Deck 10: Experimental Research

Question 1

Which would be the least appropriate way to assign subjects to experimental groups?

A) Rolling a die
B) Flipping a coin
C) Teacher assignment
D) Using a table of random numbers.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.The independent variable in this study is

A) reading scores.
B) vocabulary instruction.
C) gender.
D) the size of the sample.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.The control group would be those who

A) are in the class.
B) are willing to cooperate in the research.
C) have a library period.
D) have high grade averages in reading.
E) receive vocabulary instruction.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.The external validity question in this study would be:

A) is vocabulary instruction worth the time it involves?
B) was vocabulary instruction really responsible for the observed difference in reading scores?
C) would vocabulary instruction improve reading scores for all third graders?
D) should the teacher have exposed all the students to vocabulary instruction?

Question 5

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.Suppose the group with vocabulary instruction ends up with statistically higher reading scores than those without vocabulary training.Assuming that there are no problems of internal validity, the teacher should

A) reject the null hypothesis.
B) retain the null hypothesis.
C) reject the experimental hypothesis.
D) declare the hypothesis as proven.

Question 6

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.This study would be classified as

A) correlational
B) causal-comparative
C) experimental
D) survey research.
E) trend research

Question 7

In order to apply the law of the single significant independent variable to a study, a researcher should

A) choose a single test for the dependent variable.
B) determine which single test is most related to the independent variable by using several tests as possible dependent variable.
C) determine which single variable makes the most difference by varying the independent variable in many different ways.
D) establish two groups that are as alike as possible, except one is exposed to the independent variable while the other is not.

Question 8

A researcher wants to determine the cause of intoxication.On successive days, he consumed large quantities of scotch and water, bourbon and water, and vodka and water.Becoming very intoxicated in each case, he concluded, "It's the water that makes one drunk." The researcher should have consumed pure water on one of his test days.The water alone test would be called a

A) double blind.
B) hypothesis.
C) prediction.
D) control.

Question 9

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.The Hawthorne effect would be most likely to increase the scores of

A) all the students.
B) the best students.
C) the poorest students.
D) the students with vocabulary instruction.
E) the students without vocabulary instruction.

Question 10

The variable upon which the effects of the experimental treatment are observed is called the ____variable.

A) independent
B) dependent
C) extraneous
D) control

Question 11

The purpose of matching individual subjects before randomly assigning one to Group A and the other to Group B is to

A) assure that the groups are truly random.
B) assure that the groups are equivalent on the dependent variable.
C) control as many extraneous variables as possible.
D) assure that the groups are not equivalent on the dependent variable.

Question 12

An experimental design must provide __________, so that the effects of the independent variable can be evaluated unambiguously.

A) control
B) hypotheses
C) variability
D) external validity

Question 13

Any type of attention may lead the subjects in the experimental group to respond in an other-than-normal manner.This phenomenon is called

A) closure.
B) Hawthorne effect.
C) Premack principle.
D) John Henry effect
E) perception effect.

Question 14

The fact that people may learn from test taking is an experimental validity threat known as ____; the fact that the measurement scale may change over the course of the experiment is called ____.

A) instrumentation; testing effect
B) maturation; testing effect
C) testing effect; instrumentation
D) instrumentation; selection

Question 15

Which of the following is not a characteristic of an experiment in its simplest form?

A) A dependent variable is manipulated.
B) All variables except the independent variable are held constant.
C) The effect of manipulating the independent variable is observed.
D) Extraneous variables are controlled.

Question 16

Exhibit 10.1: A third grade teacher feels that vocabulary instruction will help her children improve their reading scores.Half of her class receives vocabulary instruction, while the other half has a library period.She will compare reading scores after four months.
Refer to Exhibit 10-1.In order to test her hypothesis the teacher should have which group receive vocabulary instruction?

