Research Desgin Midterm
False
True/False: If you wanted to find out whether the amount of punishment used had an effect on how long it took to housebreak puppies, you would most likely use a factorial design.
Sampling Error
We can estimate the differences between characteristics of a sample and the population from which it was drawn using the statistical concept of ___
True
True/False: In most cases, as sample size increases, sampling error decreases.
True
True/False: In science, replication means that if a study is redone, the results should be very similar.
False
True/False: Once you have decided what dependent variable(s) to use, and have determined how you will select your sample, you are ready to begin data collection.
True
True/False: One reason to conduct a literature review is to determine what new work in an area needs to be done.
False
True/False: Only experimental and quasi-experimental research can examine the relationships between variables.
False
True/False: Secondary research sources normally publish articles that report original research result
True
True/False: Sexually or culturally biased writing should be avoided in proposing or reporting research
True
True/False: The Expanded Academic Index will reference general, secondary, and primary sources.
True
True/False: When selecting participants using a cluster sampling method, there may be problems in generalizing if the units in the cluster are too different from each other.
False
True/False: Your own personal experiences are rarely a good source for research ideas.
True
True/False: If an author feels that it would be helpful to make raw data from an experiment available, these data should be included in an appendix.
False
True/False: The running head of a manuscript appears only on the title, author's note, and reference pages of an APA formatted manuscript.
True
True/False: If you have completed a research project and are writing a new proposal, the data you collected for the first project should be included in the results section of your new proposal.
True
True/False: If you want to ensure that people with particular characteristics are included in your sample, you should use a quota sampling method.
D
Suppose a researcher reads a published report of a study and thinks that the study's results are wrong; that is, the study could not have produced the results as described. The researcher conducts her own study, following as closely as possible the description of methods in the report. If her results are substantially different from those reported in the first study, then the first study: A Was not well designed. B Was too complex. C Was ethical. D Was not replicated.
C
The purpose of an Institutional Review Board is to determine A Whether the money being requested in a grant is going to be spent only on the research. B Whether a research study is well enough designed to test the hypothesis. C Whether there are significant risks to the participants in a research study. D Whether conducting the research will interfere with a researcher's other responsibilities.
A
The risk associated with being less than 100% certain that any differences observed in an experiment were a result of the different treatments is known as: A Significance Level B Significance function. C False alarm factor. D Confounding.
Title Page
The running head of an article, name(s) of the author(s) and their affiliation will be found in the __________.
Interacting
The term moderator variable most nearly means _____ variable.
B
There are two types of research hypotheses, known as ___ and ___. A Positive; negative. B Directional; nondirectional. C Directional; unidirectional. D Bi-directional; multidirectional.
False
True/False: Measurement scales have the property of exclusivity, that is, variables measured on one scale cannot be measured on another scale.
False
True/False: Once you formulate a research hypothesis, you should search the relevant literature. Then, when writing your review, you should include information that supports your hypothesis, and exclude information that does not support your hypothesis.
True
True/False: One critical feature of a simple random sample is that the choice of one member of a population does not affect the likelihood of choosing any other member of that population.
True
True/False: One goal of a good experiment is to generalize the results of the experiment to the population from which the sample was chosen.
False
True/False: Participants in a research study should never be deceived.
False
True/False: Suppose that you read a research proposal, and find that the review of the literature does not include any articles published within the previous 10 years. You can be sure that no significant research has been conducted on the topic in recent years.
False
True/False: Suppose that your Grade Point Average is 4.0 while the GPA of your friend is only 2.0. This means that you are twice as good a student as your friend.
False
True/False: Textbooks are considered good primary sources of information on research.
False
True/False: The greater the error score associated with a measurement instrument, the greater will be the reliability of that instrument.
False
True/False: The main purpose of a results section is to interpret the outcomes of statistical tests.
False
True/False: The major difference between true and quasi-experimental designs is that in true experimental designs, subjects are pre-assigned to groups.
True
True/False: The mean of a larger rather than a smaller sample will more accurately reflect a population's true mean.
True
True/False: The only way to ensure that a sample truly represents the population is to choose the entire population as the sample
True
True/False: The term factor means nearly the same thing as independent variable.
True
True/False: The title of a research article should be clear and concise.
False
True/False: The typical abstract thoroughly reviews the background research on a topic.
True
True/False: Threatening variable is another term for extraneous variable.
True
True/False: Two of the criticisms that Hall, Ward, & Comer (1988) made of published studies were that data collection procedures were not well controlled and that data collection methods were not clearly described.:
True
True/False: Using a systematic sampling method will reduce the probability that certain members of a population will be sampled.
True
True/False: When a researcher designs a measurement instrument, an assumption is made that a true score exists for the variable being measured.
False
True/False: When choosing a sample using simple random sampling methods, it is wise to use a sampling criterion that is related to the dependent variable(s).
False
True/False: When conducting research with children, only the child's parents or guardians can make a decision for the child to be withdrawn from the study.
True
True/False: When identifying factors that might influence a behavior, it is often useful to select factors that will lead to more questions.
False
True/False: When submitting a manuscript, figure captions should be included on the same page as the figure.
True
True/False: You should be critical of a study that does not specify where the participants came from and how they were selected.
