CNSL 503 Final Exam Comprehensive
Questions (Frequently Tested) with
Verified Answers
True of False: Statistics is used to prove claims. - Answer: False
What are Variables? - Answer: Variables are measurable characteristics that can vary in value.
My answer: Variables are different types of data in an experiment (used to classify the type of
data being collected)
What type of scale is used when labeling or using categories? - Answer: This would be
qualitative data and the SCALE would be nominal! Ex: blood type, college majors, room
numbers
True or false: it is generally feasible to collect data from every member of a population - Answer:
FALSE! unless the target of a particular research study is comprised of a small population, it is
usually not practical or sensible to attempt to reach every member within a population
Which of the following are examples of ordinal variables? Select all that apply.
- Shirt sizes
- college major
- places in a marathon (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Temperature - Answer: -shirt sizes, places in a marathon Explanation: ordinal is used for
qualitative variables and includes ranking in size or measure (does not indicate how much the
data differ)
,When a variable can contain negative values, what type of scale is most appropriate? Why? -
Answer: An interval scale because variables containing negative values do not have an absolute
zero. Note: this is quantitative data
When is it most appropriate to use a ratio scale? - Answer: A ratio scale is used when a variable
has an absolute zero (Ex: height, weight, exam scores, GPA)
Note: this is quantitative data
True or false: statistics are used to communicate results but can be used to mislead individuals -
Answer: TRUE!
Provide an example of quantitative variable and an example of a qualitative variable - Answer:
Quantitative Ex: test scores, reaction time, error number, vital signs, temperature
Qualitative Ex: sex, college major, eye color, blood type, shirt size
How are sample and population related? - Answer: A population includes every member within
a particular group, whereas a sample is a smaller subset of the given population (used to
represent the whole population)
True or false: discrete variables are counted as whole numbers - Answer: TRUE! discrete
variables are quantitative variables that can be organized into separate categories or counted
using whole numbers. Ex: number of patients in a hospital, pets in a home
_________ statistics involves analyses that provide a way to summarize and describe data,
whereas _________ statistics are performed for researchers to make inferences and
generalizations about populations based on sample data. - Answer: Answer: descriptive;
inferential Explanation: descriptive statistics involve calcluations like mean, median, mode,
standard deviation, variance, and range. Inferential statistics involve calculations such as those
use for hypothesis testing (z-scorem, t-test, ANOVA, correctional analyses).
,Which of the following is NOT involved in the process of sampling?
- identify goals
- collect data
- make conclusions
- obtain resources - Answer: Answer: obtain resources Explanation: the steps are identify goals,
gather sample, make inferences/conclusions
A movie theater is interested in how movie-goers would rate the current movies being shown.
They survey a group of 100 movie-goers and ask each to rate the movie they saw on a scale of
1-5 (1 = terrible, 5 = excellent). The surveyors then calculate the average rating of each movie.
This is an example of what kind of statistic?
- descriptive statistics
- sample statistics
- parametric statistics
- inferential statistics - Answer: descriptive statistic because average rating of movie is a
calculation used to summarize / describe
Which of the following is a discrete variable? Select all that apply.
- Number of pets per household
- distance
- number of patients at a hospital
- exam scores - Answer: number of pets per household, number of patients at a hospital
because discrete variables can ONLY be counted as whole numbers!
Name a continuous variable. Why is it considered continuous? - Answer: Ex: weight,
temperature, time, length, and speed.
, continuous variables are variables that can be broken down into smaller, fractional components
(decimals, fractions, etc). It does NOT have to be a whole number
Which of the following fields do NOT use statistics?
- politics
- sports
- entertainment
- medicine
- none of these fields use statistics
- all of these fields use statistics - Answer: all of these fields use statistics
Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding populations?
- it is expected that every member of a population will agree to participate in a study.
- studying every member of a population is how most behavioral and clinical studies are
conducted
- it is only practical to reach all members of small populations
- only one method is used to gather samples from populations - Answer: it is only practical to
reach all members of small populations
A team of clinical researchers is studying stress levels of a sample of 15 paramedics undergoing
a new training program at a local hospital. The researchers stage two hypothetical medical
emergencies for the paramedics: one low stakes and one high stakes. Then they measure their
cortisol levels. The scenarios are administered at the same time every day, but the location
changes based on the scenario being presented. In this experiment - identify the independent,
dependent, control, and extraneous variables. - Answer: Independent: emergency situations
(scenario)
Dependent: cortisol levels
Control: time of day
Questions (Frequently Tested) with
Verified Answers
True of False: Statistics is used to prove claims. - Answer: False
What are Variables? - Answer: Variables are measurable characteristics that can vary in value.
