Question 1

Which of the following refers to the technical quality of a research project?
A) External validity
B) Ecological validity
C) Internal validity
D) Experimental validity

Accepted Answer

Internal validity refers to the degree to which a research study is well-designed and free from errors that could affect the results, such as bias or confounding variables. External validity refers to the degree to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations or populations. Ecological validity refers to the degree to which the study reflects real-world conditions. Experimental validity is not a commonly used term in research methodology.

Question 2

What type of replication occurs when a researcher duplicates a previous study but uses a different population or situation?
A) Exact
B) Theoretical
C) General
D) Conceptual

Accepted Answer

Conceptual replication occurs when a researcher duplicates a previous study but changes certain variables, such as the population or situation, to test the study's concepts in a new context.

Question 3

Which feature describes the best theories?
A) They are the result of inductive reasoning.
B) They have minimum predictive ability.
C) They have little relationship to empirical findings.
D) They explain a wide variety of related behaviors.

Accepted Answer

The feature that describes the best theories is that they explain a wide variety of related behaviors. This means that a theory should have the ability to provide explanations for numerous behaviors, outcomes or events that are consistently observed in real-life situations. The other options are not characteristics of good theories. Theories are usually based on deductive reasoning rather than inductive reasoning, they have maximum predictive ability rather than minimum, and they are closely tied to empirical findings rather than having little relationship.

Question 4

Which method of reasoning relies on observation to test theoretical predictions?
A) Inductive
B) Hypothetical
C) Theoretical
D) Deductive

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which method of reasoning relies on observation...

Question 5

With what functions, respectively, are theories and hypotheses associated?
A) Prediction, control
B) Explanation, prediction
C) Control, explanation
D) Prediction, explanation

Accepted Answer

Theories are associated with explanation, as they aim to explain why phenomena occur. Hypotheses are associated with prediction, as they are testable predictions derived from theories.

Question 6

Suppose a researcher is investigating how exercise habits change in college students over time. If the researcher selects and assesses a sample of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors all at once, what type of research method is involved?
A) Cross-sectional
B) Experimental
C) Basic
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

This is a cross-sectional research method as it involves selecting and assessing a sample of individuals at different stages of a particular phenomenon (in this case, exercise habits of college students) at the same point in time.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT generally considered a defining characteristic of research?
A) Logical
B) Philosophical
C) Reproducible
D) Systematic

Accepted Answer

While philosophies may inform research, they are not necessarily a defining characteristic of research itself. The other options, logical, reproducible, and systematic, are generally considered defining characteristics of research.

Question 8

Picking names out of a hat is an example of what type of sampling?
A) Simple random sampling
B) Systematic sampling
C) Cluster sampling
D) Sampling error

Accepted Answer

Picking names out of a hat is a classic example of simple random sampling, where each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Question 9

Which of the following questions would be of LEAST importance in determining whether or not a basic (versus applied) research project is worth doing?
A) Has the topic been thoroughly investigated?
B) Will the results answer a specific question?
C) Is it possible to obtain data to answer the question?
D) Is the problem of interest to the investigator?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following questions would be...

Question 10

Why are volunteers likely to constitute a biased sample?
A) They are probably different from non-volunteers on critical variables.
B) They are less likely to show change than subjects who are required to participate.
C) They are more subject to the Hawthorne effect than non-volunteers.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Volunteers are likely to constitute a biased sample because they are likely to differ from non-volunteers on critical variables, such as motivation, interest in the topic, and level of involvement. This can impact the generalizability of research findings and limit the external validity of studies that rely exclusively on volunteers.

Question 11

In which of the following cases would sampling bias be LEAST likely?
A) Subjects are volunteers.
B) An equal proportion of subject mortality occurred in experimental and control groups.
C) Subjects who differ in the independent variable are also different in other important respects.
D) Subjects having an important characteristic were not included in the sample.

Accepted Answer

If an equal proportion of subject mortality occurred in both the experimental and control groups, then the remaining subjects are more likely to be representative of the original sample without bias. Choice A involves self-selection bias, where volunteers may differ systematically from non-volunteers. Choice C involves selection bias, where subjects are not randomly chosen and may differ systematically in unmeasured ways. Choice D involves exclusion bias, where subjects with certain characteristics are not included in the sample, leading to an unrepresentative and biased sample.

Question 12

A researcher plans a school-district-wide study to compare Methods A and B of increasing physical activity in third graders. Which of the following procedures would be MOST appropriate for selecting a sample?
A) Obtain permission from a cooperative principal to select the sample from students in her school.
B) Require all students enrolled in physical education classes to serve as subjects.
C) Use students from one school as subjects to receive the Method A treatment and students from a second school to receive the Method B treatment.
D) Define the population as all students in the district and select a random sample.

Accepted Answer

Defining the population as all students in the district and selecting a random sample would be the most appropriate procedure for this study, as it would provide a representative sample of the entire population being studied. A random sample would avoid any potential biases or confounding factors that could occur with the other options, such as selecting students only from one school or requiring all students in physical education classes to participate.

