COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S: RESEARCH
METHODS & PROGRAM EVALUATION
PRACTICE TEST BANK & STUDY GUIDE
2026-2027 COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE EXAM
Subject: Behavioral Sciences & Counseling Research Methods
Target Audience: Graduate Counseling Students preparing for Comprehensive Exams & HESI
Exam Blueprint: Research Designs, Quantitative Statistics, Qualitative Methods, & Program Evaluation
Core Competencies: Hypothesis Testing, Psychometrics, Qualitative Trustworthiness, & Ethical Standards
Gemini Notebook A+ Professional Test Bank Series
Grounded in Authentic Counselor Education & Behavioral Sciences Standards
,COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S: RESEARCH METHODS & PROGRAM EVALUATION 2026-2027 COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE EXAM
EXAM SPECIFICATION & STUDY GUIDE
This comprehensive practice exam and study guide has been updated for the 2026-2027 COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S curriculum
blueprint. The exam assesses critical competencies in counseling research methods, measurement, statistics, and program evaluation.
All questions are strictly grounded in professional educational standards, evaluating clinical judgment, logical reasoning, and
psychometric principles.
Core Chapters and Blueprint Distribution
Chapter / Subject Area Major Topics Assessed Weight Target Competencies
1. Quantitative Designs Hypothesis testing, correlational, experimental,
35% quasi-experimental,
Research Designs,
single-case,
Internal Validity,
independent/depend
Sampling
2. Descriptive & Inferential
Mean, Stats
median, mode, correlation coefficients
30% (+1.0/-1.0),
Data standard
Analysis, deviation,
Central Tendency,
normal distributions,
Skewness t-te
3. Qualitative Methods Coding and thematic analysis, inductive reasoning,
20% qualitative
Thematic Extraction,
data collection
Trustworthiness,
(interviews, focus
Narrative
group
4. Program Evaluation Formative vs. summative evaluation, stakeholder
15% engagement,
Program Improvement,
ethical principles,
Ethics,informed
Safety Standards
consent, I
Clinical Research Learning Objectives
• Objective 1: Formulate statistical hypotheses (null and alternative) and apply appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests to
evaluate behavioral science data.
• Objective 2: Critique research designs based on sampling methods, selection criteria, and threats to internal and external validity.
• Objective 3: Analyze and interpret measures of central tendency, variability, and correlation coefficients in counseling research
scenarios.
• Objective 4: Evaluate the trustworthiness (credibility, dependability, transferability) of qualitative counseling research designs and
thematic analyses.
Subject: Counseling & Behavioral Sciences Page 2 of 30 Gemini Notebook A+ Professional Study Series
, COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S: RESEARCH METHODS & PROGRAM EVALUATION 2026-2027 COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE EXAM
KEY CLINICAL RESEARCH CONCEPTS & TERMINOLOGY
Essential Psychometric & Research Terminology
<b>Internal Reliability</b>
Assesses the consistency of results across individual items within a test to ensure they measure the sa
<b>Triangulation</b> The use of multiple data sources, methods, or observers in qualitative research to increase credibility a
<b>Confounding Variable</b>
An extraneous factor that correlates with both independent and dependent variables, skewing treatmen
<b>Deductive Reasoning</b>
A top-down logical approach that moves from a general theory to specific hypotheses and empirical tes
Commonly Confused Resuscitation & Research Concepts
1. Random Selection vs. Random Assignment: Random selection determines how participants are drawn from a larger target
population to participate in a study (critical for external validity and generalizability). Random assignment determines how those selected
participants are distributed into treatment or control groups (critical for internal validity by ensuring group equivalence).
2. Positively vs. Negatively Skewed Distributions: A positively skewed distribution is pulled to the right by high outliers, resulting in
Mean > Median > Mode. A negatively skewed distribution is pulled to the left by low outliers, resulting in Mode > Median > Mean. The
median remains the most stable measure of central tendency in skewed data.
3. Type I vs. Type II Errors: A Type I error is a 'false positive' (rejecting a true null hypothesis, claiming an effect exists when it does
not). A Type II error is a 'false negative' (retaining a false null hypothesis, failing to detect an effect that actually exists).
Research Procedures Quick Reference
• Data Coding: Read raw interview transcripts, highlight key words or phrases, assign descriptive labels, and categorize codes to
discover emerging themes.
• Hypothesis Testing: State null and alternative hypotheses, select appropriate alpha level (typically .05), compute test statistic,
compare p-value, and make decision.
• Outlier Identification: Plot data on box plots or scatter plots, identify scores lying more than 1.5 IQR from quartiles, and select robust
statistics.
