Chapter 8
Experimental Research Design
Multiple choice questions
1. Which of the following is NOT the purpose of creating the
research design for a research
problem?
a. to control for unwanted variation
*b. to analyze the data collected
c. to create an outline or plan for data collection
d. to suggest how the data will be collected
2. In the one-group pretest-posttest design which of the following
threats to internal validity is NOT controlled?
a. history
b. maturation
c. testing
* d. none are controlled
3. Which of the following factors should you consider when
deciding on what research design to use?
a. number of groups
b. use of a control group
c. use of a pretest
* d. all of the above
4. Evelyn has a new speed reading program she wants to test.
She trains 6 people on her program, then measures their reading
speed. This is an example of which experimental design?
*a. one-group posttest-only design
b. one-group pretest-posttest design
c. non-equivalent posttest-only design
, d. non-equivalent before-after (pretest-posttest) design
5. Two teachers who are friends teach math at different high
schools. At a conference, they learn about a new program for
teaching trigonometry. They decide to test it by having one
teacher use it in her class and the other use the traditional
program, then compare their students' scores on the AP
trigonometry test. This is an example of which experimental
design?
a. one-group posttest-only design
b. one-group pretest-posttest design
*c. non-equivalent posttest-only design
d. non-equivalent before-after (pretest-posttest) design
6. A group of physicians tests a new analgesic on their patients
with chronic pain problems. They obtain patient ratings of pain,
administer the new drug for a week, and then obtain pain ratings
again. They find that pain ratings are down 10 points at their
second observation. This is an example of which experimental
design.
a. one-group posttest-only design
*b. one-group pretest-posttest design
c. non-equivalent posttest-only design
d. non-equivalent before-after (pretest-posttest) design
7. The one-group posttest-only design includes all the following
faults EXCEPT
a. the treatment condition is given to all research
participants.
* b. the participants’ motive of positive self-presentation affects
the independent variable.
c. there are no controls for extraneous variables.
d. there is no control group for a comparison.
8. The major fault in the one-group pretest-posttest design is that
a. there is no way to test whether participants' performance
changed over time.
, b. there are no statistics available to test the data this design
yields.
c. there is no way to control for demand characteristics.
* d. there is no way to examine the effects of history and
maturation on the results.
9. Even though the one-group pretest-posttest design is
inadequate, it has one methodological advantage over the one-
group posttest-only design, and that is
a. the use of randomization.
b. internal validity.
*c. pretest scores can be compared to posttest scores.
d. statistical tests are available to use with that design.
10. The nonequivalent posttest-only design differs from the one-
group posttest-only design and the one-group pretest-posttest
design in that
a. it includes randomization
procedures.* b. it has a
comparison group.
c. it has high internal validity.
d. the results can be generalized to the population.
11. The major fault in the non-equivalent posttest only design is
that
a. it involves random
assignment to groups,
therefore the groups are
not equivalent at the start
of the study.
*b. the two groups are may not be equivalent at the beginning.
c. there is no way to tell the direction of effect that the
independent variable may have.
d. the two groups do not experience the same level of the
independent variable.
, 12. Two classes of students at different schools are closely
matched on IQ scores. One class is being taught with the standard
method and the other class is being taught with a new technique.
The two classes are then to be compared on scores from a
standardized test at the end of the year.
a. since the classes are matched, any difference at year’s
end is due to the teaching technique
* b. even though matched on IQ scores, the classes may not
be equivalent on many other variables
c. because there was no pretest, no valid comparisons can be
made
d. maturation is a major confounding variable in this study
13. The most important difference between weak and strong
research designs is that strong designs
a. include both a pre-test and a post-test.* b. have
greater internal validity.
c. have greater external validity.
d. include more than one independent variable.
14. Dr. Sheffield wants to investigate the causal relationship
between frustration and memory. She divides participants into
two group using random assignment. One group is given a
problem to solve that has no solution, inducing frustration, while
the other group is given a problem to solve that has a solution.