A) Those who volunteer
B) The best students
C) The poorest students
D) A randomly selected group
E) Good students who show poor concentration

Question 17

In an experiment, a researcher believes that by manipulating Variable A he can cause changes in Variable B.However, Variable C is actually causing changes in Variable B.Variable C is a(n) ____ variable.

A) independent
B) dependent
C) extraneous
D) attribute

Question 18

Which variable does the experimental researcher manipulate?

A) Independent
B) Attribute
C) Extraneous
D) Dependent

Question 19

The most important criterion of an experimental design is that the design be

A) complex.
B) simple.
C) an extension of theory.
D) appropriate for testing the hypothesis.
E) based on experience.

Question 20

The set of varied conditions that the experimenter imposes on the subjects is referred to as the

A) independent variable.
B) treatment variable.
C) experimental variable.
D) extraneous variable.
E) a, b, and c

Question 21

The major threat to the internal validity of research on articulation problems in young children is

A) regression.
B) instrumentation.
C) mortality.
D) maturation.
E) selection.

Question 22

The internal validity threat that randomization eliminates in an experimental study is

A) selection bias.
B) subject effects.
C) instrumentation.
D) history.

Question 23

Consider the following: "To what group of subjects can the research results based on this particular sample be generalized?" This question is concerned with

A) selection-maturation interaction.
B) reactive effect.
C) internal validity.
D) experimenter effect.
E) external validity.

Question 24

Exhibit 10-2: In its simplest form, an experiment has three characteristics.Choose the characteristic that corresponds with each example.
Refer to Exhibit 10-2.A posttest of the groups' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is given.

A) The effect of the independent variable is measured through observation of the dependent variable.
B) Extraneous variables are held constant.
C) An independent variable is manipulated.

Question 25

Hypothesis testing is most characteristic of

A) survey research.
B) experimental research.
C) qualitative research.
D) historical research.
E) the case study.

Question 26

Exhibit 10-2: In its simplest form, an experiment has three characteristics.Choose the characteristic that corresponds with each example.
Refer to Exhibit 10-2.One group had been rewarded with candy for turning in homework, while the other had verbal praise.

A) The effect of the independent variable is measured through observation of the dependent variable.
B) Extraneous variables are held constant.
C) An independent variable is manipulated.

Question 27

When a pretest and posttest are used on all subjects in the experimental and control groups

A) the pretest may influence posttest results.
B) the experimenter knows whether it is reasonable to assume that both groups began at a similar point.
C) there may be interaction between pretest and treatment effects.
D) a and b
E) a, b, and c

Question 28

The major benefit of random assignment is it

A) reduces the plausibility of alternative explanations for the observed effects.
B) makes it possible to observe the effects of an independent variable on another variable.
C) ensures that the sample chosen for a study is similar to the population from which the sample was drawn.
D) equates the groups before the experimental treatment begins.
E) a and d

Question 29

Which question expresses concern for the internal validity of a design?

A) Is the selected setting representative?
B) To what extent can the research findings be generalized?
C) Was the change in the dependent variable really due to the treatment?
D) What characteristics of the setting allow the findings to be generalized?

Question 30

Exhibit 10-2: In its simplest form, an experiment has three characteristics.Choose the characteristic that corresponds with each example.
Refer to Exhibit 10-2.Two classes were randomly selected and randomly assigned to be the experimental and control groups.

A) The effect of the independent variable is measured through observation of the dependent variable.
B) Extraneous variables are held constant.
C) An independent variable is manipulated.

Question 31

Counterbalancing is a technique that controls for

A) lack of random assignment.
B) failure to use a double blind technique.
C) experimenter effect.
D) order and carryover effects.
E) diffusion.

Question 32

The most effective way to limit the effects of extraneous variables in an experiment is to use

A) randomization.
B) matched groups.
C) homogeneous selection.
D) subjects as their own control.

Question 33

Selection bias is a threat to internal validity arising from failure to use

A) a control group.
B) counterbalancing across conditions.
C) reliable measuring instruments.
D) random assignment.