Question 13

What is the usual method of accounting for the Hawthorne effect?
A) Including a control group
B) Using efficient and robust statistics
C) Using large sample sizes
D) Attempting to achieve the largest difference between groups possible

Accepted Answer

Including a control group is the usual method of accounting for the Hawthorne effect, as it allows for comparison and identification of the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable, while controlling for any other factors that may be affecting the outcome.

Question 14

An experiment is designed to measure the effect of two different methods of presenting volleyball knowledge. The dependent variable is written test scores. Of the following variables, which would be the most important to control?
A) Height
B) Socioeconomic status
C) Emotional stability
D) Intelligence

Accepted Answer

Intelligence is the most important variable to control in this experiment because it directly affects the ability to learn and retain information, which is being measured through written test scores. Controlling for intelligence ensures that differences in test scores are more likely due to the presentation methods rather than variations in participants' innate ability to understand and remember the volleyball knowledge.

Question 15

An investigator measures 200 subjects on some variable and selects the 10 subjects who have the highest scores. The mean score for these 10 subjects is 130. If the investigator measured these 10 subjects again on the same variable, what would be the likeliest value of the mean of the second 10 measurements?
A) Less than 130
B) 130
C) More than 130
D) Cannot tell from information provided

Accepted Answer

This scenario describes regression to the mean, where extreme scores tend to be closer to the average upon retesting. Thus, the mean of the second measurements is likely to be less than 130.

Question 16

What type of experiment validity could be affected by the administration of a pretest?
A) External
B) Internal
C) Both external and internal
D) Neither

Accepted Answer

Pretesting can affect both external and internal validity. It can influence participants' behavior in the experiment, thereby affecting internal validity. Additionally, it can limit the generalizability of the findings to broader populations, impacting external validity.

Question 17

Which of the following is an expression of a null hypothesis?
A) Group 1 will score significantly better than Group 2.
B) There will be a significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2.
C) Groups 1 and 2 will differ significantly from Group 3 but not from each other.
D) Groups 1 and 2 will score the same.

Accepted Answer

Choice D is an expression of a null hypothesis because it states that there will be no significant difference between Groups 1 and 2. This is the statement that will be tested against the alternative hypothesis, which would state that there is a significant difference between Groups 1 and 2. Choices A, B, and C are all expressions of alternative hypotheses, because they all predict that there will be a significant difference between at least two of the groups being compared.

Question 18

What is the name given to the variable that is expected to exhibit different values as the result of subjects' being exposed to differing conditions?
A) Dependent variable
B) Control variable
C) Independent variable
D) Confounding variable

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the one that is expected to change as a result of exposure to different conditions or treatments in an experiment.

Question 19

What is an alternate name for the dependent variable?
A) Outcome variable
B) Manipulated variable
C) X variable
D) Treatment variable

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is often referred to as the outcome variable because it is the variable that is being measured or observed as a result of changes in the independent variable.

Question 20

A researcher investigates the relationship between age (10 years, 12 years, and 14 years) and gender on percentage of body fat. What is (are) the independent variable(s)?
A) Percent body fat and gender
B) Gender and age
C) Age and percent body fat
D) Age

Accepted Answer

The independent variables are the factors that the researcher manipulates or explores to see if they cause an effect on another variable. In this study, age and gender are the independent variables because the researcher is investigating how these factors might influence the percentage of body fat, which is the dependent variable.

Quiz 1: Research Methods

Which of the following refers to the technical quality of a research project?

What type of replication occurs when a researcher duplicates a previous study but uses a different population or situation?

Which feature describes the best theories?

Which method of reasoning relies on observation to test theoretical predictions?

With what functions, respectively, are theories and hypotheses associated?

Suppose a researcher is investigating how exercise habits change in college students over time. If the researcher selects and assesses a sample of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors all at once, what type of research method is involved?

Which of the following is NOT generally considered a defining characteristic of research?

Picking names out of a hat is an example of what type of sampling?

Which of the following questions would be of LEAST importance in determining whether or not a basic (versus applied) research project is worth doing?

Why are volunteers likely to constitute a biased sample?

In which of the following cases would sampling bias be LEAST likely?

A researcher plans a school-district-wide study to compare Methods A and B of increasing physical activity in third graders. Which of the following procedures would be MOST appropriate for selecting a sample?

What is the usual method of accounting for the Hawthorne effect?

An experiment is designed to measure the effect of two different methods of presenting volleyball knowledge. The dependent variable is written test scores. Of the following variables, which would be the most important to control?

What type of experiment validity could be affected by the administration of a pretest?

Which of the following is an expression of a null hypothesis?

What is the name given to the variable that is expected to exhibit different values as the result of subjects' being exposed to differing conditions?

What is an alternate name for the dependent variable?

A researcher investigates the relationship between age (10 years, 12 years, and 14 years) and gender on percentage of body fat. What is (are) the independent variable(s) ?