Then both groups have their memory tested. The group that is in
the frustration condition can also be called the
a. deceived group
b. control group
* c. experimental group
d. posttest group
15. Why does a good experiment include a control group?
a. it increases the number of people in the study, and hence,
the generalizability of the
results
Experimental Research Design
Multiple choice questions
1. Which of the following is NOT the purpose of creating the
research design for a research
problem?
a. to control for unwanted variation
*b. to analyze the data collected
c. to create an outline or plan for data collection
d. to suggest how the data will be collected
2. In the one-group pretest-posttest design which of the following
threats to internal validity is NOT controlled?
a. history
b. maturation
c. testing
* d. none are controlled
3. Which of the following factors should you consider when
deciding on what research design to use?
a. number of groups
b. use of a control group
c. use of a pretest
* d. all of the above
4. Evelyn has a new speed reading program she wants to test.
She trains 6 people on her program, then measures their reading
speed. This is an example of which experimental design?
*a. one-group posttest-only design
b. one-group pretest-posttest design
c. non-equivalent posttest-only design
, d. non-equivalent before-after (pretest-posttest) design
5. Two teachers who are friends teach math at different high
schools. At a conference, they learn about a new program for
teaching trigonometry. They decide to test it by having one
teacher use it in her class and the other use the traditional
program, then compare their students' scores on the AP
trigonometry test. This is an example of which experimental
design?
a. one-group posttest-only design
b. one-group pretest-posttest design
*c. non-equivalent posttest-only design
d. non-equivalent before-after (pretest-posttest) design
6. A group of physicians tests a new analgesic on their patients
with chronic pain problems. They obtain patient ratings of pain,
administer the new drug for a week, and then obtain pain ratings
again. They find that pain ratings are down 10 points at their
second observation. This is an example of which experimental
design.
a. one-group posttest-only design
*b. one-group pretest-posttest design
c. non-equivalent posttest-only design
d. non-equivalent before-after (pretest-posttest) design
7. The one-group posttest-only design includes all the following
faults EXCEPT
a. the treatment condition is given to all research
participants.
* b. the participants’ motive of positive self-presentation affects
the independent variable.
c. there are no controls for extraneous variables.
d. there is no control group for a comparison.
8. The major fault in the one-group pretest-posttest design is that
a. there is no way to test whether participants' performance
changed over time.
, b. there are no statistics available to test the data this design
yields.
c. there is no way to control for demand characteristics.
* d. there is no way to examine the effects of history and
maturation on the results.
9. Even though the one-group pretest-posttest design is
inadequate, it has one methodological advantage over the one-
group posttest-only design, and that is
a. the use of randomization.
b. internal validity.
*c. pretest scores can be compared to posttest scores.
d. statistical tests are available to use with that design.
10. The nonequivalent posttest-only design differs from the one-
group posttest-only design and the one-group pretest-posttest
design in that
a. it includes randomization
procedures.* b. it has a
comparison group.
c. it has high internal validity.
d. the results can be generalized to the population.
11. The major fault in the non-equivalent posttest only design is
that
a. it involves random
assignment to groups,
therefore the groups are
not equivalent at the start
of the study.
*b. the two groups are may not be equivalent at the beginning.
c. there is no way to tell the direction of effect that the
independent variable may have.
d. the two groups do not experience the same level of the
independent variable.
, 12. Two classes of students at different schools are closely
matched on IQ scores. One class is being taught with the standard
method and the other class is being taught with a new technique.
The two classes are then to be compared on scores from a
standardized test at the end of the year.
a. since the classes are matched, any difference at year’s
end is due to the teaching technique
* b. even though matched on IQ scores, the classes may not
be equivalent on many other variables
c. because there was no pretest, no valid comparisons can be
made
d. maturation is a major confounding variable in this study
13. The most important difference between weak and strong
research designs is that strong designs
a. include both a pre-test and a post-test.* b. have
greater internal validity.
c. have greater external validity.
d. include more than one independent variable.
14. Dr. Sheffield wants to investigate the causal relationship
between frustration and memory. She divides participants into
two group using random assignment. One group is given a
problem to solve that has no solution, inducing frustration, while
the other group is given a problem to solve that has a solution.
Then both groups have their memory tested. The group that is in
the frustration condition can also be called the
a. deceived group
b. control group
* c. experimental group
d. posttest group
15. Why does a good experiment include a control group?
a. it increases the number of people in the study, and hence,
the generalizability of the
results