Subject: Counseling & Behavioral Sciences Page 3 of 30 Gemini Notebook A+ Professional Study Series
METHODS & PROGRAM EVALUATION
PRACTICE TEST BANK & STUDY GUIDE
2026-2027 COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE EXAM
Subject: Behavioral Sciences & Counseling Research Methods
Target Audience: Graduate Counseling Students preparing for Comprehensive Exams & HESI
Exam Blueprint: Research Designs, Quantitative Statistics, Qualitative Methods, & Program Evaluation
Core Competencies: Hypothesis Testing, Psychometrics, Qualitative Trustworthiness, & Ethical Standards
Gemini Notebook A+ Professional Test Bank Series
Grounded in Authentic Counselor Education & Behavioral Sciences Standards
,COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S: RESEARCH METHODS & PROGRAM EVALUATION 2026-2027 COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE EXAM
EXAM SPECIFICATION & STUDY GUIDE
This comprehensive practice exam and study guide has been updated for the 2026-2027 COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S curriculum
blueprint. The exam assesses critical competencies in counseling research methods, measurement, statistics, and program evaluation.
All questions are strictly grounded in professional educational standards, evaluating clinical judgment, logical reasoning, and
psychometric principles.
Core Chapters and Blueprint Distribution
Chapter / Subject Area Major Topics Assessed Weight Target Competencies
1. Quantitative Designs Hypothesis testing, correlational, experimental,
35% quasi-experimental,
Research Designs,
single-case,
Internal Validity,
independent/depend
Sampling
2. Descriptive & Inferential
Mean, Stats
median, mode, correlation coefficients
30% (+1.0/-1.0),
Data standard
Analysis, deviation,
Central Tendency,
normal distributions,
Skewness t-te
3. Qualitative Methods Coding and thematic analysis, inductive reasoning,
20% qualitative
Thematic Extraction,
data collection
Trustworthiness,
(interviews, focus
Narrative
group
4. Program Evaluation Formative vs. summative evaluation, stakeholder
15% engagement,
Program Improvement,
ethical principles,
Ethics,informed
Safety Standards
consent, I
Clinical Research Learning Objectives
• Objective 1: Formulate statistical hypotheses (null and alternative) and apply appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests to
evaluate behavioral science data.
• Objective 2: Critique research designs based on sampling methods, selection criteria, and threats to internal and external validity.
• Objective 3: Analyze and interpret measures of central tendency, variability, and correlation coefficients in counseling research
scenarios.
• Objective 4: Evaluate the trustworthiness (credibility, dependability, transferability) of qualitative counseling research designs and
thematic analyses.
Subject: Counseling & Behavioral Sciences Page 2 of 30 Gemini Notebook A+ Professional Study Series
, COUN 6626 / COUN 6328S: RESEARCH METHODS & PROGRAM EVALUATION 2026-2027 COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE EXAM
KEY CLINICAL RESEARCH CONCEPTS & TERMINOLOGY
Essential Psychometric & Research Terminology
<b>Internal Reliability</b>
Assesses the consistency of results across individual items within a test to ensure they measure the sa
<b>Triangulation</b> The use of multiple data sources, methods, or observers in qualitative research to increase credibility a
<b>Confounding Variable</b>
An extraneous factor that correlates with both independent and dependent variables, skewing treatmen
<b>Deductive Reasoning</b>
A top-down logical approach that moves from a general theory to specific hypotheses and empirical tes
Commonly Confused Resuscitation & Research Concepts
1. Random Selection vs. Random Assignment: Random selection determines how participants are drawn from a larger target
population to participate in a study (critical for external validity and generalizability). Random assignment determines how those selected
participants are distributed into treatment or control groups (critical for internal validity by ensuring group equivalence).
2. Positively vs. Negatively Skewed Distributions: A positively skewed distribution is pulled to the right by high outliers, resulting in
Mean > Median > Mode. A negatively skewed distribution is pulled to the left by low outliers, resulting in Mode > Median > Mean. The
median remains the most stable measure of central tendency in skewed data.
3. Type I vs. Type II Errors: A Type I error is a 'false positive' (rejecting a true null hypothesis, claiming an effect exists when it does
not). A Type II error is a 'false negative' (retaining a false null hypothesis, failing to detect an effect that actually exists).
Research Procedures Quick Reference
• Data Coding: Read raw interview transcripts, highlight key words or phrases, assign descriptive labels, and categorize codes to
discover emerging themes.
• Hypothesis Testing: State null and alternative hypotheses, select appropriate alpha level (typically .05), compute test statistic,
compare p-value, and make decision.
• Outlier Identification: Plot data on box plots or scatter plots, identify scores lying more than 1.5 IQR from quartiles, and select robust
statistics.
Subject: Counseling & Behavioral Sciences Page 3 of 30 Gemini Notebook A+ Professional Study Series
