Question 1

Population values inferred from statistics of a sample are called.
A)independent variables
B)dependent variables
C)hypotheses
D)parameters

Accepted Answer

Population values inferred from statistics of a sample are called parameters.

Question 2

If a researcher used an experiment to assess whether or not a certain drug would increase reading comprehension scores, then the independent variable would be the.
A)amount of the drug given to participants
B)age of the participants
C)gender of the participants
D)reading comprehension scores

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the researcher. In this case, the amount of the drug given to participants is manipulated by the researcher to see if it has an effect on reading comprehension scores. Age, gender, and reading comprehension scores are not being manipulated, so they are not the independent variable.

Question 3

In an experiment, the behavior that is expected to be affected by some manipulation is called the variable.
A)random
B)extraneous
C)independent
D)dependent

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the behavior that is expected to be affected by some manipulation. The independent variable is the manipulation itself. Random variables refer to factors that can affect the outcome of the experiment but are not controlled or manipulated, and extraneous variables refer to factors that may affect the outcome but are not relevant to the experiment.

Question 4

A parameter is.
A)a characteristic of a population
B)a characteristic of a sample
C)the same as a statistic
D)measured on a sample

Accepted Answer

A parameter is a characteristic of a population, whereas a statistic is a characteristic of a sample.

Question 5

A single number used to describe data from a sample is a.
A)variable
B)sample
C)parameter
D)statistic

Accepted Answer

A single number used to describe data from a sample is called a statistic. Variables are any characteristic or attribute that can be measured and studied. A sample is a subset of individuals or things taken from a larger population. Parameters are numerical measures that describe the entire population, whereas statistics describe only a sample.

Question 6

A is a complete set of people, animals, objects, or events sharing a common characteristic.
A)sample
B)statistic
C)population
D)variable

Accepted Answer

A population is a complete set of people, animals, objects, or events sharing a common characteristic.

Question 7

A statistic is.
A)a population
B)a sample
C)a single number used to describe a set of data
D)always difficult to calculate

Accepted Answer

A statistic is a single number used to describe a set of data. It could be a measure of central tendency (such as the mean or median) or a measure of variability (such as standard deviation or range). It provides a summary of the data and helps to make comparisons between different groups or sets of data.

Question 8

A dependent variable is in an experiment.
A)a placebo
B)the behavior measured
C)the conditions manipulated
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or observed in an experiment. It is often the behavior or response that is being studied. Therefore, choice B is the correct answer. A placebo is a substance or treatment that has no therapeutic effect, and the conditions manipulated refer to the independent variable(s) that are being changed in the experiment.

Question 9

If a researcher used an experiment to assess whether or not a certain drug would increase reading comprehension scores, then the dependent variable would be the
A)gender of the participants
B)age of the participants
C)reading comprehension scores
D)amount of the drug given to participants

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in the experiment. In this case, the researcher is testing whether or not the drug has an effect on reading comprehension scores. Therefore, the reading comprehension scores would be the dependent variable. The other options listed (gender, age, amount of drug given) are all independent variables, or factors that the researcher is manipulating or measuring in order to assess their effect on the dependent variable.

Question 10

A is any environmental condition or event, stimulus, personal characteristic or attribute, or behavior that can take on different values at different times.
A)statistic
B)variable
C)datum
D)population

Accepted Answer

A variable is defined as any environmental condition or event, stimulus, personal characteristic or attribute, or behavior that can take on different values at different times. A statistic refers to a numerical summary of a sample that is used to draw inferences about a population. A datum is a single value or observation. A population refers to the entire group of individuals or objects that are of interest in a study. Therefore, the best answer is B) Variable.

Question 11

If a researcher used an experiment to test two different methods of teaching geometry, then the independent variable would be the.
A)type of teaching method
B)gender of the students
C)geometry test scores obtained by participants
D)grade level of the participants

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is being manipulated or changed in the experiment, in this case, the two different teaching methods. The other options are not the independent variable, but rather potential dependent variables or participant characteristics.

Question 12

A professor surveys a sample of 25 students to find how many hours per week they work at a job. She finds the typical number of hours reported is 15. The value of 15 hours is a(n).
A)parameter
B)inference
C)statistic
D)estimate

Accepted Answer

The value 15 hours is a measure of the sample, not the population, so it is a statistic. A parameter is a measure of the population. Inference refers to drawing conclusions or making predictions based on data analysis. An estimate is an approximation of an unknown value based on data.

