HPHY 212 Midterm Exam Questions And
Accurate Answers
Steps of the scientific method - ANSWER observations, question, hypothesis,
experiment, analyze results, conclusion, report results
hypothesis - ANSWER a measurable, testable, and directional prediction of a
relationship between the independent and dependent variable
dependent variable - ANSWER The outcome factor; the variable that may change in
response to manipulations of the independent variable. Output.
independent variable - ANSWER variable that is manipulated. input. can have levels
(group: pill/placebo; time: pre-/post-; sex: m/f; age)
identify the IV and DV: blood cholesterol levels and saturated fatty acid intake -
ANSWER IV: saturated fatty acid intake
DV: blood cholesterol levels
identify the IV and DV: Body temperature and regional vascular blood flow - ANSWER IV:
body temperature
DV: regional vascular blood flow
identify the IV and DV: body temperature and environmental temperature - ANSWER IV:
environmental temperature
DV: body temperature
On a graph, where do the independent and dependent variables go? - ANSWER DV goes
on y-axis and IV on x-axis
Hypotheses and theories are both _______ ________ - ANSWER scientific explanations
What is the difference between hypothesis and theory? - ANSWER A theory is a
well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired
through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation
and experimentation
Hypothesis deal with narrow set of phenomena while theory applies to a wide range of
phenomena, supported by many lines of evidence across many fields of study
Facts are repeated observations accepted as true (facts do not explain how; theories
and hypotheses explain)
,What do controlled variables do? - ANSWER rule out alternate factors
What are the confounding variables in the following study:
you tested running on a treadmill in the lab and cycling outside on the road - ANSWER
temperature, humidity, food they ate, clothes they wear
Propose a study to the "excess acid hypothesis" - ANSWER lower stomach acid levels of
some volunteers (using drugs/antacids), and measure numbers of ulcers in all
volunteers (this shows a causal relationship)
Wrong answers: 1) examine ulcer patients of a range of ages and measure their
stomach acid levels 2) have volunteers drink alcohol and measure their stomach acid
levels 3) examine patients of a range of ages and measure the number of ulcers in each
person 4) put volunteers through a stress test and then measure their stomach acid
levels
What would be a good control group for the hypothesis that bacteria cause ulcers? -
ANSWER sugar pill
wrong answers: no treatment, antacids, antibiotics+antacids
Anatomy of a scholarly article - ANSWER 1. Title
2. Authors
3. Abstract
4. Introduction
5. Article text
6. Publication information
7. Figures, charts, graphs, equations
8. Conclusion
9. Article information
10. References
Where are articles published? - ANSWER in journals
Describe the steps of the peer review process - ANSWER 1) Author submits their paper
to a journal editor
, 2) the editor reviews the article to see if they want it
3) the editor sends the paper to be reviewed by 3-5 experts in the field
4) editors either accept, revise, or reject the paper
List the advantages of the current peer review system - ANSWER standardized process
within each journal
vetted by experts in that area
maybe blind review to help make it unbiased (not always the best approach)
level of quality and trust
List the disadvantages of the current peer review system - ANSWER bias againt
findings/researchers
no quantiative indicators of quality
different standards for each journal
process is lengthy
reviewers are human
doesn't mean science is correct
how do authors decide where to publish? - ANSWER research topic, field, discipline
notoriety and prestige of the journal
novelty or quality of findings
cost
impact factor
accessibility
impact factor = - ANSWER (# of citations) / (# of articles)
What are the benefits of open access? - ANSWER author's research is available to more
people; the public has access to the research they fund; access for smaller libraries and
low-income economies; makes use of modern technology
Accurate Answers
Steps of the scientific method - ANSWER observations, question, hypothesis,
experiment, analyze results, conclusion, report results
hypothesis - ANSWER a measurable, testable, and directional prediction of a
relationship between the independent and dependent variable
dependent variable - ANSWER The outcome factor; the variable that may change in
response to manipulations of the independent variable. Output.
independent variable - ANSWER variable that is manipulated. input. can have levels
(group: pill/placebo; time: pre-/post-; sex: m/f; age)
identify the IV and DV: blood cholesterol levels and saturated fatty acid intake -
ANSWER IV: saturated fatty acid intake
DV: blood cholesterol levels
identify the IV and DV: Body temperature and regional vascular blood flow - ANSWER IV:
body temperature
DV: regional vascular blood flow
identify the IV and DV: body temperature and environmental temperature - ANSWER IV:
environmental temperature
DV: body temperature
On a graph, where do the independent and dependent variables go? - ANSWER DV goes
on y-axis and IV on x-axis
Hypotheses and theories are both _______ ________ - ANSWER scientific explanations
What is the difference between hypothesis and theory? - ANSWER A theory is a
well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired
through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed through observation
and experimentation
Hypothesis deal with narrow set of phenomena while theory applies to a wide range of
phenomena, supported by many lines of evidence across many fields of study
Facts are repeated observations accepted as true (facts do not explain how; theories
and hypotheses explain)
,What do controlled variables do? - ANSWER rule out alternate factors
What are the confounding variables in the following study:
you tested running on a treadmill in the lab and cycling outside on the road - ANSWER
temperature, humidity, food they ate, clothes they wear
Propose a study to the "excess acid hypothesis" - ANSWER lower stomach acid levels of
some volunteers (using drugs/antacids), and measure numbers of ulcers in all
volunteers (this shows a causal relationship)
Wrong answers: 1) examine ulcer patients of a range of ages and measure their
stomach acid levels 2) have volunteers drink alcohol and measure their stomach acid
levels 3) examine patients of a range of ages and measure the number of ulcers in each
person 4) put volunteers through a stress test and then measure their stomach acid
levels
What would be a good control group for the hypothesis that bacteria cause ulcers? -
ANSWER sugar pill
wrong answers: no treatment, antacids, antibiotics+antacids
Anatomy of a scholarly article - ANSWER 1. Title
2. Authors
3. Abstract
4. Introduction
5. Article text
6. Publication information
7. Figures, charts, graphs, equations
8. Conclusion
9. Article information
10. References
Where are articles published? - ANSWER in journals
Describe the steps of the peer review process - ANSWER 1) Author submits their paper
to a journal editor
, 2) the editor reviews the article to see if they want it
3) the editor sends the paper to be reviewed by 3-5 experts in the field
4) editors either accept, revise, or reject the paper
List the advantages of the current peer review system - ANSWER standardized process
within each journal
vetted by experts in that area
maybe blind review to help make it unbiased (not always the best approach)
level of quality and trust
List the disadvantages of the current peer review system - ANSWER bias againt
findings/researchers
no quantiative indicators of quality
different standards for each journal
process is lengthy
reviewers are human
doesn't mean science is correct
how do authors decide where to publish? - ANSWER research topic, field, discipline
notoriety and prestige of the journal
novelty or quality of findings
cost
impact factor
accessibility
impact factor = - ANSWER (# of citations) / (# of articles)
What are the benefits of open access? - ANSWER author's research is available to more
people; the public has access to the research they fund; access for smaller libraries and
low-income economies; makes use of modern technology
