Knowledge Checks
Scaled responses to questionnaire items such as strongly agree, agree, no opinion, and so on are referred to as ________ scale items.
Likert-type
The A-B-A-B designation refers to which type of research design?
WRONG ANSWER factorial ANOVA
In the journal format for theses and dissertations, the appendixes contain
an extended review of literature
Generally speaking, an oral presentation at a conference has
less detail than a poster
In comparison to survey interviews, qualitative interviews tend to be
less structured
Recognizing that grade point average may not completely reflect success in school is an example of a
limitation
It is common when looking at a distribution to encounter extreme or unusual scores that could have a misleading effect on the results. These extreme scores are termed
outliers
The major weakness of epidemiological studies is
the inability to experimentally establish cause and effect
Which of the following is the most unobtrusive technique for measuring student interest in reading?
Count how often students check out books from the library
The lengths and contents of abstracts differ according to their intended use. The important parts of an abstract for a published research paper include the
problem, methods, results, discussion
In which part of the methods section should you expect to find information about when the participants were tested?
procedures
The part of the methods section of the research paper that describes the activities of each treatment group is titled
procedures
The primary sources of a literature review are
research journal articles
Determinants of disease are often called
risk factors
A survey technique that asks a jury of experts to respond to a series of questionnaires in order to reach a consensus about important issues is the
Delphi survey method
In a meta-analysis, the results of various studies on a topic are quantified using a standard measure (ES) that is called
effect size
Which of the three branches of philosophy focuses on knowledge?
epistemology
A baseline in single subject research
establishes initial rates of behavior before an intervention
According to the text, the proposal should be written in
future tense
A fundamental goal of philosophy is to examine reality primarily through
reflective procedures
In qualitative research, triangulation is the method of
using different kinds of data collection techniques in the analysis and interpretation
Which of the following is not a common paradigm for socio-historical research?
Functional-Modernism
Individuals performing well merely because they are being observed (and not necessarily because of any effect of treatment) are considered to be under the influence of the
Hawthorne effect
SA - Explain the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning in the development of a research hypothesis.
Inductive reasoning - aims at developing a theory Deductive reasoning - aims at testing an existing theory
References to journal articles should include
author, date, article title, journal name, volume, inclusive pages, doi
The premise that the scores from the Minnesota Attitude Inventory are a valid measure of attitude toward school is an example of a
basic assumption
When we say that research is empirical, we mean that the researcher
collects data on which to base decisions
Choose the correct sequence for developing a questionnaire.
determining objectives, delimiting the sample, writing items, pilot testing
The determining factor in the order of authorship of a research publication is that the first author is the person who
develops the idea and plans the research
The socio-historical research process that attempts to establish whether a document is authentic is called
external criticism
"To what populations, settings, treatment variables, and measurement variables can this effect be generalized?" might most appropriately be asked in relation to
external validity
Multiple-treatment interference and the interaction of selection bias and experimental treatment are threats to
external validity
The extent to which the results of a study can be attributed to the treatments used in the study is the definition of what kind of validity?
internal validity
It is desirable to carry out a pilot study prior to the actual research study because
it permits a thorough check of the planned data collection and analysis procedures
After receiving approval from the university committee on the use of humans as research participants (Institutional Review Board), the researcher
should include a description of this compliance in the methods section of the thesis or dissertation
Compared to applied research, basic research
usually offers more control, such as in a laboratory
Which of the following represent(s) a secondary source regarding those waiting overnight for tickets for a basketball game?
an article written by a newspaper columnist who did not observe everyone waiting in line
A study design uses, for example, two groups of people representing a disease-free population who are then classified as exercisers and nonexercisers. After a period of time, the mortality rates of each group are compared. This design is called a(n)
cohort study
Additional factors that can affect the relationship between physical activity and blood cholesterol, such as smoking, body fat, and so on, are called
confounding factors
In the journal format for theses and dissertations, the preliminary part
contains materials that are typically required by the institution and is left off when submitting the study for publication
Determining the relationship between students' attitudes toward drugs and the frequency of drug usage is an example of a(n) ________ study.
