PSYC 2210: RESEARCH METHODS TEST 1 VERIFIED
STUDY GUIDE
Descriptive Statistics - Answers - Used to summarize and describe the behavior of
participants in a study
Inferential Statistics - Answers - Used to draw conclusion about the reliability and
generalizability of one's findings.
Variance - Answers - the expectation of the squared deviation of a random variable from
its mean. Also a numerical index of the variability in a set of data.
Variability - Answers - The degree to which scores in a set of data vary from one
another.
Systematic variance - Answers - The portion of the total variance in a set of scores that
is related in an orderly, predictable fashion to variables the researcher is investigating.
Error Variance - Answers - The part of variance from a set that is from outliers and
measurement errors.
The portion of the total variance in a set of data that remains unaccounted for after
systematical variance is removed; variance that is unrelated to the variables under
investigation in a study.
Do researchers prefer systematic variance to be large or small - Answers - Researchers
prefer variance to be large because if we are looking for an effect between groups there
will be greater accuracy from a larger pool.
What does a small systematic variance mean - Answers - the information could be less
accurate.
Why do researchers want error variance to be small? - Answers - They want it to be
small because that would mean that there are small differences in their study.
Why is effect size important in scientific investigations? - Answers - The size of the
experiment plays.a role in getting a statistical significant result from your study.
Why do researchers use meta-analysis? - Answers - to analyze and integrate the
results from large set of individual studies.
Observational measure - Answers - involve the direct observation of behavior
STUDY GUIDE
Descriptive Statistics - Answers - Used to summarize and describe the behavior of
participants in a study
Inferential Statistics - Answers - Used to draw conclusion about the reliability and
generalizability of one's findings.
Variance - Answers - the expectation of the squared deviation of a random variable from
its mean. Also a numerical index of the variability in a set of data.
Variability - Answers - The degree to which scores in a set of data vary from one
another.
Systematic variance - Answers - The portion of the total variance in a set of scores that
is related in an orderly, predictable fashion to variables the researcher is investigating.
Error Variance - Answers - The part of variance from a set that is from outliers and
measurement errors.
The portion of the total variance in a set of data that remains unaccounted for after
systematical variance is removed; variance that is unrelated to the variables under
investigation in a study.
Do researchers prefer systematic variance to be large or small - Answers - Researchers
prefer variance to be large because if we are looking for an effect between groups there
will be greater accuracy from a larger pool.
What does a small systematic variance mean - Answers - the information could be less
accurate.
Why do researchers want error variance to be small? - Answers - They want it to be
small because that would mean that there are small differences in their study.
Why is effect size important in scientific investigations? - Answers - The size of the
experiment plays.a role in getting a statistical significant result from your study.
Why do researchers use meta-analysis? - Answers - to analyze and integrate the
results from large set of individual studies.
Observational measure - Answers - involve the direct observation of behavior