Question 34

A lack of original equivalency between two preexisting groups can be partly compensated for by using a pretest, posttest, and a/an

A) analysis of covariance.
B) analysis of variance.
C) factorial design.
D) randomization procedure.

Question 35

If a researcher makes a generalization from a study about apes to a human population, what type of validity problem might he/she have?

A) Internal
B) External

Question 36

The experimenter effect as an internal validity threat is concerned most directly with

A) matching.
B) novelty.
C) expectations.
D) compensation.
E) selection interaction.

Question 37

The factor most crucial in determining the effectiveness of the matching procedure for developing equivalent groups is whether

A) the matching variable is significantly related to the study's dependent variable.
B) the matching variables were assigned to both groups.
C) the sample is random and representative of the larger population.
D) the study is causal-comparative or experimental.

Question 38

If the John Henry effect were exerting an influence in an experiment, one would expect

A) poor performance in the control group.
B) better performance in the control group.
C) poor performance in the treatment group.
D) better performance in the treatment group.

Question 39

The control of experimenter effect in a research study can be accomplished by

A) randomization.
B) matching.
C) double blinding
D) single blinding.
E) counterbalancing.

Question 40

Events or influences other than the experimental treatment itself may occur between a pretest and a posttest that may affect the dependent variable.This threat is called

A) mortality.
B) history.
C) regression.
D) diffusion.
E) Hawthorne effect.

Question 41

Exhibit 10-5: Choose the internal validity problem that is associated with the situations listed.
Refer to Exhibit 10-5.Specific events between the measurements

A) history
B) maturation
C) experimenter effect
D) statistical regression
E) diffusion

Question 42

The most powerful control technique, given the number of influences potentially controlled, is

A) matching.
B) random assignment.
C) counterbalancing.
D) homogeneous selection.

Question 43

The fact that young children's articulation problems often disappear by themselves over time indicates why researchers must use ____in order to have internal validity.

A) control groups
B) informed consent
C) objective measurement
D) pre- and postmeasures
E) statistical analysis

Question 44

Exhibit 10-5: Choose the internal validity problem that is associated with the situations listed.
Refer to Exhibit 10-5.Entirely a function of the passage of time

A) history
B) maturation
C) experimenter effect
D) statistical regression
E) diffusion

Question 45

Randomization in an experimental design assures

A) external validity of the findings.
B) the relevance of the hypothesis in question.
C) accurate observation of the dependent variable.
D) statistical equivalence of groups.
E) lack of pretest sensitivity.

Question 46

A researcher wishes to study the effects of a concentrated remedial reading program on the reading achievement of disadvantaged children.A large number of children are available for assignment to groups.Since intelligence is an important relevant variable in any research on reading, the investigator wants to make sure that it is controlled as well as the reading pretest scores.What would be the most effective way for the researcher to control these variables?

A) Set up groups and then check to make sure that there are no significant differences between the groups on intelligence and reading pretest scores.
B) Randomly assign children to experimental and control groups.
C) Match the children on intelligence test and reading pretest scores and then randomly assign the matched pairs to experimental and control groups.
D) Randomly assign children to experimental and control groups and use intelligence test and reading pretest scores in an analysis of covariance.

Question 47

Which of the following is the appropriate description of "statistically significant"?

A) "Important and powerful"
B) "Theoretically important"
C) "Probably not due to chance"
D) "Worthy of recognition"
E) "Momentous and substantial"

Question 48

To be useful in an analysis of covariance design, a covariate should have

A) high positive correlation with the dependent variable.
B) low positive correlation with the dependent variable.
C) low negative correlation with the dependent variable.
D) zero correlation with the dependent variable.
E) high positive correlation with the main independent variable.

Question 49

Exhibit 10-5: Choose the internal validity problem that is associated with the situations listed.
Refer to Exhibit 10-5.Extreme scores move toward the mean.

A) history
B) maturation
C) experimenter effect
D) statistical regression
E) diffusion

Question 50

"Statistical regression" refers to the tendency of extreme scores to ____ the common mean on subsequent measurement.