correlational
An important principle set forth by the American Psychological Association is the right of informed consent, which states that the researcher is obligated to
explain the major features of the study to the participants before the beginning of the study so that they have the opportunity to decline to take part
A major difference in the purpose of a meta-analysis and a review of literature for a research paper is that the meta-analysis uses the literature
for empirical and theoretical conclusions
Of the surveys frequently used for measuring physical activity in epidemiological research, the shortest (one to four items) is the
global questionnaire
In the description of pertinent characteristics of the participants, which of the following would be least pertinent in a study that surveyed the favorite books of children?
height of the children
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?
history
A researcher conducts a study on the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) by comparing classes that use this method with classes that do not. The researcher expects the CAI classes to show higher gains in achievement. This expectation is
hypothesis
A study is designed to determine whether the addition of programmed instruction will produce greater achievement scores than the traditional lecture-discussion method. Participants are randomly assigned to two instructional groups. Both groups are tested at the end of the experimental period. What statistical test is indicated?
t test
In a meta-analysis, the ES for the experimental versus control groups was 0.68, which represents a percentile equivalent of 75. This means that
the average score of the experimental group was better than 75% of the control group's scores
Which of the following are most difficult to analyze in a questionnaire study?
open-ended items
The qualitative researcher typically
studies a small number of participants
Which of the following is not included in a proposal?
WRONG ANSWER methods
To help ensure an acceptable return rate in a questionnaire study, the researcher should
WRONG ANSWER use follow-up letters or e-mails
A major weakness of observational research lies in the operational definitions. Which question is an example of an operational definition?
What behaviors characterize a good teacher or good coach?
Which of the following should be included in the discussion section of a research report?
implications of the results
The only true experimental design that can specifically evaluate the reactive or interactive effects of testing is the _______ design.
Solomon four-group
Prevalence of disease differs from incidence of disease in that prevalence refers to the number of
people who presently have a disease, whereas incidence relates to new cases
The term that denotes using ideas, writings, or drawings of others as your own is
plagiarism
A method of philosophy that is designed to liberate people from the traditional claims of the other branches of philosophy falls under the heading of deconstructionism and is called
poetry
The one characteristic of true experimental designs that preexperimental and quasi-experimental designs do not have is
random assignment to groups
Which of the following should not be included in the results section of a research report?
raw data
When a national poll reports that its survey has a margin of error of 3%, it is referring to error due to
sampling
In comparison to the traditional chapter format, the body of a dissertation using the journal format is almost always
shorter
The interpretation of data in qualitative research always involves some form of
sorting and categorizing
A researcher finds that the control group performs above its usual performance when compared with the experimental group. This effect is named the
Avis effect
Generalizing as an approach to socio-historical research occurs when the researcher
Is interested in how things fit into the bigger picture
An operational definition of human intelligence is
WRONG ANSWER - the ability to employ abstract reasoning in the solving of problems
A researcher wants to determine the percentages of time that a teacher spends in various tasks, such as demonstration, explanation, and monitoring students. Which of the following is probably the most valid way to research this?
an observational study
Trustworthiness in qualitative research
deals with both data collection and analysis
In socio-historical research, technology is not used to
determine the accuracy of the material found
A basic characteristic of correlational research is that it
does not manipulate variables and hence cannot establish cause and effect
The generalizability of the results pertains to what kind of validity?
external validity
In the alternative format for a thesis or dissertation, the body of the thesis or dissertation
is a paper in research journal format
A research hypothesis is nearly always the same as the null hypothesis is directly testable predicts the technique used to analyze the data depends on the statistical hypothesis
is directly testable
Which of the three branches of philosophy focuses on the nature of things?
metaphysics
In experimental design, when comparisons are made of groups that have been selected on the basis of their extreme scores, the posttest means of the groups tend to move toward the mean of the entire population from which the extreme groups were selected. This threat to internal validity is called
statistical regression
In the instruments part of the methods section, the author should include a description of the
test characteristics of validity and reliability
The most frequent and severe criticism of meta-analysis is that
the studies represent wide differences in methodologies, designs, and measurements
Which of the following is NOT true about a mixed-method study?