Question 13

A(n) is a subset, or subgroup, selected from a population.
A)dependent variable
B)equivalent group
C)subject
D)sample

Accepted Answer

A sample is a subset of a population that is selected for study or analysis. It is a smaller group that represents the larger population and is used to make inferences or predictions about the population.

Question 14

The process of summarizing, analyzing, and reaching conclusions from numerical measurements uses methods.
A)statistical
B)sampling
C)hypothesis generation
D)parameter estimation

Accepted Answer

The process described - summarizing, analyzing, and reaching conclusions from numerical measurements - is the foundation of statistical analysis. Sampling and parameter estimation are components of statistical analysis, but hypothesis generation is a separate step that occurs before statistical analysis begins. Therefore, the best choice is A) statistical.

Question 15

A characteristic of a population is called a(n).
A)independent variable
B)parameter
C)statistic
D)research hypothesis

Accepted Answer

A parameter is a characteristic of a population, whereas an independent variable is a variable that is manipulated by the researcher, a statistic is a characteristic of a sample, and a research hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observed phenomenon.

Question 16

In an experiment, the variable that is manipulated to determine its effect on behavior is called the variable.
A)extraneous
B)dependent
C)independent
D)subject

Accepted Answer

The variable that is manipulated is called the independent variable. This variable is changed by the researcher to see if it has an effect on the dependent variable, which is the behavior being observed or measured. Extraneous variables are any other variables that could potentially affect the results of the experiment but aren't being directly studied. Subjects are the individuals who are participating in the experiment.

Question 17

A sample is.
A)larger than a population
B)a complete set of people, animals, objects, or events that share a common characteristic
C)selected from a population
D)the same as a population

Accepted Answer

A sample is a smaller subset of a larger population, selected to be representative of the whole. It is not larger than the population but rather representative of it. Therefore, options A and D are incorrect. Option B defines a population rather than a sample. Option C accurately defines a sample.

Question 18

was a 19th century professor who attempted to characterize the "average" man.
A)Gaston
B)Talbert
C)Quincy
D)Quetelet

Accepted Answer

The 19th century professor who attempted to characterize the "average" man was Adolphe Quetelet, therefore, the correct answer is D.

Question 19

An independent variable is in an experiment.
A)presented to participants
B)the variable that affects an individual's responding
C)manipulated by an experimenter
D)all the above

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed are correct in describing an independent variable. It is presented to participants, it affects an individual's responding, and it is manipulated by an experimenter.

Question 20

A population is.
A)the same as a sample
B)a complete set of people, animals, objects, or events that share a common characteristic
C)selected from a sample
D)a complete set of people, animals, objects, or events possessing a variety of different characteristics

Accepted Answer

A population refers to a complete set of people, animals, objects or events that share a common characteristic, such as all the students in a school or all the adults in a city. It is different from a sample, which is a smaller subset of the population that is selected to be studied or analyzed. Option A is incorrect because a sample is not the same as a population. Option C is incorrect because a population is not selected from a sample, but rather the other way around. Option D is incorrect because a population is defined by sharing a common characteristic, not by possessing a variety of different characteristics.

Quiz 1: Making Sense of Variability: an Introduction to Statistics

Population values inferred from statistics of a sample are called.

If a researcher used an experiment to assess whether or not a certain drug would increase reading comprehension scores, then the independent variable would be the.

In an experiment, the behavior that is expected to be affected by some manipulation is called the variable.

A parameter is.

A single number used to describe data from a sample is a.

A is a complete set of people, animals, objects, or events sharing a common characteristic.

A statistic is.

A dependent variable is in an experiment.

If a researcher used an experiment to assess whether or not a certain drug would increase reading comprehension scores, then the dependent variable would be the

A is any environmental condition or event, stimulus, personal characteristic or attribute, or behavior that can take on different values at different times.

If a researcher used an experiment to test two different methods of teaching geometry, then the independent variable would be the.

A professor surveys a sample of 25 students to find how many hours per week they work at a job. She finds the typical number of hours reported is 15. The value of 15 hours is a(n) .

A(n) is a subset, or subgroup, selected from a population.

The process of summarizing, analyzing, and reaching conclusions from numerical measurements uses methods.

A characteristic of a population is called a(n) .

In an experiment, the variable that is manipulated to determine its effect on behavior is called the variable.

A sample is.

was a 19th century professor who attempted to characterize the "average" man.

An independent variable is in an experiment.

A population is.