A) move toward
B) move away from
C) stay the same distance from
D) move randomly toward or away from

Question 51

Exhibit 10-3: Choose the type of experimental validity that is being referred to in the following questions.
Refer to Exhibit 10-3.Were the tests used for analysis appropriate and sufficiently powerful to correctly estimate the size and significance of the effect?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Construct
D) Statistical Conclusion

Question 52

Select the term which least belongs with experimental research.

A) Treatment group
B) Manipulation
C) Randomization
D) Description
E) Control

Question 53

A teacher was surprised to find a negative correlation between pretest scores and the amount of change in a pretest-posttest design.How would you explain the negative correlation to the teacher?

A) The students who did well on the pretest did not learn as much during the instructional period.
B) The method of instruction was not appropriate for those students who had high pretest scores.
C) Students who have high scores on the pretest can be expected to have low change scores because of the ceiling effect on the posttest.
D) The negative correlation is due to the low reliability of the pretest and the posttest.

Question 54

Which of the following is an internal validity question in experimental research?

A) Does the sample represent the population?
B) Has statistical regression influenced the dependent variable?
C) Does the design provide adequate control of the dependent variable?
D) Can the experiment's results be generalized to other settings?
E) Is the study's cost worth the time and effort?

Question 55

The type of control problem that can occur when volunteers are compared with nonvolunteers is

A) history.
B) pretesting.
C) regression.
D) posttesting.
E) selection-maturation interaction.

Question 56

Exhibit 10-5: Choose the internal validity problem that is associated with the situations listed.
Refer to Exhibit 10-5.Presence of the observer increases scores.

A) history
B) maturation
C) experimenter effect
D) statistical regression
E) diffusion

Question 57

Exhibit 10-3: Choose the type of experimental validity that is being referred to in the following questions.
Refer to Exhibit 10-3.Is the causal relationship demonstrated in the study generalizable to other persons and settings?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Construct
D) Statistical Conclusion

Question 58

Exhibit 10-3: Choose the type of experimental validity that is being referred to in the following questions.
Refer to Exhibit 10-3.Did the experimental treatment cause the observed change in the dependent variable, or was a spurious factor operating to cause the change?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Construct
D) Statistical Conclusion

Question 59

When a researcher is confident that results can be attributed to a treatment's influence and nothing else, it is said that the study is ____ valid.

A) externally
B) empirically
C) intrinsically
D) internally
E) statistically

Question 60

Internal validity is not concerned with

A) maturation
B) generalization.
C) experimental mortality.
D) statistical regression.
E) interaction of pretest and treatment.

Question 61

The group to which a researcher wants the findings to ultimately apply is the

A) accessible population.
B) sample.
C) target population.
D) probability sample.

Question 62

Exhibit 10-7: Identify the threats to internal validity illustrated in the example below.
Refer to Exhibit 10-7.The experimental group had a higher learning/growth rate than the control group even before the experiment began.

A) Instrumentation
B) Experimental mortality
C) Selection-maturation interaction
D) Statistical regression
E) Diffusion

Question 63

Exhibit 10-6: Choose the intersubject difference control that best corresponds with the following statements.
Refer to Exhibit 10-6.Last year's math grades are taken into consideration when analyzing the posttest scores following the use of a new math teaching method.

A) ANCOVA
B) Homogeneous selection
C) Randomized matching
D) Random assignment
E) Use subjects as their own controls

Question 64

Exhibit 10-6: Choose the intersubject difference control that best corresponds with the following statements.
Refer to Exhibit 10-6.This procedure eliminates some matching problems but makes generalization harder to do.

A) ANCOVA
B) Homogeneous selection
C) Randomized matching
D) Random assignment
E) Use subjects as their own controls

Question 65

Exhibit 10-7: Identify the threats to internal validity illustrated in the example below.
Refer to Exhibit 10-7.The students who scored extremely high on a test would score lower if given the test again.

