Question 1

Which of the following is a nondirectional hypothesis for the research question, Are there differences in end of course biology test grades between those who use simulated labs and those who use traditional labs?

Accepted Answer

A nondirectional hypothesis simply states that there is a difference but does not specify the direction of the difference, which is what choice A does.

Question 2

Of the following, which is the best example of a qualitative research problem?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research is concerned with understanding human experiences, beliefs, and behaviors from the perspective of the individuals being studied. In option D, the research problem focuses on understanding the experiences of transgendered adolescents, which is best suited for qualitative research. Option A is more suited for quantitative research, where numerical data on learning gains would be collected. Option B could be approached using either quantitative or qualitative research methods, but the question does not specifically ask for qualitative perspective. Option C is not specific enough to be a good example of a qualitative research problem.

Question 3

Given the hypothesis statement: Those students enrolled in instrumental music programs experience less transition anxiety as they enter middle school in a large urban district than do those students not enrolled in instrumental music programs. The dependent variable in this study is:

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or observed in the study. In this hypothesis statement, the dependent variable is transition anxiety, which is the variable that is expected to be impacted or affected by the independent variable (instrumental music programs). Therefore, C is the correct choice as it represents the dependent variable.

Question 4

Dei read this really interesting study that examined the benefits of a structured program that taught problem-solving to disadvantaged children. Although the population that he works with is not considered disadvantaged, Dei would like to conduct a similar study at his school. Of the following types of studies, which best describes Dei's idea?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dei read this really interesting study that...

Question 5

The hypothesis statement, There are no differences in long term achievement between those who are taught through a face-to-face only class and those who are taught through blended instruction, illustrates which type of hypothesis statement?

Accepted Answer

The hypothesis statement "There are no differences in long term achievement..." suggests that there is no relationship or difference between the two methods of instruction, indicating a null hypothesis.

Question 6

Which of the following is a null hypothesis for the research question: Are there differences in final class grades between students who are taught psychology in a lecture format or self-paced?

Accepted Answer

The null hypothesis typically states that there is no effect or no difference. In this case, it posits that there are no differences in final class grades between the two teaching methods.

Question 7

The hypothesis statement, Children in elementary school who exercise at least 5 hours a week are more popular in school than children who do not exercise at least 5 hours a week, illustrates which type of hypothesis statement?

Accepted Answer

This is a directional hypothesis statement because it specifies a direction of the relationship between exercise and popularity (i.e. stating that children who exercise at least 5 hours a week are more popular than those who do not). The null hypothesis would be the opposite of this statement (i.e. there is no difference in popularity between children who exercise and those who do not). A correlational hypothesis statement would describe a relationship between two variables without specifying a direction.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a researchable problem?

Accepted Answer

B is a researchable problem as it can be investigated through research to determine whether there is a relationship between SES (socio-economic status) and children's amount of reading in the home. The other options are broad questions that may not be feasible to answer through research or may require more specific parameters to be researchable.

Question 9

Of the following, which is most likely addressed as a quantitative research problem?

Accepted Answer

The relationship between IQ score and Post-graduate GPA is a measurable and quantitative relationship, making this a quantitative research problem.

Question 10

Which of the following is a non-directional hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A non-directional hypothesis simply states that there is a difference, but does not specify the direction of the difference. Option B states that there are differences in motivation between the two groups without specifying whether the motivation is higher or lower in either group.

Question 11

Servio is particularly interested in how families react to an initial learning disability diagnosis. Unfortunately he needs more participants than there are actual new diagnoses in his school. Therefore, in the design of his study he proposes to tell parents that their children have been tested and diagnosed as learning disabled and will conduct an interview with the parents to get their initial reactions. However, the children will not have been diagnosed. His advisor tells him that he cannot conduct the study. Of the following what is the likely reason why.

Accepted Answer

The study is not ethical because it involves deceiving parents about their child's diagnosis, which denies them the right to make informed decisions about their child's education and well-being. This type of deception could also potentially cause psychological harm to both the parents and children. Therefore, such a study would not be approved by an ethical review board.

Question 12

Candace is conducting a research study and is having trouble with her variable 'self-concept' she decides to define self-concept as one's beliefs about one's capabilities in a given domain. She will measure it using a common Likert-type scale. Candace is engaging in which of the following research tasks?

Accepted Answer

Candace is operationalizing the variable 'self-concept' by defining it as one's beliefs about one's capabilities in a given domain and deciding to measure it using a Likert-type scale.

Question 13

Pedro studies inclusion. He needs to generate a directional hypothesis for his study. Which of the following is an appropriate research hypothesis for Pedro.

Accepted Answer

Pedro is studying inclusion, and therefore he needs a directional hypothesis that predicts a difference in learning between children who are fully included and those who are not. Choice A implies that all fully included children do not learn in school and is too extreme to be a valid hypothesis. Choice B is a null hypothesis that does not predict any differences, which is not suitable for Pedro's study. Choice C predicts differences but does not specify a direction, making it a non-directional hypothesis. Option D is a directional hypothesis that predicts that children who are fully included learn more than children who are not fully included, which is appropriate for Pedro's research topic.

Quiz 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic