Psyc300 Midterm Exam - Week 4
Psyc300
Psyc300 Midterm Exam
Psyc300 Midterm Exam - Week 4
Question 1 of 41
Marco’s study suggested that
... [Show More] elementary students who watch TV more than three hours a day are more likely to be overweight than students who watch less TV. In this study student’s weight is
A. an independent variable
B. dependent variable
C. mediating variable
D. moderating variable
Answer Key: B
Question 2 of 41
Professor Harris is constructing a demographic questionnaire for use in a research pro-ject. One question asks students to report how politically conservative they are it in-cludes a 7-point scale where 1 is “not at all conservative” and 7 is “extremely conserva-tive.” This is an example of a/an:
A. nominal scale
B. ordinal scale
C. interval scale
D. ratio scale
Answer Key: C
Question 3 of 41
Professor Harris is constructing a demographic questionnaire for use in a research pro-ject. One question asks students to report their highest level of education by choosing these options: “some high school”, “completed high school,”, “some college”, or “com-pleted 4-year college degree.” This is an example of a/an:
A. nominal scale
B. ordinal scale
C. interval scale
D. ratio scale
Answer Key: A
Question 4 of 41
Professor Adams is constructing a demographic questionnaire for use in a research project. One question asks students to report their age in years. This is an example of a/an:
A. nominal scale
B. ordinal scale
C. interval scale
D. ratio scale
Answer Key: D
Question 5 of 41
Professor Adams is constructing a demographic questionnaire for use in a research project. One question asks students to report whether they are currently living in an "urban", "suburban", or "rural" setting. This is an example of a/an:
A. nominal scale
B. ordinal scale
C. interval scale
D. ration scale
Answer Key: A
Question 6 of 41
Kate has spent the past month carefully observing a group of third graders on the play-ground during recess, taking notes of how the students interact with one another. On the basis of these observation, Kate is drawing conclusions about the interaction styles of boys and girls. This is an example of:
A. hypothetical logic
B. deductive logic
C. inductive logic
D. propositional logic
Answer Key: C
Question 7 of 41
Alicia knows that teenagers often do not make good decisions in areas where they have little knowledge. She also knows that most teens have little knowledge about human sexuality. Therefore, Alicia believes that teens are likely to make poor decisions about sexual activity. This is an example of:
A. inductive logic
B. propositional logic
C. transductive logic
D. deductive logic
Answer Key: D
Question 8 of 41
Which of the following represents a well-written applied research problem?
A. “How does the organization of mathematical information in long-term memory differ between 3-year-olds and 13-year-olds?”
B. “How do business teams of six or fewer members compare to teams of more than six members in terms of productivity?”
C. “Which general education course is more interesting, U.S. History or World Music?”
D. “What is the ratio of native-born students to international students on the campuses of major U.S. state universities?”
Answer Key: B
Question 9 of 41
Which of the following represents a well-written applied research problem?
A. “How does the organization of mathematical information in long-term memory differ between 3-year-olds and 13-year-olds?”
B. “How do business teams of six or fewer members compare to teams of more than six members in terms of productivity?”
C. “Which general education course is more interesting, U.S. History or World Music?”
D. “What is the ratio of native-born students to international students on the campuses of major U.S. state universities?”
Answer Key: C
Question 10 of 41
“What do underemployed U.S. workers (i.e., those workers who are employed, but not in positions for which they have specialized training or expertise) identify as the prima-ry reason for their inability to find suitable employment?”
The chief weakness of this research problem is that:
A. it lacks clarity or completeness in the problem statement.
B. it does not lead to the creation/discovery of new information.
C. it implies only description of the data, not interpretation.
D. studying the question as stated is not feasible.
Answer Key: D
Question 11 of 41
“What is the correlation between an index of civic-mindedness and years of involve-ment in local organizations and charities among members of city councils of selected midsized cities in the northeastern United States?”
The chief weakness of this research problem is that:
A. it implies only description of the data, not interpretation.
B. it does not lead to the creation/discovery of new information.
C. it lacks clarity or completeness in the problem statement.
D. studying the question as stated is not feasible.
Answer Key: A
Question 12 of 41
“Among social workers in selected U.S. urban areas, are the personality characteristics of Need for Structure or In-Group Preference related to prejudicial social judgments about African Americans, Latino Americans, or Asian Americans?”