My answer: Variables are different types of data in an experiment (used to classify the type of
data being collected)
What type of scale is used when labeling or using categories? - Answer: This would be
qualitative data and the SCALE would be nominal! Ex: blood type, college majors, room
numbers
True or false: it is generally feasible to collect data from every member of a population - Answer:
FALSE! unless the target of a particular research study is comprised of a small population, it is
usually not practical or sensible to attempt to reach every member within a population
Which of the following are examples of ordinal variables? Select all that apply.
- Shirt sizes
- college major
- places in a marathon (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Temperature - Answer: -shirt sizes, places in a marathon Explanation: ordinal is used for
qualitative variables and includes ranking in size or measure (does not indicate how much the
data differ)
,When a variable can contain negative values, what type of scale is most appropriate? Why? -
Answer: An interval scale because variables containing negative values do not have an absolute
zero. Note: this is quantitative data
When is it most appropriate to use a ratio scale? - Answer: A ratio scale is used when a variable
has an absolute zero (Ex: height, weight, exam scores, GPA)
Note: this is quantitative data
True or false: statistics are used to communicate results but can be used to mislead individuals -
Answer: TRUE!
Provide an example of quantitative variable and an example of a qualitative variable - Answer:
Quantitative Ex: test scores, reaction time, error number, vital signs, temperature
Qualitative Ex: sex, college major, eye color, blood type, shirt size
How are sample and population related? - Answer: A population includes every member within
a particular group, whereas a sample is a smaller subset of the given population (used to
represent the whole population)
True or false: discrete variables are counted as whole numbers - Answer: TRUE! discrete
variables are quantitative variables that can be organized into separate categories or counted
using whole numbers. Ex: number of patients in a hospital, pets in a home
_________ statistics involves analyses that provide a way to summarize and describe data,
whereas _________ statistics are performed for researchers to make inferences and
generalizations about populations based on sample data. - Answer: Answer: descriptive;
inferential Explanation: descriptive statistics involve calcluations like mean, median, mode,
standard deviation, variance, and range. Inferential statistics involve calculations such as those
use for hypothesis testing (z-scorem, t-test, ANOVA, correctional analyses).
,Which of the following is NOT involved in the process of sampling?
- identify goals
- collect data
- make conclusions
- obtain resources - Answer: Answer: obtain resources Explanation: the steps are identify goals,
gather sample, make inferences/conclusions
A movie theater is interested in how movie-goers would rate the current movies being shown.
They survey a group of 100 movie-goers and ask each to rate the movie they saw on a scale of
1-5 (1 = terrible, 5 = excellent). The surveyors then calculate the average rating of each movie.
This is an example of what kind of statistic?
- descriptive statistics
- sample statistics
- parametric statistics
- inferential statistics - Answer: descriptive statistic because average rating of movie is a
calculation used to summarize / describe
Which of the following is a discrete variable? Select all that apply.
- Number of pets per household
- distance
- number of patients at a hospital
- exam scores - Answer: number of pets per household, number of patients at a hospital
because discrete variables can ONLY be counted as whole numbers!
Name a continuous variable. Why is it considered continuous? - Answer: Ex: weight,
temperature, time, length, and speed.
, continuous variables are variables that can be broken down into smaller, fractional components
(decimals, fractions, etc). It does NOT have to be a whole number
Which of the following fields do NOT use statistics?
- politics
- sports
- entertainment
- medicine
- none of these fields use statistics
- all of these fields use statistics - Answer: all of these fields use statistics
Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding populations?
- it is expected that every member of a population will agree to participate in a study.
- studying every member of a population is how most behavioral and clinical studies are
conducted
- it is only practical to reach all members of small populations
- only one method is used to gather samples from populations - Answer: it is only practical to
reach all members of small populations
A team of clinical researchers is studying stress levels of a sample of 15 paramedics undergoing
a new training program at a local hospital. The researchers stage two hypothetical medical
emergencies for the paramedics: one low stakes and one high stakes. Then they measure their
cortisol levels. The scenarios are administered at the same time every day, but the location
changes based on the scenario being presented. In this experiment - identify the independent,
dependent, control, and extraneous variables. - Answer: Independent: emergency situations
(scenario)
Dependent: cortisol levels
Control: time of day
