A researcher conducts a meta-analysis, synthesizing the results of 20 high-quality
studies on a specific therapy technique to determine its overall effectiveness. What type
of research is this?
a. nonempirical
b. qualitative
c. quasi-experimental
d. empirical
A study investigates a new fluency therapy. The researcher uses two existing clinical
groups, assigning one to the new therapy and the other to a traditional approach. What
is the key element that prevents this from being a true experimental design?
a. there is no control group
b. there is no pretest or posttest
c. there is a lack of random assignment
d. there is no manipulation of a variable
A researcher designs a study to see if a specific brand of fertilizer helps tomato plants
grow taller. The researcher measures the height of the plants after one month. In this
study, what is the dependent variable?
a. the type of tomato plant
b. the brand of fertilizer
c. the duration of the study (one month)
d. the height of the plants
An SLP conducts a year-long therapy study with a group of preschoolers who have a
language delay. At the end of the year, the children show significant improvement. The
SLP is concerned the gains might be due to the children's normal language
development rather than just the therapy. Which threat to internal validity does this
scenario describe?
a. statistical regression
b. history
c. maturation
d. instrumentation
Using the dartboard analogy for measurement, if a test's results are widely scattered all
over the board and not clustered in one spot, what can be concluded about the test?
, a. it is both reliable and valid
b. it is valid, but not reliable
c. it is reliable, but not valid
d. it is not reliable
Which of the following characteristics is most representative of quantitative research?
a. it focuses on in-depth understanding of a small number of participants
b. it uses an inductive approach to develop theories from observations
c. the researcher may adjust the approach as the study proceeds
d. it presents results as quantities and used statistical analysis
A researcher starts with the theory of cognitive dissonance, develops a hypothesis that
people will rate an item more favorably after choosing it, and then collects numerical
data to test this prediction. This process is an example of what kind of reasoning?
a. operational definition
b. inductive reasoning
c. deductive reasoning
d. researcher triangulation
A researcher states the following: "There is no relationship between the number of
hours a student studies and their final exam score." What is this statement an example
of?
a. a null hypothesis
b. a directional hypothesis
c. a research question
d. an alternative hypothesis
In formulating a PICO question to guide a search for evidence, what does the 'I'
represent?
a. investigation
b. instrumentation
c. importance
d. intervention
A researcher studies a group of individuals with a specific disorder and compares them
to a carefully matched group of individuals without the disorder to identify potential
causal factors from their past. Which type of nonexperimental research design is this?
a. longitudinal study
b. correlational study
c. case-control study
d. survey research