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