PSYC 3020 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
True/False - Previous learning can be described as aptitude - ANSWER False
True/False - Aptitude and achievement tests are both types of personality test -
ANSWER False
True/False - The raw score is the score that is yielded by a test before standardization -
ANSWER True
True/False - In psychology, we generally need a normative sample in order to
standardize raw scores - ANSWER True
True/False - If we assume a normal distribution, then the number of people between the
50th and 55th percentile rank is
the same as between the 90th and 95th percentile rank - ANSWER True
True/False - In a normal distribution, percentile bands occupy a smaller range of raw
scores closer to the mean - ANSWER True
True/False - A six-year-old girl completes a test of reading comprehension and her raw
score is converted into a z score of
+1.00 compared with other children her own age (where a higher score = better
comprehension). This means her T score on this test would be 70 - ANSWER False
True/False - If I convert the scores from two variables into T scores, then the magnitude
of the Pearson correlation
between the two variables will change - ANSWER False
True/False - A nine-year-old boy completes a test of reading comprehension and his raw
score is converted into a z score
of +0.95 compared with other children his own age (where a higher score = better
comprehension). This means he is performing within the middle 68% of children his age,
assuming a normal distribution - ANSWER True
True/False - The number of people from a representative standardisation sample who
would score 6 on a test using a
stanine scale will be the same as the number of people scoring 8 - ANSWER False
Choose two methods of measuring behaviour and/or psychological traits/states. Outline
,the advantages and disadvantages of each. - ANSWER Self-report questionnaire - can
ask as many questions as you want/subject to someone's interpretation
Observation method - participants are in there normal environment so are more likely to
react in a genuine way/extraneous variables are harder to control
Define psychometrics and psychological test - ANSWER Psychometrics - the science of
psychological measurement
Psychological test - a measuring device or procedure designed to measure
psychology-related variables
Describe different categories of psychological test, giving examples of each - ANSWER
Personality-type tests - tests with no correct answer e.g. attitudes, extraversion
Ability tests (aptitude) - tests of general ability and potential for learning e.g. IQ tests,
memory tests
Ability tests (achievement) - tests of previous learning e.g. educational tests, tests of
competence (driving)
Where at UQ can you find more information about psychological and educational tests
specifically? - ANSWER UQ library > UQ library guides > how to find > tests - education
and psychology
List five sources of information on psychological tests - ANSWER 1. Academic journals
2. Books about individual tests
3. Textbooks on psychological testing
4. Mental Measurements Yearbook (Buros) via UQ library
5. Publisher's catalogue - find via Buros listing
What's the point of standardizing a score? - ANSWER Standardising scores relative to
the appropriate sample of people enables us to tell what the score means in each
context
Give an example of a situation where it would be useful to standardize a score -
ANSWER Number of exam questions got correct
What is age norming? - ANSWER A standardisation sample of people from a certain age
group
Give three examples of typical populations we might use as the basis of standardization
samples for psychological tests - ANSWER A representative sample of people from a
population (e.g. national, state, university)
A sample of people from a relevant category (e.g. females, occupation)
,What's the advantage of having a big standardisation sample? - ANSWER The mean and
standard deviation of the sample will be more accurate and stable. This means it is a
better representation of the population's mean and standard deviation
What's the Law of Large Numbers? - ANSWER The fact that as sample size grows, its
mean gets closer to the average of the population
Give some examples of the sort of populations that could make up a standardisation
sample under different contexts - ANSWER The same age distribution, the same
socio-economic distribution, the same educational distribution
Discuss the issues we might need to consider when recruiting a standardisation sample
- ANSWER Having a broad sample to ensure representativeness
What is "stratified cluster sampling" and when might we want to use it? - ANSWER
Deliberately recruiting to get particular ratios of subgroups
What strategies could you use to to get a representative sample? - ANSWER Random
sampling, stratified cluster sampling, weighting
How do you calculate a z score in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Individual raw score
minus the mean (AVERAGE), divide by standard deviation (STDEV)
How do you calculate a percentile rank in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Use the
PERCENTRANK function
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using percentile ranks? - ANSWER +ve
easy to calculate and for laypeople to understand
-ve it means different things depending on where you are on the scale
How do you calculate a T score in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Individual raw score
minus the mean (AVERAGE), divide by standard deviation (STDEV). In a new column,
multiply by 10 and add by 50
A man completes an intelligence test and his raw score is converted into a z score of -1.
