and grade point average. This is an example of a a. limitation b. research hypothesis c. null hypothesis d. basic assumption
Secondary Source
Analyze primary resources (E.g. publications; textbooks, magazine articles, histories, etc.)
Variable
Any characteristic or quality that varies among the members of a particular group
Tenacity
Arises when the researcher clings to certain beliefs or superstitions despite the lack of supporting evidence E.g. A coach wears a particular hat, because the team won the last time he wore it to the game
Randomized pre-test post-test
Both groups have variables measured twice
Placebo Effect
Patient feels like they've improved because they are being treated, but the treatment is fake
Systematic
Problem-solving accomplished through identification and labeling of variables. Data are then collected.
Qualitative Research
Rarely establishes hypotheses at the beginning of the study. Uses more general questions to guide the study.
Expectancy Effect
Select groups are expected to do better
Moderator Variable
Selected to determine if it affects the basic relationship between the primary independent variable and the dependent variable
Jargon
Special words or expressions used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand. Provide meaning to the people within the field because everyone uses those words in the same context
Dependent Variable
The effect of the characteristic, trait, or attribute of a person, place, or thing being manipulated
Internal Validity
The extent to which the results of a study can be attributed to the treatments used in the study
d. case-control study
A type of study that matches individuals with and without disease on factors such as age and ethnicity is the a. experimental-control study b. repeated-measures study c. split-plot study d. case-control study
Independent Variable
A variable the researcher is manipulating, presumed cause variable
Experimental Research
Already existing phenomena or data from the past are observed and analyzed. The researcher can manipulate the data to make things happen
Testing
Idea that people improve over time (e.g. retaking a test multiple times will likely result in improvement each time)
Analytical Research
In-depth study and evaluation of available information in an attempt to explain complex phenomena
Experimental mortality
Loss of participants
Hawthorne Effect
Subjects change due to received attention. Not true reflection of the experiment
a. Solomon four-group
The only true experimental design that can specifically evaluate the reactive or interactive effects of testing is the _______ design. a. Solomon four-group b. reversal c. time-series d. factorial
Replicable
The research process is recorded, enabling others to test the findings by repeating the research
Deductive Reasoning
Way of thought that moves from a general assumption to a specific application
Primary Source
A document or physical object that was written or created during the time under study (original documents; diaries, speeches, interviews), (Creative Works; poetry, drama, novels), (Artifacts; pottery, furniture, clothing)
Hypothesis
A prediction regarding the possible outcome of a study
One-shot case study
A research design in which a single group is exposed to a treatment and its effects are assessed
Equivalent Time-Samples Design
A research design that includes only one group and consists of many pre-tests before a treatment is given and many post-tests after the treatment is given
Null Hypothesis
A statement that predicts that the independent variable has no effect on the dependent variable
Double blind setup
Both participants and researchers do not know
Reactive or interactive effects
Cannot be generalized to the real world. Occurs when the pre-test changes the group's response to the experiment
Selection biases
Choosing who you want to involve in the case study
Intuition
Common sense or self-evident, but often found false E.g. The Earth is flat. No one could run a mile in less than 4 min years ago
Descriptive Research
Concerned with status. Most prevalent technique is a survey
Reactive/interactive effects of testing, interaction of selection bias & the experimental treatment, reactive effects of experimental arrangements, multiple-treatment interference
List the 4 major threats to external validity
Statistical Regression
Two groups with different extremes
Scientific Method
method of solving problems that uses the following steps: defining and delimitating the problem, forming a hypothesis, gathering data, analyzing data, and interpreting the results
Jon Henry Effect
Control group senses an unfair status, so they may not want to try as hard
Avis Effect
Control group tries harder, because they know they are the control group
Random Selection
Every member of the population has an equal opportunity for being selected to participant in researcher's sample
Random Assignment
Every person involved in the investigation has an equal opportunity for being selected in the experimental group
Logical
Examination of the procedures used in the research process allows researchers to evaluate the conclusions drawn
a. experimental mortality
In a research study in which the treatment involved quite intense physical training, 40% of the participants in the treatment group dropped out as compared with 5% of the control group. This threat to internal validity is called a. experimental mortality b. statistical regression c. history d. selection bias
d. a and c
In describing participants in the method section of a research report, which of the following should be included? a. number of participants b. procedures for testing participants c. pertinent descriptive characteristics of participants d. a and c e. a, b, and c
a. it permits a thorough check of the planned data collection and analysis procedures
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
d. history
Just before the posttest, students in the control group were shown a film in another class that related directly to the subject matter being studied in the treatment group. This represents what kind of threat to internal validity? a. selection bias b. statistical regression c. maturation d. history
history, maturation, testing, instrumentation, regression, selection bias, experimental mortality
List the 9 major threats to internal validity
Randomized post-test only control group
No pre-test. Randomize a group
d. All of the above
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
b. Some measures of muscle stiffness
You come across a study entitled "The effects of oral contraceptive use on muscle stiffness across the menstrual cycle." What do you think is likely the dependent (outcome) variable of the study? a. Whether or not the subjects used oral contraceptives b. Some measure(s) of muscle stiffness c. The menstrual cycle d. College-aged women