The emphasis on quantitative and qualitative methods is based on other similar studies
Lumping as an approach to socio-historical research occurs when the researcher
takes disparate facts and groups them together
In describing participants in the methods section of a research report, which of the following should be included?
number of participants pertinent descriptive characteristics of participants
It is reasonable to expect volunteer participants to be similar in nature to
other volunteers from similar populations
The socio-historical process that attempts to eliminate bias in an author is called
internal criticism
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 number of participants, the selection of the self-concept inventory, and the length of the study are all examples of
delimitations
The practice of selecting a small random sample of a survey's nonrespondents is primarily intended to
determine whether the nonrespondents are a different population from the respondents
The case study
gathers data from a single person or from a limited number of similar people
Which of the following terms is used in connection with intensity of exercise and refers to the ratio of metabolic rate during exercise to the rate while resting?
MET
In evaluating the methods section of a research report, which is a very important question to keep in mind?
Did the author provide enough information that the study could be repeated?
The internal validity of an experimental design is concerned with what question?
Did the independent variable really produce a change in the dependent variable?
The first step in conducting a questionnaire survey is to
list specific objectives to be achieved
In a meta-analysis, the researcher found that the mean for the experimental group in a study was 14, and the mean for the control group was 10. The standard deviation of the control group was 5. Based on these data, what is the ES?
0.80
Which of these statements is/are true concerning the "significance of the study" section in the introduction of a thesis?
All of the above (The section should point out conflicts with previous research, the section should describe gaps in previous knowledge relative to the study, and the section should have continuity with the introduction)
Which of the following is information that should be found in the section on design and analysis of the data?
An ANOVA was used to compare the three groups
You plan to use animals in your thesis research. A close friend believes that animals are used too often (and sometimes misused) in research. Explain to your friend why it is important to use animals in research and how the animals are protected.
Animal studies have more criteria to become approved that human studies do. IRB requires proof that the study is beneficial and not a replication. Can be used in areas such as drug testing, animal models of disease, basic research, education in labs, development of surgical techniques Animals are protested by the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals detailed in the Animal Welfare Act
SA - How does a control variable differ from an independent variable? Give an example of each. What are two reasons that a researcher might decide to make something a control variable instead of an independent variable?
Control variable - factor that could possibly influence the results and that is kept out of the study Example is temperature Independent variable - part of research the researcher is manipulating, what is being changed Example is the type of flower Depends on what is being studied, and how the study is being performed
Consider the following questionnaire item (which uses a yes/no format): "Do you use objective test items or essay items?" What rule regarding item construction does it violate?
Do not use items that have two or more separate ideas in the same item
Which one of the following statements about dual publication is not true?
Dual publication is permissible if the two journals are in different languages (e.g., published in different countries)
SA - Briefly discuss the interaction of limitations, delimitations, and basic assumptions. Give examples of each in your discussion.
Limitations - possible shortcoming or influence that either cannot be controlled or is the result of the delimitations imposed by the investigator Example - time constraint Delimitations - a limitation imposed by the researcher in the scope of the study; a choice that the researcher makes to define a workable problem Examples - population being studied Basic assumptions - assumption that is basic to an argument Examples - answering truthful on a questionnaire/survey
Which of the following statements would appear in the procedures part of the methods section of a research report?
Participants in the experimental group exercised three days per week for 30 minutes per day for 10 weeks
Which of the following statements about constructing tables is not true?
The table should include whatever test of significance was used
Sometimes it is not possible to actually administer the treatment (e.g., when comparing children who had been in Head Start vs. children who had not). However, the researcher is trying to imply causation. This type of design (sometimes called causal comparative) is referred to as
WRONG ANSWER a factorial design
In a meta-analysis of 100 studies that compared boys' and girls' knowledge of AIDS, an average ES of 0.50 was found. This number represents
a difference of 0.50 standard deviation units
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 independent variable is
adventure summer camp
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
age level
Which of the three branches of philosophy focuses on the value of things?
axiology
A job analysis is primarily a form of what research technique?
case study
A type of study that matches individuals with and without disease on factors such as age and ethnicity is the
case-control study
Splitting as an approach to socio-historical research occurs when the researcher
chips away at theory by examining how it holds together
Which of the following techniques show(s) that the qualitative researcher was concerned with trustworthiness during data analysis?