If his raw score were instead converted into an IQ score, what would it be? - ANSWER
85
How do you calculate a IQ score in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Individual raw score
minus the mean (AVERAGE), divide by standard deviation (STDEV). In a new column,
multiply by 15 and add by 100
, If a child scores 3 on an age-normed test that uses a Stanine scale (where higher scores
= better reading), then what does this mean? - ANSWER They are worse than the
average child their own age
If a child scores 7 on an age-normed test that uses a Stanine scale (where higher scores
= better reading), then what does this mean? - ANSWER They are better than the
average child their own age
What are the properties of the stanine scale? - ANSWER It has 9 divisions with each
division .5 standard deviations wide (except for the middle band (5) which is from -.25 to
+.25)
How could you assign stanines easily in Microsoft Excel when you have hundreds of
people in your sample? - ANSWER By clicking on SORT (under DATA tab) and sort by z
score. This makes typing in the stanines easy (by referring to the table for cut-offs) as
they're ordered. Use the 'drag and copy' function to fill in adjacent cells in the same
stanine category
True/False - A test designed to yield information about whether or not a student has
mastered the ability to multiply two-digit numbers to a specified level of competency
could be described as norm-referenced - ANSWER False
Give an example of a norm-referenced test - ANSWER IQ test, personality test,
neuropsych measures, typical attitudinal measures, Neale Analysis of Reading
Give an example of a criterion-referenced test - ANSWER UQ examinations, driving test
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a norm-referenced test? -
ANSWER + score is protected from possibility that the test may be easier or harder
+ will yield a good distribution
- score is affected by norm changes
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a criterion-referenced test? -
CORRECT ANSWERS
True/False - Previous learning can be described as aptitude - ANSWER False
True/False - Aptitude and achievement tests are both types of personality test -
ANSWER False
True/False - The raw score is the score that is yielded by a test before standardization -
ANSWER True
True/False - In psychology, we generally need a normative sample in order to
standardize raw scores - ANSWER True
True/False - If we assume a normal distribution, then the number of people between the
50th and 55th percentile rank is
the same as between the 90th and 95th percentile rank - ANSWER True
True/False - In a normal distribution, percentile bands occupy a smaller range of raw
scores closer to the mean - ANSWER True
True/False - A six-year-old girl completes a test of reading comprehension and her raw
score is converted into a z score of
+1.00 compared with other children her own age (where a higher score = better
comprehension). This means her T score on this test would be 70 - ANSWER False
True/False - If I convert the scores from two variables into T scores, then the magnitude
of the Pearson correlation
between the two variables will change - ANSWER False
True/False - A nine-year-old boy completes a test of reading comprehension and his raw
score is converted into a z score
of +0.95 compared with other children his own age (where a higher score = better
comprehension). This means he is performing within the middle 68% of children his age,
assuming a normal distribution - ANSWER True
True/False - The number of people from a representative standardisation sample who
would score 6 on a test using a
stanine scale will be the same as the number of people scoring 8 - ANSWER False
Choose two methods of measuring behaviour and/or psychological traits/states. Outline
,the advantages and disadvantages of each. - ANSWER Self-report questionnaire - can
ask as many questions as you want/subject to someone's interpretation
Observation method - participants are in there normal environment so are more likely to
react in a genuine way/extraneous variables are harder to control
Define psychometrics and psychological test - ANSWER Psychometrics - the science of
psychological measurement
Psychological test - a measuring device or procedure designed to measure
psychology-related variables
Describe different categories of psychological test, giving examples of each - ANSWER
Personality-type tests - tests with no correct answer e.g. attitudes, extraversion
Ability tests (aptitude) - tests of general ability and potential for learning e.g. IQ tests,
memory tests
Ability tests (achievement) - tests of previous learning e.g. educational tests, tests of
competence (driving)
Where at UQ can you find more information about psychological and educational tests