False
True/False: If humans are the participants in an experiment, they are mentioned in the method section. In contrast, when nonhuman animals are used, this fact is included as a footnote.
False
True/False: One of the best reasons to clearly state a research hypothesis is to allow a project to recover from a poor choice of dependent variables
True
True/False: When there is more than one authors of a research paper, their names on the title page should be listed in order of their relative contribution to the project.
C
Two major functions of a theory are to: A Prove the results of research; organize information in an understandable manner. B Organize information in an understandable manner; explain the world. C Organize information in an understandable manner; predict new discoveries. D Predict new discoveries; prove the results of research.
C
When evaluating a review of the literature on a topic, you should ask A How the sample was selected B Whether there is enough information to replicate the studies C Whether the cited studies are recent and relevant to the research problem D Whether the cited studies report true or quasi-experimental research
C
When evaluating the method of a research study, you should ask A Whether the authors have referred to recent research. B Whether the results are related to the hypotheses. C Whether the independent and dependent variables are clearly stated. D Whether the hypotheses are clearly stated.
Equal Independent
When using simple random sampling, each member of the population has an ___ chance of being selected to be a part of the sample.
Appendix
When writing a research proposal, the actual data from the pilot studies is normally included in the _______
D
When you are deciding how to approach potential participants, you should consider A Whether the characteristics of the sample match the characteristics of the population in which you are interested B The number of variables you are attempting to study C Whether the people you intend to approach are members of a group that has been organized for some specific purpose D All of the above
A
Which of the following best represents the results of correlational research? A College admissions counselors use SAT scores to determine who should be admitted. B Anthropologists watch the tribal rituals of aborigines in Australia. C Physicians prescribe cancer medications to some patients. D Presidential biographers compare the Bush and Clinton presidencies' reactions to terrorism.
A
Which of the following hypotheses should be tested using a factorial design? A Depressed patients respond better to a combination of behavioral modification and Prozac™ than to other combinations of therapy and medication. B When trapping small birds, hinge traps work better than snap traps, but mist-net traps work better than either. C Of the 6 best selling cereals, children prefer the one with the most sugar. D Females are better than males on tasks that require verbal skills.
C
Which of the following is a general source of information? A Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines. B The National Society for the Study of Education Yearbook. C The Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. D Adolescence.
A
Which of the following is an example of a null hypothesis? A Aspirin™ and Tylenol™ work equally well at relieving headache pain. B Aspirin™ is not a pain reliever. C Aspirin™ works about twice as well as Tylenol™ at relieving headache pain. D Some pain relievers work better at relieving headache pain than do others.
C
Which of the following is an example of generalizability? A Aspirin is found to be as effective as Tylenol at treating headaches. B Positive reinforcement leads to better retention of a learned skill than does negative reinforcement. C A form of therapy that is effective in treating divorced women is also effective in treating divorced men. D College seniors are found to drink more than college juniors.
A
Which of the following is not a way of increasing reliability? A Increase the true score. B Exclude questions that are unclear. C Increase the sample size. D Minimize trait error.
B
Which of the following is the correct order of appearance for the items listed? A Introduction, method, discussion, results. B Introduction, method, results, discussion. C Abstract, introduction, discussion, results. D Method, discussion, results, references.
C
Which of the following qualities is included in a nominal scale? A Only a true zero. B Differences and a true zero. C Only differences. D Differences, a true zero, and intensity.
D
Which of the following qualities is included in an interval scale? A Greater than and less than. B A true zero. C Differences. D Both a and c.
A
Which of the following questions would probably require the largest sample size in order to detect an effect? A Do identical twins differ in their preferences for foods during infancy? B Are there any differences in men and women's likelihood of remarrying after a divorce? C Do brothers and sisters differ in their attitudes toward abortion? D Are high school students or college students more likely to actively participate in extracurricular activities?
A
Which of the following research questions would most likely involve a quasi-experimental research design? A Do college graduates respond differently to political ads than do people with no college education? B Can a jury's decision be influenced by the fame or notoriety of a defendant? C Is drug A or drug B more effective at relieving symptoms of schizophrenia? D Does a new method of studying math result in better ACT scores than does an older method?
A
Which of the following statements about sampling error is true? A As the values of sample means become more different, sampling error becomes larger. B As the values of sample means become more different, sampling error becomes smaller. C An effective sampling technique will increase sampling error. D A high sampling error indicates that a particular sample is likely to highly representative of the population.
C
Which of the following statements best captures the idea that research is based on the work of others? A Before you begin planning a research project, you should make sure that no one else has already done anything similar. B You should study what has already been done to make sure that your project can be done. C Before you begin planning a research project, you should become familiar with what other researchers have already published in the area. D You should strive to repeat exactly what another researcher has already done because this will ensure the success of your project.
C
Which of the following statements is about a characteristic measured on a nominal scale? A Mary's hair is greener than Betty's. B Water boils at 100 degrees C, but methyl alcohol boils at 159 degrees C. C Four fighter jets are numbered 212, 354, 403, and 435. D Republicans are generally more conservative than Democrats.
A
Which of the following statements is about a characteristic measured on an ordinal scale? A Mary's hair is greener than Betty's. B Water boils at 100 degrees C, but methyl alcohol boils at 159 degrees C. C People with college educations make, on average, 40% more per year than do people with only a high school education. D Football player's jerseys are numbered 10, 16, 31, & 44.
