RESEARCH METHODS MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS #16
What is a hypothesis?
1. The square root of the sum of squares of two shorter sides of a triangle.
2. A prediction made to test a theory.
3. A set of ideas that drive an area of research.
4. A reliability measurement.
5. A set of related statements that explains a variety of occurrences - correct answer 2.
A prediction made to test a theory.
What is the difference between interval and ordinal variables?
1. The distance between points on the scale is equal across the range of interval data.
2. Ordinal data can be ordered, but interval data cannot.
3. Interval variables contain only two categories.
4. Ordinal variables have a fixed zero point, whereas interval variables do not.
5. Interval data can be ordered, but ordinal data cannot. - correct answer 1. The
distance between points on the scale is equal across the range of interval data.
In an experimental design, the dependent variable is
1. The one that is not manipulated and in which any changes are observed.
2. The one that is manipulated in order to observe any effects on the other.
3. A measure of the extent to which personal values affect research.
4. An ambiguous concept whose meaning depends on how it is defined.
5. A variable that always systematically varies with the independent variable. - correct
answer 1. The one that is not manipulated and in which any changes are observed.
A researcher investigated the relationship between test length and grades in an
Introductory Psychology course. She conducted an experiment and found that students
taking long exams received better grades than students who took short exams. The
independent variable was
1. Short exams
2. Test grades
3. Class size
4. Gender of student
5. Length of test. - correct answer 5. Length of test.
What is reduced in a quasi-experiment that an experiment always has?
1. Participants.
2. Control.
3. Confidence.
, 4. Number of observations.
5. Data. - correct answer 2. Control.
Internal validity relates to
1. How much we can generalise the result to other situations.
2. How much we can generalise the result to other samples from the same population.
3. How good the data are.
4. How well the data agree with the experimental hypothesis.
5. How well the features of the experimental design allow us to relate the data to the
experimental question. - correct answer 5. How well the features of the experimental
design allow us to relate the data to the experimental question.
A stratified sample is one in which
1. Participants are selected in proportion of how they occur in the population.
2. One participant leads to other participants in the same population.
3. Participants are selected because they are conveniently available.
4. Participants are selected entirely at random.
5. All of the above are true. - correct answer 1. Participants are selected in proportion of
how they occur in the population.
Random selection of participants ensures that
1. We can generalise our results to the population.
2. Every potential participant has an equal probability of being included.
3. We have controlled for experimenter effects.
4. (1) and (2).
5. (1), (2) and (3). - correct answer 4. (1) and (2).
Snowball sampling
1. Occurs when the researcher uses the most easily obtained sample.
2. Is a technique to break the population into a set of smaller groups, then randomly
choose some of these groups.
3. Occurs when one or more individuals in a population lead the researcher to other
population members.
4. Is free from sampling bias.
5. Occurs when participants are selected in proportion of how they occur in the
population. - correct answer 3. Occurs when one or more individuals in a population
lead the researcher to other population members.
The reliability of a measure refers to
1. How far we can generalise the result to the population.
2. How far we can generalise the result to other situations.
ANSWERS #16
What is a hypothesis?
1. The square root of the sum of squares of two shorter sides of a triangle.
2. A prediction made to test a theory.
3. A set of ideas that drive an area of research.
4. A reliability measurement.
5. A set of related statements that explains a variety of occurrences - correct answer 2.
A prediction made to test a theory.
What is the difference between interval and ordinal variables?
1. The distance between points on the scale is equal across the range of interval data.
2. Ordinal data can be ordered, but interval data cannot.
3. Interval variables contain only two categories.
4. Ordinal variables have a fixed zero point, whereas interval variables do not.
5. Interval data can be ordered, but ordinal data cannot. - correct answer 1. The
distance between points on the scale is equal across the range of interval data.
In an experimental design, the dependent variable is
1. The one that is not manipulated and in which any changes are observed.
2. The one that is manipulated in order to observe any effects on the other.
3. A measure of the extent to which personal values affect research.
4. An ambiguous concept whose meaning depends on how it is defined.
5. A variable that always systematically varies with the independent variable. - correct
answer 1. The one that is not manipulated and in which any changes are observed.
A researcher investigated the relationship between test length and grades in an
Introductory Psychology course. She conducted an experiment and found that students
taking long exams received better grades than students who took short exams. The
independent variable was
1. Short exams
2. Test grades
3. Class size
4. Gender of student
5. Length of test. - correct answer 5. Length of test.
What is reduced in a quasi-experiment that an experiment always has?
1. Participants.
2. Control.
3. Confidence.
, 4. Number of observations.
5. Data. - correct answer 2. Control.
Internal validity relates to
1. How much we can generalise the result to other situations.
2. How much we can generalise the result to other samples from the same population.
3. How good the data are.
4. How well the data agree with the experimental hypothesis.
5. How well the features of the experimental design allow us to relate the data to the
experimental question. - correct answer 5. How well the features of the experimental
design allow us to relate the data to the experimental question.
A stratified sample is one in which
1. Participants are selected in proportion of how they occur in the population.
2. One participant leads to other participants in the same population.
3. Participants are selected because they are conveniently available.
4. Participants are selected entirely at random.
5. All of the above are true. - correct answer 1. Participants are selected in proportion of
how they occur in the population.
Random selection of participants ensures that
1. We can generalise our results to the population.
2. Every potential participant has an equal probability of being included.
3. We have controlled for experimenter effects.
4. (1) and (2).
5. (1), (2) and (3). - correct answer 4. (1) and (2).
Snowball sampling
1. Occurs when the researcher uses the most easily obtained sample.
2. Is a technique to break the population into a set of smaller groups, then randomly
choose some of these groups.
3. Occurs when one or more individuals in a population lead the researcher to other
population members.
4. Is free from sampling bias.
5. Occurs when participants are selected in proportion of how they occur in the
population. - correct answer 3. Occurs when one or more individuals in a population
lead the researcher to other population members.
The reliability of a measure refers to
1. How far we can generalise the result to the population.
2. How far we can generalise the result to other situations.