Which of the following is a well-stated subproblem that follows from this research prob-lem?
A. Which group is more discriminated against by the public at large in each of the se-lected areas: African Americans, Latino Americans, or Asian Americans?
B. What is the most valid existing measure of In-Group Preference?
C. What is the relationship between an index of Need for Structure and an index of prejudice targeting attitudes about Asian Americans among the selected social work-ers?
D. Which analytic technique is best suited to addressing the research problem, multiple regression or path analysis?
Answer Key: C
Question 13 of 41
Which of the following represents a null hypothesis?
A. Class A high school basketball teams who employ a sports psychologist will have a higher proportion of wins over the course of the season than comparable teams who do not employ a sports psychologist.
B. There will be no difference in rate of skill improvement between college gymnasts who practice meditation and those who do not.
C. Does incorporating relaxation exercises into the daily practice routine of college vo-cal majors enhance their performance confidence?
D. None of the above
Answer Key: B
Question 14 of 41
Which of the following represents a research hypothesis?
A. Class A high school basketball teams who employ a sports psychologist will have a higher proportion of wins over the course of the season than comparable teams who do not employ a sports psychologist.
B. There will be no difference in rate of skill improvement between college gymnasts who practice meditation and those who do not.
C. Does incorporating relaxation exercises into the daily practice routine of college vo-cal majors enhance their performance confidence?
D. None of the above
Answer Key: A
Question 15 of 41
The recommended order of tasks in preparing a research proposal is:
A. state the problem and subproblems, note the assumptions, note the delimitations, define the terms, note the research questions/hypotheses.
B. state the problem and subproblems, note the delimitations, note the research ques-tions/hypotheses, note the assumptions, define the terms.
C. state the problem and subproblems, note the research questions/hypotheses, note the assumptions, define the terms, note the delimitations.
D. state the problem and subproblems, note the research questions/hypotheses, note the delimitations, define the terms, note the assumptions.
Answer Key: D
Question 16 of 41
If an important recent research article that you want to include in your literature review is not owned by your library, you might:
A. cite it anyway for the benefit of the reader
B. obtain it by asking the library to recall the reference
C. obtain it through an online document delivery service
D. decide to make do without it.
Answer Key: C
Question 17 of 41
If an important book that you want to include in your literature review is not owned by your library, your best move would probably be to:
A. obtain it through interlibrary loan
B. obtain it by asking the library to recall the reference
C. obtain it through an online document delivery service
D. cite it anyway for the benefit of the reader
Answer Key: A
Question 18 of 41
When considering general criteria for high-quality research projects, universality refers to the fact that:
A. the research design allows the researcher to control those factors that are central to the success of the project.
B. another researcher in the same field, using the same procedures under the same circumstances to research the same question, would obtain comparable results.
C. a well-designed research project could be carried out by any competent researcher; it does not rely on a specific individual.
D. the phenomena of interest must be quantified in some systematic way.
Answer Key: C
Question 19 of 41
When considering general criteria for high-quality research projects, replicability refers to the fact that:
A. the research design allows the researcher to control those factors that are central to the success of the project.
B. another researcher, using the same procedures under the same circumstances to research the same question, would obtain comparable results.
C. a well-designed research project could be carried out by a specific individual con-ducting research in the same field.
D. the phenomena of interest must be quantified in some systematic way.
Answer Key: B
Question 20 of 41
Charlotte, an anthropologist, has been living in an Incan village for three years. During that time Charlotte has become expert in Incan weaving by observing and imitating the master weavers in the community. For Charlotte, observing weaving constitutes:
A. primary data
B. secondary data
C. informal data
D. nonempirical data
Answer Key: A
Question 21 of 41
Charlotte wrote a book about her experience as an anthropologist living in an Incan village for three years and becoming an expert weaver. Her book was widely read by other anthropologists, including Mira, who is an expert in Navaho weaving. For Mira, Charlotte’s book constitutes:
A. hearsay data
B. secondary data
C. informal data
D. primary data
Answer Key: B
Question 22 of 41
Sean, a high school wrestler, has agreed to participate in a study of cardiovascular conditioning. He is left somewhat confused when, at the first research session, he is asked to complete a questionnaire about commonly purchased grocery items. Sean’s confusion indicates a lack of ______ regarding the task.
