sample exam

1. A deterministic model assumes that factors or forces influence our behavior, regardless of our awareness of those factors or forces. T or F

2. The median can be used to describe the central most score when working with ordinal data. T or F

3. The split-half method is a good way to check how valid a measurement tool is. T or F

4. When working with interval or ratio data, the mean is always useful when trying to identify the most central score. T or F

6. When doing a content analysis, manifest coding schemes have the tendency to be reliable but not necessarily valid. T or F

7. Hypothesis testing is very similar to the criminal justice system, in that we can never prove that something is true with 100% certainty, rather we can only be reasonably sure that we are making a good decision. T or F

8. The two essential features of experiments are manipulation and control T or F

9. One of the problems with using a one shot case study is that the results may be due to a testing-treatment interaction. T or F

10. Which of the following statements best reflects the goal of quantitative research?

a. to identify how people think they are influenced by variables
b. to make statements about an entire population of people based upon a small sample of individuals
c. to identify relationships among variables through statistical analysis
d. to identify an insider's perspective of a given phenomena

11. A researcher is testing the idea that relational satisfaction decreases when couples use a disconfirming style of communication. In this example, which of the following variables is the independent variable?

a. communication style
b. type of relationship
c. relational satisfaction
d. gender

12. While doing library research for his interpersonal communication course, Tom discovered that similarity leads to higher levels of relational satisfaction. Later that evening, Tom broke up with his girlfriend because he did not think that they had enough in common. Basically, Tom wanted to end the relationship because he did not think that it would work out in the long run, based upon the research he read. In this example, what did Tom fail to take into account about social science research when making this decision?

a. social science research is based upon determinism
b. social science research is based upon a probabilistic model
c. social science research should be taken with a grain of salt
d. social science research can not predict future outcomes

14. Denise has just come up with a new way to measure high school students’ intelligence. In order to assess how valid her measure was, Denise checked to see if her measure was related to their current grade point average. What type of validity check did Denise engage in?

a. face validity
b. content validity
c. concurrent validity
d. predictive validity

15. Tim teaches a methods course during the day and the same course at night. The standard deviation of the test scores for the day students was 10 and 15 for the night students. What information does this give you about the two classes?

a. day students did better than night students
b. night students did better than day students
c. the day students’ scores were more similar to each other than the night students.
d. the night students’ scores were more similar to each other than the day students.

16. How many variables are being manipulated when using a 2 x 3 x 4 factorial design?

17. When doing an experiment, if you predict that one group is going to be more aggressive than another group, what type of hypothesis are you actually testing?

a. research hypothesis
b. non-directional hypothesis
c. directional hypothesis
d. all of the above

18. Briefly discuss the difference between a variable and an attribute. Provide an example that illustrates the difference.

19. Briefly describe the difference between a necessary and a sufficient cause. Please provide an example of each.

20. If you were asked to do research on self-fulfilling prophecies, come up with a "concrete" research hypothesis that would test this theory.

21. Briefly describe the difference between nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio measures in terms of the information they provide.

23. Using the scores provides above, find the mode, median, and range of those scores.

25. Briefly describe some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing a content analysis.

Number of Sexually Explicit Shows:
Oprah	Geraldo	Donohue
10	20	30

27. Briefly describe what a history effect is and how it is a threat to internal validity.

28. Describe what a static group comparison design is and list some of the threats to internal validity associated with this type of design.

29. Describe the difference between an interaction and a main effect when doing experimental research. Provide an example of an interaction effect.

30. Describe the major advantage and the primary disadvantage to doing experimental research.

31. Explain the logic behind conducting a chi-square analysis. Try to include the following concepts into your explanation: null hypothesis, actual observations, theoretical values, and critical values.

32. Explain the logic underlying how researchers determine if two groups are different from each other when doing experimental research. Try to include the following concepts into your explanation: null hypothesis, research hypothesis, distribution of differences, standard error of the difference, and z-scores.