COMM 2030 TEST 1 | 2026/2027 | COMPLETE EXAM WITH 200
QUESTIONS, CORRECT ANSWERS, AND DETAILED RATIONALES
1. A researcher finds that a study conducted on political alliances
during the Cold War does not accurately predict current international
relationships. This is primarily an issue of:
A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Construct validity
D) Statistical validity
Correct Answer: B) External validity
The scenario describes a situation where findings from one time period
do not generalize to another time period. External validity refers to the
extent to which research findings can be generalized to other settings,
populations, or time periods. Since Cold War data cannot predict
current relationships, the findings lack external validity.
2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the scientific
method?
A) Public
B) Subjective
C) Empirical
D) Systematic
,Correct Answer: B) Subjective
The scientific method requires objectivity, not subjectivity. The
characteristics include being public, objective, empirical, systematic,
and cumulative. Subjectivity would introduce bias and undermine the
scientific rigor of the research process.
3. A variable that can take on any value and can be meaningfully
broken into smaller subsections is known as:
A) Discrete variable
B) Control variable
C) Continuous variable
D) Dependent variable
Correct Answer: C) Continuous variable
Continuous variables can take on infinite values within a range and can
be divided into smaller units. Examples include time, height, weight,
and aggressiveness levels, all of which can be measured with increasing
precision.
4. When researchers want to eliminate the influence of a variable to
ensure results are due to the independent variable, they are using:
A) Continuous variables
B) Dependent variables
C) Control variables
D) Discrete variables
Correct Answer: C) Control variables
Control variables are boundary conditions that affect the relationship
,between independent and dependent variables. Researchers control for
these variables to eliminate their influence and ensure that study
results are attributed to the independent variable.
5. "Women tend to share more information about themselves than
men, controlling their personality." In this statement, personality is
functioning as:
A) An independent variable
B) A dependent variable
C) A continuous variable
D) A control variable
Correct Answer: D) A control variable
Personality is being controlled for in this example. The researcher is
accounting for personality differences to ensure that the observed
difference in information sharing is due to gender rather than
personality characteristics.
6. Participants dropping out of a study because they move, become ill,
or lose interest is an example of:
A) Demand characteristics
B) Evaluation apprehension
C) Experimental mortality
D) External validity
Correct Answer: C) Experimental mortality
Experimental mortality refers to the loss of research participants over
time due to various reasons including death, illness, moving away,
, dropping out of school, or simply losing interest in continuing
participation in the study.
7. Research conducted to test theory, moving from theory to data, is
known as:
A) Inductive reasoning
B) Deductive reasoning
C) Abductive reasoning
D) Analogical reasoning
Correct Answer: B) Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning moves from a theoretical position to data
collection. Researchers start with a theory, develop hypotheses based
on that theory, and then gather data to assess whether the theory is
correct.
8. In the deductive research model, which of the following is
preferred?
A) Research questions
B) Open-ended exploration
C) Hypotheses
D) Case studies
Correct Answer: C) Hypotheses
In deductive research, hypotheses are preferred because they provide
specific, testable predictions derived from theory. The deductive model
moves from a known theoretical position to data collection to test these
hypotheses.
QUESTIONS, CORRECT ANSWERS, AND DETAILED RATIONALES
1. A researcher finds that a study conducted on political alliances
during the Cold War does not accurately predict current international
relationships. This is primarily an issue of:
A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Construct validity
D) Statistical validity
Correct Answer: B) External validity
The scenario describes a situation where findings from one time period
do not generalize to another time period. External validity refers to the
extent to which research findings can be generalized to other settings,
populations, or time periods. Since Cold War data cannot predict
current relationships, the findings lack external validity.
2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the scientific
method?
A) Public
B) Subjective
C) Empirical
D) Systematic
,Correct Answer: B) Subjective
The scientific method requires objectivity, not subjectivity. The
characteristics include being public, objective, empirical, systematic,
and cumulative. Subjectivity would introduce bias and undermine the
scientific rigor of the research process.
3. A variable that can take on any value and can be meaningfully
broken into smaller subsections is known as:
A) Discrete variable
B) Control variable
C) Continuous variable
D) Dependent variable
Correct Answer: C) Continuous variable
Continuous variables can take on infinite values within a range and can
be divided into smaller units. Examples include time, height, weight,
and aggressiveness levels, all of which can be measured with increasing
precision.
4. When researchers want to eliminate the influence of a variable to
ensure results are due to the independent variable, they are using:
A) Continuous variables
B) Dependent variables
C) Control variables
D) Discrete variables
Correct Answer: C) Control variables
Control variables are boundary conditions that affect the relationship
,between independent and dependent variables. Researchers control for
these variables to eliminate their influence and ensure that study
results are attributed to the independent variable.
5. "Women tend to share more information about themselves than
men, controlling their personality." In this statement, personality is
functioning as:
A) An independent variable
B) A dependent variable
C) A continuous variable
D) A control variable
Correct Answer: D) A control variable
Personality is being controlled for in this example. The researcher is
accounting for personality differences to ensure that the observed
difference in information sharing is due to gender rather than
personality characteristics.
6. Participants dropping out of a study because they move, become ill,
or lose interest is an example of:
A) Demand characteristics
B) Evaluation apprehension
C) Experimental mortality
D) External validity
Correct Answer: C) Experimental mortality
Experimental mortality refers to the loss of research participants over
time due to various reasons including death, illness, moving away,
, dropping out of school, or simply losing interest in continuing
participation in the study.
7. Research conducted to test theory, moving from theory to data, is
known as:
A) Inductive reasoning
B) Deductive reasoning
C) Abductive reasoning
D) Analogical reasoning
Correct Answer: B) Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning moves from a theoretical position to data
collection. Researchers start with a theory, develop hypotheses based
on that theory, and then gather data to assess whether the theory is
correct.
8. In the deductive research model, which of the following is
preferred?
A) Research questions
B) Open-ended exploration
C) Hypotheses
D) Case studies
Correct Answer: C) Hypotheses
In deductive research, hypotheses are preferred because they provide
specific, testable predictions derived from theory. The deductive model
moves from a known theoretical position to data collection to test these
hypotheses.