A) Instrumentation
B) Experimental mortality
C) Selection-maturation interaction
D) Statistical regression
E) Diffusion

Question 66

A pretest may be used in an experiment

A) as a matching variable.
B) to assess group equivalence.
C) when change is being investigated.
D) All of these are true.

Question 67

A researcher investigating the effect of a new drug administers a placebo to the control group in order to

A) eliminate the Hawthorne effect.
B) provide better matching of subjects in the experimental and control groups.
C) minimize the experimenter effect.
D) separate the psychological aspects of the treatment from other effects.

Question 68

Exhibit 10-7: Identify the threats to internal validity illustrated in the example below.
Refer to Exhibit 10-7.The students scored much higher on the posttest because the posttest was easier than the pretest.

A) Instrumentation
B) Experimental mortality
C) Selection-maturation interaction
D) Statistical regression
E) Diffusion

Question 69

Exhibit 10-7: Identify the threats to internal validity illustrated in the example below.
Refer to Exhibit 10-7.Some students left the experimental program because of a conflict with sports.

A) Instrumentation
B) Experimental mortality
C) Selection-maturation interaction
D) Statistical regression
E) Diffusion

Question 70

Exhibit 10-6: Choose the intersubject difference control that best corresponds with the following statements.
Refer to Exhibit 10-6.A teacher flips a coin for each child to determine if the child will be in the control or experimental group.

A) ANCOVA
B) Homogeneous selection
C) Randomized matching
D) Random assignment
E) Use subjects as their own controls

Question 71

The term "randomization" refers to

A) random assignment of subjects into groups.
B) random selection of subjects for the sample.
C) sampling techniques in general.
D) All of these are true.

Question 72

A confounding variable is one which

A) has no relationship with the dependent variable.
B) is controlled and does not affect the outcome.
C) is not controlled and affects the outcome.
D) a and b

Question 73

Exhibit 10-8: Choose the term that is described in each of the phrases below.
Refer to Exhibit 10-8.Removes the part of each subject's posttest score that is in common with his/her pretest score.

A) random assignment
B) randomized matching
C) homogeneous selection
D) analysis of covariance
E) use of subjects as their own controls

Question 74

The term "control" in research generally refers to controlling

A) dependent variable measurement.
B) design selection.
C) extraneous variables.
D) independent variable manipulation.

Question 75

Exhibit 10-6: Choose the intersubject difference control that best corresponds with the following statements.
Refer to Exhibit 10-6.Only boys of ages 6-8 from an urban community were selected for a study.

A) ANCOVA
B) Homogeneous selection
C) Randomized matching
D) Random selection
E) Use subjects as their own controls

Question 76

In a study of aggression, the instrument used may not really measure aggression but rather assertiveness.If so, this would most likely affect the ____validity of the study.

A) internal
B) construct
C) external
D) statistical conclusion validity.

Question 77

Exhibit 10-6: Choose the intersubject difference control that best corresponds with the following statements.
Refer to Exhibit 10-6.Each subject in the control group has a corresponding subject in the experimental group who has the same IQ score within three points.

A) ANCOVA
B) Homogeneous selection
C) Randomized matching
D) Random assignment
E) Use subjects as their own controls

Question 78

Generalization from the accessible population to the target population is assessed

A) statistically.
B) judgmentally.
C) through hindsight.
D) through the use of the generalization coefficient.

Question 79

An experiment conducted in a highly controlled lab setting is more likely to have problems with ____ than is an experiment conducted in a classroom setting.

A) external validity
B) internal validity
C) statistical conclusion validity
D) internal consistency

Question 80

Exhibit 10-6: Choose the intersubject difference control that best corresponds with the following statements.
Refer to Exhibit 10-6.Assigning the same subjects to all experimental conditions and obtaining measurements under all conditions.

A) ANCOVA
B) Homogeneous selection
C) Randomized matching
D) Random assignment
E) Use subjects as their own controls