B
In an APA formatted paper, what is the proper formatting for a first level heading? A Indented, italicized, and in upper and lower case. B Centered, in upper and lower case. C Centered, all in upper case. D Flush left, in both upper and lower case.
A
In an APA formatted paper, what is the proper formatting for a third level heading? A Indented, italicized, and in upper and lower case. B Centered, in upper and lower case. C Centered, all in upper case. D Flush left, in both upper and lower case.
D
In an APA formatted reference list, when citing a journal article, which part of the citation is italicized? A The date of publication and the page numbers. B The names of the authors and the date of publication. C The title of the article. D The name of the journal.
theory
In science, a _______ is something that both helps us organize information in an understandable manner, and predicts new discoveries.
D
In which section of a research proposal would you normally find a description of the hypothesis? A Method B Results C Appendices D Introduction
D
Mr. Smith weighs himself once a week using his bathroom scale. But because he is vain about his weight, he has set the scale to weigh 10 lbs light. That is, if the scale reads 175 lbs, he knows that he actually weights 185 lbs, and if it reads 200 lbs, he knows that he weighs 210 lbs. Mr. Smith's bathroom scale A Is reliable and valid. B Is unreliable but valid. C Is unreliable and invalid. D Is reliable but invalid.
URL
Another name for the address of a home page is _________
True Experimental
Compared to quasi-experimental research, _____ research has a higher degree of control of group membership.
Cell
In a factorial design, each unique combination of treatment conditions is known as a(n) _____.
Expected
One of the characteristics of a good hypothesis that it predicts a(n) _____ relationship between variables.
inferential
One set of tools that allow a researcher to separate the effects of chance from the effects of the factors being studied is called _____ statistics.
Method
Peculiarities of a testing situation that lead to errors in measuring a characteristic are known as___errors.
Basic
Research that may have no immediate foreseeable purpose is often called _________ research.
D
Suppose that you are interested in surveying people's attitudes toward government funding for the arts. Which of the following represents would be a cluster sampling technique for this survey? A Search on Google for available online phone books, then randomly select numbers from those phone books. B Randomly select only people to survey who have donated to the arts. C Set up a booth at several different shopping malls, and survey one or two people from each group of 5 or more that walks by your booth. D Identify several urban and non-urban areas in the country, and then randomly select people within each of these geographic areas.
Probability
Systematic, stratified, and cluster are all types of ___ sampling.
Simple Random
The most widely used type of probability sampling is known as ___sampling.
Factorial
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. Research designs that include more than one independent variable are known as _____ designs.
News Groups
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. The following abbreviations—Alt, Hum, K12, & News—are all examples of ___ names.
Null Hypothesis
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. The statement: H1: X (subscript)13 ≠ X(subscript)6 is a statement of the _____.
Informed Consent form
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. When conducting research, each human participant should be given enough information about what will happen in the study so that they can decide whether to participate. If they agree to continue, they should sign a(n) ___.
Variable
_____ is the term that refers to a class of outcomes that can take on more than one value.
Generalizibility
If the results of a study can be reasonably applied to the population from which a sample was drawn, the study is said to have good ___
D
If the results of a study do not support the research hypothesis, then A The hypothesis that led to the study was not stated correctly. B The study was probably poorly designed. C The study lacks generalizability. D The hypothesis that led to the study might be wrong.
Replicability
If the results of one research study are different from the results of another, very similar study, then the first study probably had low________.
Stability
Test-retest reliability measures how consistently subjects perform from one testing session to another. Another word for this consistency is ___
Table
Text material that is presented in columns or rows is called a(n) __________.
False
True/False: A good research project should provide a final answer to a complex question
True
True/False: A good sample should accurately represent the population from which it is drawn.
True
True/False: Current research builds upon the results of past research
False
True/False: Effect size is another name for sampling error.
False
True/False: Generally, a sample that is as large as possible is best.
True
True/False: Some independent variables are not under the researcher's direct control.
True
True/False: Suppose that you are interested in whether twins who are in the same class together do better in school than twins who are in different classes. If you decide to interview only one member from each pair, you will not be able to choose your sample using simple random sampling.
False
True/False: Suppose that you hypothesize that drug A will work better than drug B for relieving headache pain. The associated null hypothesis would be that drug B will work better.
A
What are the three most common subheadings in the method section? A Participants, instruments, and data analysis. B Introduction, main thesis, and discussion. C Instruments, measurements, and data analysis. D Participants, data analysis, and results.
D
What information should be found in an abstract? A A short description of the participants B A brief statement of the purpose of the research C A brief description of the conclusions based on the results D All of the above
B
When you write a literature review, one of your goals should be to: A Address any ethical problems in the published literature. B Make sure that your references are as current as possible. C Describe the implications of your review. D Explain how you searched for the research articles you used.
Method
Whether a test is given to one person at a time or to a group of individuals concerns the tests _______ of administration
Hypothesis
A clear relationship between variables is stated as the______
Research Question
A clearly stated expression of interest and intent in a particular topic is also known as a(n) _______
Network
A collection of computers that are connected in such a way that they can communicate with each other is known as a(n) __________
Control
A factor that might have an undesired influence on the outcome of an experiment, and which is therefore held constant is called a(n) _____ variable.
