Statistics: A Tool for Social Research and Data Analysis, 12th Edition
Joseph F. Healey & Christopher Donoghue
Includes All Chapters (1 to 15)
What’s Included?
• Complete Chapter-by-Chapter Test Bank
• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) & Essay Questions with Answers (All Chapters)
,Chapter 01 - 12e - Healey
Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. A hypothesis states, in part, that "income increases as education increases". In this statement, income is
a. The dependent variable
b. The independent variable
c. The hypothetical variable
d. The secondary variable
ANSWER: a
2. A nominal-level variable like marital status or gender is always
a. Discrete
b. Continuous
c. Ordinal
d. Dependent
ANSWER: a
3. When a researcher summarizes 10,000 income data into percentages or averages, which statistical goal is being
implemented?
a. Inferential statistics
b. Selecting sample
c. Data reduction
d. Hypothesis testing
ANSWER: c
4. Measures of association are a type of descriptive statistics that allow us to
a. Formulate a new hypothesis and make empirical generalizations
b. Select random samples from the given population
c. Determine the strength and direction of relationships among variables
d. Modify the existing theories and formulate new hypotheses
ANSWER: c
5. A researcher has numbered all 50 states from 1 to 50 and has calculated a mean of 17.43 for the variable "state
of birth." How should this result be interpreted?
a. Since the variable is nominal, the mean makes no sense
b. Since the variable is ordinal, we should treat the value of the mean with great caution
c. The variable is interval-ratio, and the mean is an appropriate and useful statistic in this case
d. Since this variable is discrete, the mean should not be computed
ANSWER: a
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Chapter 01 - 12e - Healey
6. In social research, the purpose of statistics is to
a. Prove that the research theory is correct
b. Validate the research project design
c. Manipulate and analyze data
d. Ensure acceptance by the scientific community
ANSWER: c
7. A researcher needs a variable that is measured using ordered categories, where responses reflect ranking rather
than simple naming. Which of the following would best meet this requirement?
a. Level of education
b. Zip code
c. Occupation
d. Make of auto
ANSWER: a
8. If variable ‘x’ depicts number of doctors in a hospital, then this variable is characterized as _____.
a. Continuous
b. Discrete
c. Independent
d. Dependent
ANSWER: b
9. In the language of science, a variable that is thought to be causal is called
a. An independent variable
b. A hypothetical variable
c. A primary variable
d. A dependent variable
ANSWER: a
10. The data reduction process of descriptive statistics
a. Allows a few meaningful numbers to summarize a large amount of data
b. Eliminates incorrect data through large-scale modifications
c. Simply lists all available information in numerical order
d. Helps in modifying the given variables numerically
ANSWER: a
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Chapter 01 - 12e - Healey
11. Which of the following best describes the collection of data from every student in the university?
a. Sample
b. Hypothesis
c. Variable
d. Population
ANSWER: d
12. A sociologist collects data from a sample of 500 students to infer conclusions about all college students
nationwide. Which statistical approach is being implemented?
a. Descriptive statistics
b. Inferential statistics
c. Multivariate statistics
d. Non-parametric testing
ANSWER: b
13. Who introduced the concept “Wheel of Science”?
a. Gordon Allport
b. Walter Wallace
c. William Walter
d. Gordon Allman
ANSWER: b
14. In addition to saying that one case is different from another, the ordinal level of measurement allows us to
a. Put cases in general categories
b. Measure the distance between the high and low points
c. Say that one case is more or less than another
d. Calculate meaningful averages of variables
ANSWER: c
15. A researcher wants to know if there is a relationship between region of birth and political party affiliation. They
should calculate
a. A univariate descriptive statistic, like the mean, to summarize a single variable’s central tendency
b. A qualitative measure of influence that explains how regional traits affect political preferences
c. A measure of association for both of variables to assess the strength of their relationship
d. A statistic that describes each variable separately without examining how they are related
ANSWER: c
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