clarification of researcher bias peer debriefing
Which of the following would be included in a grant proposal but not in a thesis proposal?
curriculum vitae of the author
The inclusion criteria in a meta-analysis are very much like
delimitations
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
experimental mortality
The only type of research that can manipulate treatments and establish a cause and effect is
experimental research
A qualitative research technique involves interviews of small numbers of participants in a group setting. These groups are called
focus groups
Which of the following is not an important purpose for reviewing the literature?
formulating the null hypothesis
Reasoning that moves from a limited number of specific observations to general conclusions is termed ____ reasoning.
inductive
In the results section of a research report, the author should include
information contained in tables and information concerning statistical significance and meaningfulness
Interviewers may become more skilled with practice, which could cause differences between the results of participants interviewed early in the study and those of participants interviewed later. This threat to internal validity is an issue of
instrumentation
Particularizing as an approach to socio-historical research occurs when the researcher
is interested in minute detail of the past
An important advantage of the qualitative method is that
it is more likely than other methods to lead to new insights about the problem
Special language that is regularly used in a particular field but which may not be meaningful to people outside the field is called
jargon
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 researcher states that he is aware that responses to questions on a self-concept scale may not always be what the person really believes. This is an example of a(n)
limitation
A researcher wishes to study a group of children over a period of 10 years beginning in 2016 and ending in 2025. This is an example of a ________ study.
longitudinal
In developmental studies, when one wants to determine how individual children change rather than what is typical at each stage, one would prefer the ________ method.
longitudinal
A table of descriptive data should include what information for each group?
mean, standard deviation, and number
Doing a mixed-methods study requires
more expertise than is required for two separate studies
The introduction to a research report should
move from a general description of the theoretical problem to the specific area to be studied
The descriptive, analytical narratives that are a trademark of qualitative research are also called
narrative vignettes
A double-blind experiment is one in which
neither the researcher nor the participants know which participants receive the experimental treatment
The term coined by Kuhn to denote the scientific approach that is used widely in the natural sciences is
normal science
A researcher tests the knowledge that 10,000 school children from the southwestern United States have about nutrition, and the scores are transformed into percentiles by grade level. This type of research is a ________ survey study.
normative
Which of the following represent(s) a primary source regarding a fight at a ball game?
notes taken by a spectator at the game
A major limitation in the use of video-recording in observational research is its
obtrusiveness
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 researcher states that self-concept is represented by scores on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. This is an example of a(n)
operational definition
In qualitative research, sampling designed to select small groups or individuals likely to be knowledgeable and informative about the phenomenon of interest is called
purposive sampling
For confidentiality, the researcher should (Select all that apply.)
remove names from data-collection instruments and replace them with a code, make certain no unauthorized individuals have access to the research data, inform the participants about the people who will have access to the data
A researcher predicts that there will be a positive relationship between attitude scores and grade point average. This is an example of a
research hypothesis
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 dependent variable is
self-concept
In the example in chapter 1 of the experiment that compared aerobic dance with jogging, what was the dependent variable?
skinfold-measured fat
Another term that describes the unscientific method of tenacity is
superstition
A pretest of knowledge about microcomputers is given to a group of students 5 minutes prior to a film on the subject. A posttest given 10 minutes after the film shows a 10-point gain from the pretest. The researcher concludes that the film produced the gain. Which of the following is likely the threat to internal validity?
testing
The fact that a meta-analysis quantifies findings from many studies is a frequently mentioned advantage. Another strong advantage of the meta-analysis over the normal review paper is
the description of the coding of study characteristics and the criteria for excluding studies
The five-chapter format for theses and dissertations differs from the four-chapter model in that a separate chapter is devoted entirely to
the literature review
In calculating ES for a treatment effect between a pretest and a posttest, the text recommends the use of which standard deviation?
the pretest standard deviation
The inductive and deductive processes are important in
the statement of the problem
Measurements are frequently made and then averaged across several participants. To what degree of precision should the average be reported in a research paper?
to the precision with which it was measured
Historians use secondary sources to
understand what is known about the topic
Mixed-methods research
was being conducted while some scholars debated whether it was possible