A
A researcher is interested in the play behavior of school children, and after gaining all of the necessary permissions, conducts research on play behavior. Which of the following research strategies would be convenience sampling? A Sitting in a van across from a school playground and videotaping the behavior of all of the children within range of the video camera. B Videotaping the playground behavior of all of the 4th graders in the school. C Identifying the most popular playground games, and then asking all of the children who play those games why they like them. D Interviewing the teachers of all of the children in the school.
A
Descriptive research has as its goal the description of A The characteristics of an existing phenomenon. B The characteristics of a past event. C The causal relationship between two or more variables. D None of the above.
A
Different research approaches typically differ on three dimensions. These are: A Nature of the question asked; method used to answer the question; and degree of precision of the method used to answer the question. B Use of a theory; use of hypotheses; and use of inferential statistics. C Method used to answer the question; method used to evaluate the answer; and method used to evaluate the hypothesis. D How the hypotheses are stated; methods used to answer the hypotheses; and degree of generalizability.
Chance
In experiments, random variability is another name for _____.
Causal
Nonexperimental research does not examine _______ relationships between variables.
Probability
Suppose that you know that the number of voters in a particular city is 1000, and that 45% of these voters are registered Democrats. The probability of selecting a Democrat at random is therefore.45. This is an example of ___ sampling.
False
True/False: Material published online is usually as reliable as material published in primary sources.
True
True/False: Measurement concerns making judgments about outcomes.
Quota
If you suspect that there are important characteristics in a population that might relate to your variables, but stratified sampling is not possible, you should consider using ___ sampling.
Stratified
If you want to ensure that the makeup of your sample matches important characteristics of the population, you should use ___ sampling.
Descriptive
If you were to sit on a corner and record the year, make and model of every car that ran the stoplight, you would be conducting _______ research.
Dependent
In a research study, a change in behavior that is a result of an experimental treatment is known as a(n) _____ variable.
B
Most variables of interest to psychologists are probably measured at what levels?: A Interval or ratio. B Nominal or ordinal. C Ordinal or interval. D Nominal or interval.
References
A list of the works that an author consulted while conducting and writing the results of a research study are found in the __________.
B
A literature review usually follows which of the following sequences? A Searching general sources, organizing notes, searching primary and secondary sources based on your notes, then writing a proposal. B Searching general sources, then secondary sources, then primary sources, and then organizing notes and writing a proposal. C Writing a proposal, then taking notes on the proposal and then searching secondary and primary sources to verify your notes. D Searching secondary sources, then primary sources, organizing notes and writing a proposal, and then comparing your proposal against general sources.
C
A major characteristic of independent variables is that A They are changes in behavior caused by a treatment imposed by the researcher. B Their values are held constant across all treatment conditions of an experiment. C They are manipulated or chosen by the experimenter. D They can adversely affect the outcome of an experiment.
Discriminant validity
A multitriat-multimethod matrix approach is used to assess different methods of measuring different traits. If the approach finds no relationship between method and trait variance, then the methods have good ___
C
A published research article will normally contain two sections NOT found in a proposal. These are A Introduction and references B References and method. C Results and discussion. D Method and introduction.
B
A question of the form "I wonder what would happen if..." typifies ___ research. A Factorial B Basic C Normative D Applied
Method
A research article will define important variables in the __________ Section
D
A research question is most similar to A A research hypothesis. B A null hypothesis. C A loosely defined idea about a topic of interest. D A statement of interest in a topic.
Introduction
A review of the most important past research, and a clear statement of a research study's purpose can be found in the __________.
A
A sample is to a population as A The shirts in your closet are to the shirts in the store where you shop. B The laces in your shoes are to the shoes. C The shirts in the store where you shop are to the shirts in your closet. D The shirts in your closet are to the shoes in your closet.
Sample
A subset of people selected from a larger population is known as a(n) _____.
D
A testable hypothesis is one that: A Can be used to assess the performance of a large sample of subjects. B Can be proven correct. C Can be assessed using statistical tests. D Precisely defines the variables that are being related.
Qualitative Research
A type of research that examines behavior in natural contexts, and results in non-numerical data is known as __________ .
B
A useful definition of research is: A An attempt to prove an hypothesis. B A process through which new knowledge is discovered. C A logical method of deciding between two opinions. D A way of distinguishing between fact and opinion.
D
An advantage of systematic sampling over simple random sampling is that A It is more precise. B Independence of sampling is assured. C It has no advantages. D It is easier.
C
An article submitted for publication often undergoes a "blind review". This means that A The author of the paper does not know which of several journals will publish the paper. B The editor of the journal does not know the identity of the paper's author. C The reviewers of the paper do not know the identity of the paper's author. D The participants in the study do not know whether they are in a control or experimental group.
Discussion
An author will attempt to explain why specific results did or did not occur in the __________ section.
Science
An intense activity that, among other things, attempts to generate new ideas and pursue answers to questions is a good definition of ________.
D
An observed score is made up of A A reliable score and an unreliable score. B A true score and a reliable score. C A reliable score and an error score. D A true score and an error score.
Content
Asking experts whether test items actually measure what you want them to is one way to establish ___ validity.