A. construct validity
B. content validity
C. criterion validity
D. face validity
Answer Key: D
Question 23 of 41
A researcher decides to use a high school sample to test the relationship between her new measure of empathy and a well-established measure of interpersonal sensitivity. She finds that the two instruments are highly related, which supports the ______ of the new instrument.
A. predictive validity
B. content validity
C. criterion validity
D. face validity
Answer Key: C
Question 24 of 41
A researcher designed a new questionnaire to measure political conservatism. To test out his new instrument, he asks people leaving their polling place on election day to report their degree of political conservatism on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high) and then complete his questionnaire. Results show that people who identified themselves as political conservatives also had the highest scores on his questionnaire. This is an in-dication of the ______ of the new instrument.
A. criterion validity
B. content validity
C. face validity
D. predictive validity
Answer Key: A
Question 25 of 41
Don and Jane are studying aggression among preschool children. Separately, they each watch a videotape of four children interacting in a playroom and then rate each child on the level of aggression displayed during the play session. They compare their completed ratings and are pleased to note they are highly similar. This is an example of ______ reliability.
A. interrater
B. internal consistency
C. equivalent form
D. test-retest
Answer Key: A
Question 26 of 41
Dr. Stevens is testing a 10-question measure of achievement motivation. He notes that if his respondents agree with the first question, they tend to also agree with the other nine. Likewise, if his respondents disagree with the first question, they tend of disagree with the other nine. This is an indication of good ______ reliability.
A. interrater
B. internal consistency
C. equivalent form
D. test-retest
Answer Key: B
Question 27 of 41
Professor Page is studying civic-mindedness among senior citizens. She administers a survey of civic mindedness to a senior citizens group in early April, then again in early May. By comparing the two sets of scores, the professor can assess the ______ reliabil-ity of her measure of civic-mindedness.
A. interrater
B. internal consistency
C. equivalent form
D. test-retest
Answer Key: D
Question 28 of 41
Dr. Davenport wants to conduct a study of whether high school students learn more efficiently while seated at a desk compared to in an easy chair. Participants will be sen-iors in local high school history classes. She hopes to publish her findings in the His-tory Teacher Quarterly. Does Dr. Davenport need internal review board (IRB) approval for this study?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Only if the study is accepted for publication
Answer Key: A
Question 29 of 41
Dr. Davenport wants to conduct a study of whether high school students learn more efficiently while seated at a desk compared to in an easy chair. She knows there is a large research literature regarding similar influences on learning, and she wants to see if the findings hold true with a group of high school history students. Moreover, as a researcher she is uneasy with a lack of structure. You recommend that Dr. Davenport conduct a ______ study.
A. quantitative
B. qualitative
Answer Key: A
Question 30 of 41
Dr. Greenhill wants to know how it is that some early adolescents come to make a con-nection between their personal lifestyle and environmental problems, while others don’t. Furthermore, among those who see the connection, why do some become com-mitted to environmentalism while others do not? Dr. Greenwald looks forward to prob-ing the thoughts of young teens on these issues and trying to see the questions and issues through “14-year-old eyes.” You recommend that Dr. Greenhill conduct a ______ study.
A. quantitative
B. qualitative
Answer Key: B
Question 31 of 41
The research proposal is best thought of as:
A. a general and flexible outline of how the research problem is to be investigated.
B. “Plan A,” with the expectation that “Plan B” or even “Plan C” will become necessary as the study unfolds.
C. a detailed and firm contract between the researcher and others who are involved in the research project (participants, supervisors, funding agencies, etc.)
D. a document that is written for others (internal review boards, funding agencies) and is of little value to the researcher.
Answer Key: C
Question 32 of 41
When explaining how the data are to be analyzed and interpreted:
A. it is best to provide only a general plan as things will probably change over the course of the study anyway.
B. it is best to be as detailed as possible so all contingencies related to analysis and interpretation can be anticipated.