specifically? - ANSWER UQ library > UQ library guides > how to find > tests - education
and psychology
List five sources of information on psychological tests - ANSWER 1. Academic journals
2. Books about individual tests
3. Textbooks on psychological testing
4. Mental Measurements Yearbook (Buros) via UQ library
5. Publisher's catalogue - find via Buros listing
What's the point of standardizing a score? - ANSWER Standardising scores relative to
the appropriate sample of people enables us to tell what the score means in each
context
Give an example of a situation where it would be useful to standardize a score -
ANSWER Number of exam questions got correct
What is age norming? - ANSWER A standardisation sample of people from a certain age
group
Give three examples of typical populations we might use as the basis of standardization
samples for psychological tests - ANSWER A representative sample of people from a
population (e.g. national, state, university)
A sample of people from a relevant category (e.g. females, occupation)
,What's the advantage of having a big standardisation sample? - ANSWER The mean and
standard deviation of the sample will be more accurate and stable. This means it is a
better representation of the population's mean and standard deviation
What's the Law of Large Numbers? - ANSWER The fact that as sample size grows, its
mean gets closer to the average of the population
Give some examples of the sort of populations that could make up a standardisation
sample under different contexts - ANSWER The same age distribution, the same
socio-economic distribution, the same educational distribution
Discuss the issues we might need to consider when recruiting a standardisation sample
- ANSWER Having a broad sample to ensure representativeness
What is "stratified cluster sampling" and when might we want to use it? - ANSWER
Deliberately recruiting to get particular ratios of subgroups
What strategies could you use to to get a representative sample? - ANSWER Random
sampling, stratified cluster sampling, weighting
How do you calculate a z score in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Individual raw score
minus the mean (AVERAGE), divide by standard deviation (STDEV)
How do you calculate a percentile rank in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Use the
PERCENTRANK function
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using percentile ranks? - ANSWER +ve
easy to calculate and for laypeople to understand
-ve it means different things depending on where you are on the scale
How do you calculate a T score in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Individual raw score
minus the mean (AVERAGE), divide by standard deviation (STDEV). In a new column,
multiply by 10 and add by 50
A man completes an intelligence test and his raw score is converted into a z score of -1.
If his raw score were instead converted into an IQ score, what would it be? - ANSWER
85
How do you calculate a IQ score in Microsoft Excel? - ANSWER Individual raw score
minus the mean (AVERAGE), divide by standard deviation (STDEV). In a new column,
multiply by 15 and add by 100
, If a child scores 3 on an age-normed test that uses a Stanine scale (where higher scores
= better reading), then what does this mean? - ANSWER They are worse than the
average child their own age
If a child scores 7 on an age-normed test that uses a Stanine scale (where higher scores
= better reading), then what does this mean? - ANSWER They are better than the
average child their own age
What are the properties of the stanine scale? - ANSWER It has 9 divisions with each
division .5 standard deviations wide (except for the middle band (5) which is from -.25 to
+.25)
How could you assign stanines easily in Microsoft Excel when you have hundreds of
people in your sample? - ANSWER By clicking on SORT (under DATA tab) and sort by z
score. This makes typing in the stanines easy (by referring to the table for cut-offs) as
they're ordered. Use the 'drag and copy' function to fill in adjacent cells in the same
stanine category
True/False - A test designed to yield information about whether or not a student has
mastered the ability to multiply two-digit numbers to a specified level of competency
could be described as norm-referenced - ANSWER False
Give an example of a norm-referenced test - ANSWER IQ test, personality test,
neuropsych measures, typical attitudinal measures, Neale Analysis of Reading
Give an example of a criterion-referenced test - ANSWER UQ examinations, driving test
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a norm-referenced test? -
ANSWER + score is protected from possibility that the test may be easier or harder
+ will yield a good distribution
- score is affected by norm changes
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a criterion-referenced test? -