Debriefing
At the end of an experiment, subjects should be informed about the purpose of the experiment, and about any deceptive measures that were taken during the experiment. This process is called _________
Significance Level
Because experiments are not perfect, we cannot be absolutely sure that the results of an experiment are the result of the treatment factors and not to unknown factors. We use a statement of _____ to express this risk of uncertainty.
References
Complete citations of previous research will be found in the ______ sections of either a research article or proposal
A
Control variables are: A Potential confounding variables that are held constant. B Variables used to control unwanted behavior in the participants. C Another name for dependent variables. D Manipulated the same way as independent variables.
B
Cronbach's alpha and the Kuder-Richardson test what type of reliability? A Parallel forms. B Internal consistency. C Inter-rater. D Test-retest.
Measurement
The process by which values are assigned to different levels of an independent variable or different scores of dependent variables is called ___
True
FalseTrue/False: If you have developed a research question, and want to look for a good summary of research in the area, secondary sources are a good place to look.
A
For psychologists, the two most frequently used abstract collections are: A PsychINFO and PsychAbstracts. B PsyAB and Data for Psychologists. C Psychological Reviews and InfoTrac. D Abstracts Psychologica and PsychSource.
D
Generalizability of results is LOWEST with which of the following sampling methods? A Simple random and systematic. B Simple random and quota. C Cluster and stratified random. D Convenience and quota.
Search Engines
Google is one of many ___ that can be used to find information on the WWW.
C
Hall, Ward, & Comer (1988) made the following criticisms of a sample of published research. "The data collection procedure was not carefully controlled." and "The method of selecting participants was not appropriate." If these criticisms were addressed to a proposal, which section would be the focus? A Appendix. B Results and discussion. C Method. D Introduction
Mutually exclusive
If a person is placed into one category of a nominal scale, they cannot also be placed into another category of the same nominal scale. This is because categories of a nominal scale are ___.
D
If a researcher cannot specify that every member of a population has an equal and independent chance of being selected for a study: A The study cannot be conducted with the available sample. B Generalizability will be higher from the population to the sample than from the sample to the population. C A simple random sampling can be used to select the sample. D A non-probability can be used to select the sample.
A
If a study had weaknesses or limitations, in which section of the manuscript should these be discussed? A Discussion. B Introduction. C Method. D Results.
Construct validity
If a test of aggressive tendencies actually measures whether a person becomes upset when frustrated, and not whether that person is likely to act aggressively when frustrated, the test may have low ___
Ordinal
If a variable is measured in such a way that one can make judgments about which value of the measurement represents more of or less of the characteristic that was measured, the variable must have been measured at a(n) ___ or higher level.
Hypothesis
If one formulates a question about some behavior, and then states that question in the form of a prediction, one has converted the question into a(n) _________.
generalizable
If the results of one study are applicable to other, similar situations, then the first study is said to be ________ .
Confounding
If two or more variables can explain the result of the same experiment, they might be _____ variables.
Abstract
If you are trying to determine whether to read a particular article in its entirety, you should begin by reading the ___.
Parallel forms
If you assess reliability by administering different versions of the same test to the subjects at different times, you are probably assessing reliability using ___
Cluster
If you choose your sample by initially identifying larger groups that contain people who have the characteristics that interest you, and then randomly selecting from these larger groups, you are using ___ sampling.
Non probability
If you do not know how many people are in a population, and randomly sample from that population, you have used some form of ___ sampling.
A
If you have exhausted every possibility you can think of when trying to conduct a search either on the WWW or using one of the databases (e.g., PsychINFO), but have not found what you need, you should: A Ask the librarian for help. B Search randomly through the journal stacks in the library. C Stop looking for a day or so, then begin the search again in the hope that a fresh and rested outlook will help. D Change your research topic
Research
If you pose a research question in such a way that a prediction of inequality between groups is specified, then you have stated a _____ hypothesis.
D
It is useful to think of independent variables as ____ and to think of dependent variables as ____. A Behaviors; manipulations. B Effects; causes. C Chosen, imposed. D Causes; effects.
C
Literature reviews usually do not contain material from which of the following sources? A Annual Reviews. B Primary sources. C General sources. D Secondary sources.
A
Measurements made on a(n) ____ scale are the least precise while measurements made on a(n) ____ scale are the most precise. A Nominal; ratio. B Ratio; ordinal. C Ordinal; interval. D Nominal; interval.
False
True/False: In a well-designed research project, the experimenter has good control over the dependent variable.
News Group
On the Internet, a collection of information about a particular topic is called a(n) _________
C
Once you have defined a research question, the next step in the research process is usually A To seek IRB approval for your study. B To test the question. C To formulate a hypothesis. D To search the literature.
C
One important ethical consideration when conducting research is the requirement to share the benefits of the research. Which of the following statements best captures this idea? A If a researcher's graduate students provide substantial assistance to the researcher, the students should be included as authors when the research is published. B Participants in the treatment group performed about as well as those in the control group. The participants in the control group should be informed of this. C Participants in the treatment group recovered more quickly than did those in the control group. The treatment should be offered to participants in the control group. D The researcher could not decide between the null and research hypothesis. He should ask for advice from another researcher who has done similar research.
B
Probability sampling is the most commonly used sampling technique because A It is normally the easiest sampling technique to use. B The selection of participants using this technique is determined by chance. C Nonprobability sampling cannot be used in most studies. D Generalizability is usually smallest using this technique.
False
True/False: In the context of research, "significance" means "importance"
False
True/False: Inter-rater reliability is determined by having an observer watch two different subjects, and then determining how well the two ratings agree.
Applied
Research that seeks to solve or address a specific problem is also called ________.
Secondary
Reviews of research, anthologies of readings, and textbooks, are all examples of ____ sources.
A
The null hypothesis serves two major functions. These are: A As a default explanation for the results and as a benchmark for comparison. B To help organize the data and to explain why the results did not come out as expected. C As a benchmark for comparison and as starting point for the next experiment. D As a default explanation for the results and as an a priori explanation for the results.
Systematic
Suppose a grocery store is having their 10 anniversary sale, and decide to give every 100th customer who enters the store a coupon worth $10 in free food. The store has use what type of sampling to determine which customers receive the coupons?
A
Suppose a math teacher is concerned about whether or not he is effectively helping students retain algebra problem-solving skills over a two semester period. He gives students the same test at the end of each semester, and finds that students perform better at the end of the second semester than at the end of the first. He therefore concludes that his teaching methods are effective. A colleague criticizes his reliability, saying that he should have used ___. A Parallel forms. B Concurrent measures. C Inter-rater reliability measures. D Test-retest forms.
Results
The outcomes of statistical tests are presented in the __________ section.
B
Suppose that a researcher was interested in the effectiveness of different weight loss programs. She designed an experiment in which one group attempted to lose weight using a new and untested method of losing weight. A second group attempted to loose weight by following low-carbohydrate diet. The third group simply monitored their weight whenever members of the other two groups weighed themselves. Which group should be considered the control group? A The group that used the new method. B The group that simply weighed themselves. C All three groups should be considered control groups. D The group on the low-carbohydrate diet.
D
Suppose that students in a research class are told that they are to train rats to run in a maze for food reward. In order to make this learning experience more interesting, each student is told that they have been assigned a rat either from a group of rats that usually learn new mazes quickly ("maze bright") or from a group of rats that usually learn new mazes slowly ("maze dull"). The students run their rats, and to no one's surprise, the maze bright rats learned the new maze more quickly than did the maze dull rats. Then to the student's astonishment, the instructor tells the students that the rats were all the same, and that something called "experimenter effects" can cause these differences. These experimenter effects are probably the same thing as A True score fallacy. B Trait errors. C Reliability contamination. D Method errors.
B
Suppose that there are 36 rats in a laboratory, and you want to select 6 of them for an experiment. You assign each rat a number from 11 to 66. Which of the following sampling strategies represents simple random sampling? A You give each rat one trial running down an alley in order to get food. Then you select the fastest three and slowest three rats. B You roll first a red die and then a blue die, and select the rat that corresponds to the two numbers. For example, the red die is 2 and the blue die is 4, so you choose rat #24. You continue in this manner until 6 rats have been chosen. C You choose each rat whose number ends in 1. D You place all of the rats whose first numbers are the same in cages together. Each cage has only one food dish. You note which rat in each cage approaches the food dish first, and select these rats.
A
Suppose that there are 36 rats in a laboratory, and you want to select 6 of them for an experiment. You assign each rat a number from 11 to 66. Which of the following sampling strategies represents systematic sampling? A You choose each rat whose number ends in 1. B You place all of the rats whose first numbers are the same in cages together. Each cage has only one food dish. You note which rat in each cage approaches the food dish first, and select these rats. C You roll first a red die and then a blue die, and select the rat that corresponds to the two numbers. For example, the red die is 2 and the blue die is 4, so you choose rat #24. You continue in this manner until 6 rats have been chosen. D You give each rat one trial running down an alley in order to get food. Then you select the fastest three and slowest three rats.
B
Suppose that while you are sitting at a stoplight one afternoon, you see someone run the light as it changes from yellow to red, and you become annoyed at this. Being a good scientist, you ask yourself why people run stoplights. From the perspective of conducting research, an acceptable hypothesis about this behavior might be: A People who run stop-lights are dangerous to themselves and others. B People are more likely to run stoplights if traffic is light than if traffic is heavy. C I shouldn't get upset when people run lights in front of me. D Why do some people run stoplights more frequently than do others?
Convience
Suppose that you are conducting a survey on people's attitudes about whether a new zoo exhibit should be funded by a bond issue. You set up a booth at the local shopping mall, and interview as many passers-by as you can. In this case, you have used a ___ sampling method.
B
Suppose that you are conducting research on college students' attitudes toward drug use, and one of the participants admits to using illegal drugs. As a researcher, you have an obligation to A Inform only the school's officials about the drug use. B Inform no one outside the research team about the drug use. C Inform either the school's officials or the police about the drug use. D Inform the student's parents about the drug use.
A
Suppose that you are interested in assessing people's attitudes toward U.S. Military action in some part of the world. If you were to use stratified sampling, which of the following factors might you consider important in determining how to categorize the population? A All would be important. B Political affiliation. C Age. D Educational level.