C. it is impossible to be highly detailed until one has the actual data in hand.
D. an overly specific plan may bias the analyses or interpretation, impairing the validity of the study.
Answer Key: B
Question 33 of 41
Three of the following are elements in the proposal revision process. Which one is NOT?
A. Reconsider the feasibility of what you are proposing to do.
B. Carefully assess the logic and organization of the information in the document.
C. Avoid breaks of 24 hours or more as the material will get too “cold” in your mind.
D. Seek feedback from knowledgeable others.
Answer Key: C
Question 34 of 41
In regard to the style you will use for headings and subheadings in the research pro-posal:
A. there are no special formatting requirements unless the document is a thesis or dis-sertation.
B. all disciplines recognize the major formal styles, so it is a matter of personal choice.
C. the writer is free to show creativity as long as s/he is consistent throughout the doc-ument.
D. disciplines often dictate the use of specific formal styles, so you must find out what the expectations are.
Answer Key: D
Question 35 of 41
In ______ research proposal(s), specific hypotheses regarding findings are often stat-ed.
A. both quantitative and qualitative
B. neither quantitative and qualitative
C. a quantitative
D. a qualitative
Answer Key: C
Question 36 of 41
In ______ research proposal(s), a specific plan for how the data will be handled is clearly laid out in the document.
A. both quantitative and qualitative
B. neither quantitative and qualitative
C. a quantitative
D. a qualitative
Answer Key: A
Question 37 of 41
In ______ research proposal(s), a specific research problem is clearly stated at the out-set
of the proposal.
A. both qualitative and quantitative
B. neither qualitative and quantitative
C. a qualitative
D. a quantitative
Answer Key: A
Question 38 of 41
Describe three benefits of conducting a thorough review of existing literature before writing a research proposal.
1. Ensures what’s being researched isn’t already being researched by others.
2. It could give a more expounded understanding of the material that is being re-searched
3. Getting a better understanding to know exactly what to research that isn’t already being researched
Comment: This question needs more elaboration to be answered fully.
Question 39 of 41
Concepts, ideas, opinions, feelings, and other intangible entities are often labeled as “insubstantial phenomena.” Select one of the following 3 phenomena that would be considered insubstantial, and explain two different ways- one qualitative and one quantitative- that you might measure it: a) the closeness of undergraduates’ social network friends; b) the “campus climate at your university; c) “irrational exuberance” about the stock market.
the closeness of undergraduates’ social network friends
qualitative: qualitatively its insubstantial because of the rarity of finding those groups of students who share a closeness to monitor and see how their relationship evolves.
quantitative: quantitatively its insubstantial because creating a survey and gaining that type of data won’t necessarily meet the intent of knowing how close someone is to an-other.
Comment: This questions needs more elaboration to be fully answered. s a result, 4 points were deducted.
Question 40 of 41
In regard to quantitative research proposals, novice researchers often find it very chal-lenging and tedious to explain in detail how the data will be analyzed and interpreted in their study. Explain why it is essential that the researcher not cut corners in this sec-tion of the proposal.
If corners are cut it tends to make the results faulty. If the researcher come up with the way he/she will analyze the data it will help when trying to understand the data.
Comment: more elaboration is needed to fully answer this question.
Question 41 of 41
Graduate professors like to insist that the completion of thesis or dissertation research is not merely an “academic exercise” or final hurdle to obtaining the desired degree. Explain at least two personal benefits that the individual derives from completing a high-quality thesis or dissertation. Then explain at least two societal benefits that follow from the individual’s completion of a high-quality thesis or dissertation.
Personally:
-Provides unknown or the next step of information for the topic that others are studying. It’s
bringing something to the table that no one has seen before
- It helps the researcher understand the topic of his/her choice. Their knowledge of it will be expanded.
Societal:
- Other students could benefit from the information
- By completing the dissertation or thesis it puts the researcher in a new circle of like minded people. They will be able to mingle with others that are more advanced in the field.
Comment: This question needs more elaboration to be fully answered. [Show Less]