BIOSTATISTICS - EXAM 1 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Stream quality is based on the levels of many variables, including the following. Which
of these variables is quantitative?
a. The amount of phosphorous
b. The number of distinct species present
c. The amount of dissolved oxygen
d. All of the above - Answers- d. All of the above
Select the best response: In a data set, each row corresponds to a(n)
a. individual.
b. observation.
c. value.
d. variable. - Answers- b. observation
The EPA sends out a survey to learn about people's water usage habits. Some of the
variables are responses to the following questions. Which of these questions lead to
categorical responses?
a. How many times a day do you take a shower?
b. Do you leave the water running when brushing your teeth?
c. How many times a week do you water your lawn?
d. None of the above - Answers- b. Do you leave the water running when brushing your
teeth?
Which of the following is NOT a principle of statistical thinking?
a. Data beat anecdotes
b. Where the data come from is not important
c. Conclusions are not certain
d. Variation is everywhere - Answers- b. Where the data come from is not important
Select the best response: In a data set, each column corresponds to a(n)
a. variable.
b. observation.
c. individual.
d. value. - Answers- a. variable
A description of different houses on the market includes the following three variables.
Which of these variables is quantitative?
a. The square footage of the house.
b. The monthly gas bill.
c. The monthly electric bill.
d. All of the above. - Answers- d. all of the above
An organized collection of data is called a data set. Which of the following is not a
synonym of "data set" in statistical language?
, a. Data matrix
b. Database
c. Observation
d. Data table - Answers- c. observation
Select the best response: This is the mixing up of the effects of the explanatory factor
with that of extraneous variables.
a. nonresponse bias
b. blinding
c. confounding
d. The placebo effect - Answers- c. confounding
At a local health club, a researcher samples 75 people whose primary exercise is
cardiovascular and 75 people whose primary exercise is strength training. The
researcher's objective is to assess the effect of type of exercise on cholesterol. Each
subject reported to a clinic to have his or her cholesterol measured. The subjects were
unaware of the purpose of the study, and the technician measuring the cholesterol was
not aware of the subject's type of exercise. This is
a. an observational study.
b. an experimental study.
c. a clinical trial.
d. a quasi-experimental study. - Answers- a. an observational study
The three basic principles of statistical design of experiments are
a. blocking, blinding, and bias avoidance.
b. replication, randomization, and blocking.
c. comparison, blocking, and pairing.
d. control, comparison, and confounding. - Answers- b. replication, randomization, and
blocking.
Bob has a severe cold. His roommate takes a garlic tablet every morning and has not
had a cold in two years. Bob's aunt also has a friend who takes garlic tablets daily and
has not had a cold in more than a year. Based on these data, Bob decides to start
taking garlic tablets as soon as his cold clears up. What did Bob base his decision on?
a. Anecdotal evidence
b. Evidence from an experiment
c. Evidence from a sample survey
d. Evidence from a case-control study - Answers- a. anecdotal evidence
Many studies are trying to find a cure for chronic back pain. In one such study, a
physician is comparing the medication currently being used (drug A) to a newly
developed drug (drug B). Seventy-three volunteers, suffering from chronic back pain,
are participating in this study. The physician's assistant has a list of all 73 subjects and
randomly divides the subjects into two groups. Group 1 will receive drug A and Group 2
will receive drug B. The assistant is the only one who know to which group the subjects
have been assigned; treatment group assignment is withheld from the subjects and the
Stream quality is based on the levels of many variables, including the following. Which
of these variables is quantitative?
a. The amount of phosphorous
b. The number of distinct species present
c. The amount of dissolved oxygen
d. All of the above - Answers- d. All of the above
Select the best response: In a data set, each row corresponds to a(n)
a. individual.
b. observation.
c. value.
d. variable. - Answers- b. observation
The EPA sends out a survey to learn about people's water usage habits. Some of the
variables are responses to the following questions. Which of these questions lead to
categorical responses?
a. How many times a day do you take a shower?
b. Do you leave the water running when brushing your teeth?
c. How many times a week do you water your lawn?
d. None of the above - Answers- b. Do you leave the water running when brushing your
teeth?
Which of the following is NOT a principle of statistical thinking?
a. Data beat anecdotes
b. Where the data come from is not important
c. Conclusions are not certain
d. Variation is everywhere - Answers- b. Where the data come from is not important
Select the best response: In a data set, each column corresponds to a(n)
a. variable.
b. observation.
c. individual.
d. value. - Answers- a. variable
A description of different houses on the market includes the following three variables.
Which of these variables is quantitative?
a. The square footage of the house.
b. The monthly gas bill.
c. The monthly electric bill.
d. All of the above. - Answers- d. all of the above
An organized collection of data is called a data set. Which of the following is not a
synonym of "data set" in statistical language?
, a. Data matrix
b. Database
c. Observation
d. Data table - Answers- c. observation
Select the best response: This is the mixing up of the effects of the explanatory factor
with that of extraneous variables.
a. nonresponse bias
b. blinding
c. confounding
d. The placebo effect - Answers- c. confounding
At a local health club, a researcher samples 75 people whose primary exercise is
cardiovascular and 75 people whose primary exercise is strength training. The
researcher's objective is to assess the effect of type of exercise on cholesterol. Each
subject reported to a clinic to have his or her cholesterol measured. The subjects were
unaware of the purpose of the study, and the technician measuring the cholesterol was
not aware of the subject's type of exercise. This is
a. an observational study.
b. an experimental study.
c. a clinical trial.
d. a quasi-experimental study. - Answers- a. an observational study
The three basic principles of statistical design of experiments are
a. blocking, blinding, and bias avoidance.
b. replication, randomization, and blocking.
c. comparison, blocking, and pairing.
d. control, comparison, and confounding. - Answers- b. replication, randomization, and
blocking.
Bob has a severe cold. His roommate takes a garlic tablet every morning and has not
had a cold in two years. Bob's aunt also has a friend who takes garlic tablets daily and
has not had a cold in more than a year. Based on these data, Bob decides to start
taking garlic tablets as soon as his cold clears up. What did Bob base his decision on?
a. Anecdotal evidence
b. Evidence from an experiment
c. Evidence from a sample survey
d. Evidence from a case-control study - Answers- a. anecdotal evidence
Many studies are trying to find a cure for chronic back pain. In one such study, a
physician is comparing the medication currently being used (drug A) to a newly
developed drug (drug B). Seventy-three volunteers, suffering from chronic back pain,
are participating in this study. The physician's assistant has a list of all 73 subjects and
randomly divides the subjects into two groups. Group 1 will receive drug A and Group 2
will receive drug B. The assistant is the only one who know to which group the subjects
have been assigned; treatment group assignment is withheld from the subjects and the