D
Suppose that you develop a hypothesis predicting that a parent's comments during news programs can influence their children's later political attitudes. If you were trying to develop a questionnaire that assessed this possibility, and wanted to use a test-retest procedure to assess the questionnaire's reliability when used with the offspring, you should A Test the offspring when they are about 10 years of age, and again right after they vote for the first time. B Test the offspring immediately before and after they watch a news program with their parents. C Test the parents and the offspring right before they vote. D Test the offspring shortly after their 22nd birthday, and again about 2 months later.
D
Suppose that you were interested in finding out whether different kinds of sweeteners in cereal caused children to be more active or less active. For this example, of the choices listed below, the most likely levels of an independent variable would be: A Six year-old children, 8 year-old children, & 10 year-old children. B High activity, medium activity, low activity. C Fruit Loops™, Frosted Flakes™, & Captain Crunch™. D Sugar, molasses, & saccharin.
Footnote
Suppose the author of a research article uses an unusual and complicated mathematical technique during analysis of the data, and briefly describes the technique in the article. If the researcher felt that some readers might be interested in knowing the details of the mathematical technique, he might include this information in a __________.
C
Suppose you read a research article written by a particular author and decide that it would be useful to read other articles written by the same author. A good way to find these other articles would be to search: A Comprehensive Dissertation Index Citations. B Lexus/Nexus. C Social Sciences Citation Index. D Encyclopedia of Psychology.
True
True/False: Many variables can be measured at more than one level.
Null Hypothesis
The _____ states that there are no differences between different levels of an independent variable.
Observed
The actual measurement that is made on a dependent variable is called a(n)___ score.
Results and Discussion
The authors of a research article will attempt to explain their results in the _____ section.
D
The best independent variables are those that are: A Dependent on the other variables in the same experiment. B Independent of the researchers hypothesis. C Dependent of previous research outcomes. D Independent of other variables in the same experiment.
D
The first line of defense in protecting the rights and health of the research participants is the A Participants themselves. B Institutional Review Board. C Parents. D Researcher.
A
The first step in conducting research is often to either ____ or ____. A Ask a question; identify a need. B Form a hypothesis; test a hypothesis. C Ask a question; answer a question. D Identify a need; identify a solution.
C
The four scales of measurement that psychologists use are A Nominal, non-nominal, interval, & integer. B Normal, nominal, minimal, & maximal. C Nominal, ordinal, interval, & ratio. D True, valid, reliable, & accurate.
C
The goal of a well written introduction is to A Give the reader enough information to replicate the study in its important aspects B Cover the background of the problem thoroughly and completely C Give the reader enough information to convince him/her that the research is important D Convince the reader that your hypothesis is correct.
A
The goal of inferential statistics is to: A Separate the effects of the factor(s) of interest from chance effects. B Infer that the hypothesis was proved. C Disprove the theory on which the hypothesis was built. D Ensure that chance effects are no more important than intended effects.
Method
The goal of the __________ section is to enable readers to exactly replicate the study if they wished to do so.
C
The introduction section of a research proposal usually contains what information? A The results of the research. B A thorough discussion of the background to the research problem. C A brief rationale for conducting the research, including a statement of the hypothesis. D A complete description of how the research will be conducted.
D
The main advantage of correlational research over descriptive research is that correlational research: A Can explain why two things are related. B Demonstrates a cause-and-effect relationship between factors. C Limits its observations to existing phenomena. D Provides information about what two or more things have in common.
Abstract
The part of a manuscript that contains a very brief summary of the research is called the_______.
B
To say that research is incremental means that: A Newer studies are often more accurate than older studies. B Current research builds on past research. C The amount of research currently conducted must increase over the amount conducted in the past. D Current research is more complex than past research.
D
Transforming a research question into a clear statement about a cause and effect relationship results in a ____. A Theory B Inductive statement C Deductive statement D Hypothesis
A
True scores are rarely measured in experiments because A Most variables cannot be directly measured and because measurement is subject to error. B Few participants ever actually make a perfect score on a variable. C Most scales are no better than nominal or ordinal. D No measurement instrument is truly reliable.
False
True/False: A good hypothesis should not make a specific prediction about the relationship between factors; such specificity can only come after a study has been conducted.
True
True/False: A good literature review will contain material that has come mostly from primary sources.
False
True/False: A good research article will be written in such a way that any flaws are hard to spot
True
True/False: A research hypothesis always refers to the participants in an experiment, and not to the greater population from which the participants are drawn.
False
True/False: A study that finds evidence that supports a hypothesis is preferred over a study that finds evidence that does not support, or that even conflicts with, that hypothesis.
True
True/False: According to the text, most variables in psychology are measured at either a nominal or ordinal level.
True
True/False: All sections of a manuscript, except for the introduction, are identified by a heading.
True
True/False: An advantage of correlational research over descriptive research is that correlational research can indicate how variables might be related to each other.
False
True/False: An introduction will usually end with an explanation about why previous research on the topic was inadequate.:
True
True/False: As sampling error increases, generalizability decreases.
False
True/False: Because a study has been published, it is reasonable to conclude that the research had no weaknesses.
False
True/False: Because applied research is conducted to solve immediate problems, it is more valuable than basic research.
False
True/False: Because measurement is always subject to error, it is useless to assume that true scores exist.
False
True/False: Because participants might not be willing to remain in an experiment if there are risks, an informed consent form should be worded so as to minimize the participant's perception of the risks.
True
True/False: Before you being designing a data collection form, you should determine as what level you will measure your dependent variable
True
True/False: Confounding in research occurs when two or more variables in the same experiment can explain the results.
True
True/False: Control variables are potential independent variables that are held constant across the levels of an independent variable.
False
True/False: Good hypotheses are usually stated as questions.
True
True/False: If a reference is cited in the body of a research article, it should be listed in the reference section
True
True/False: If a variable can be measured on an interval scale, it can also be measured on an ordinal scale.
False
True/False: If the items chosen for a test fairly represent the entire universe of items, then the test has good predictive validity.
True
True/False: If two different methods are expected to measure the same trait, and if the correlations between the two methods are high, then the two methods have good convergent validity.
True
True/False: If your research question concerns factors that are likely to be different in different members of a population, you should consider choosing your sample using stratified sampling methods.
Journals
Usually, the most important sources of articles that report research are ___ .
Continuous
Variables such as gender or political affiliation are known as discrete variables while variables such as age or weight are known as ___ variables.
Nominal
Variables that differ only in identity, and of which no statements about quantity can be made, must be measured on a(n) ___ scale.
D
What information will usually not be found in an abstract? A Any conclusions being offered. B A brief description of the results. C A short description of the study's purpose. D The title of the research article.
A
What information would you normally find in an appendix of a research proposal? A An IRB form, Participant permission form, and copies of tests that will be used B A statement of the problem, definitions, and results from pilot research C A brief review of the literature and a rationale for the research D A description of the tests to be used, how the subjects are to be selected, and results of pilot data
C
What is the function of a bibliographic database program? A To narrow the focus of an electronic search. B To help search PsychINFO or ERIC. C To help manage a set of references D To help libraries to organize their journals.
C
What is the main purpose of true and quasi-experimental methods? A To prove a hypothesis. B To disprove a theory. C To test for cause and effect relationships. DTo describe the characteristics of an existing phenomenon.
C
When choosing a dependent variable, you should consider A Establishing the reliability of any test you use by pilot testing B Using a test designed for one age group on a different age group only if not age-appropriate version of the test if available C Choosing a measure that has been used before and which therefore has established credibility D Selecting a measure that has not been validated so that you can "break new ground"
Validity Reliability
When deciding on your dependent variable(s), you should ensure that both their_______ have been established
D
When deciding whether or not to conduct an experiment that might cause physical or psychological harm to participants. A The researcher must not do the experiment if there are significant risks to the participants. B The researcher should not do the experiment if there are any risks to the participants. C The researcher should do the experiment only if the participants are willing to accept the risks. D The researcher must weigh the relative benefits of the research to society against the risks to the participants.
C
When estimating the size of a sample you should choose, you should consider A The size of the population; the cost of sampling. B The research hypothesis; the null hypothesis. C Likely sampling error; effect size. D Effect size; the null hypothesis.
C
Which of the following statements would you most likely find in a discussion section? A "We predicted that the inclusion of a discriminative stimulus (e.g., bell) would facilitate faster response times in the difficult task." B "Participants in group 1 pressed the discriminative button faster than did participants in group 2, t(42) = 3.45, p < 0.05." C "This study suggests modifications to past theories of the effects of discriminative stimuli on response times." D "Participants in group 1 were instructed to press the red button if they heard a whistle, and to press the yellow button if they heard a bell."
D
Which of the following statements would you most likely find in a method section? A "We predicted that the inclusion of a discriminative stimulus (e.g., bell) would facilitate faster response times in the difficult task." B "This study suggests modifications to past theories of the effects of discriminative stimuli on response times." C "Participants in group 1 pressed the discriminative button faster than did participants in group 2, t(42) = 3.45, p < 0.05." D "Participants in group 1 were instructed to press the red button if they heard a whistle, and to press the yellow button if they heard a bell."
C
Which of the following terms is another term for independent variable? A Interacting variable. B Outcome variable. C Treatment variable. D Criterion variable.
C
Which of the following would be an acceptable formatted title for an APA article? A DOES TRAINING IN PARENTING SKILLS INFLUENCE PARENTAL INTERACTION WITH CHILDREN? B Does Training in Parenting Skills Influence Parental Interactions with Children: (Smith, J.R., & Herrold, P.). C Does Training in Parenting Skills Influence Parental Interactions with Children? D /b/Does Training in Parenting Skills Influence Parental Interactions with Children?/<b/
A
Which of the following would one not find in a research proposal? A A discussion of the results of the research B A statement about how the research is to be carried out C A statement about who the research is important D A review of the relevant Literature
Introduction
Which section of a research proposal describes the research problem being undertaken?
Method
Which section of a research proposal discusses how you will conduct your research?
Random Numbers
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. A useful tool to use when attempting to choose a sample using simple random sampling is a table of ___.
Systematic
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. If you sample in such a way that, starting from a randomly chosen name in a list, every 10th (or 14th, or 37th etc.) name after this is chosen, you are using ___ sampling.
Validity
Within the question text below, there is one text entry field where you can enter your answer. In the context of measurement, truthfulness, accuracy, and authenticity are all synonyms for ___