EXAM

Question 1

what is an operational definition?

Answer 1

once a variable has been selected, researchers decide on how to measure that variable. OD should be clear, detailed, precise and reproducible

Question 2

what is a nominal variable?

Answer 2

not complex, no sense of magnitude (cannot be ranked)

Question 3

what is an ordinal variable?

Answer 3

have a natural order/rank, allow greater or less than statements

Question 4

what variables are for qualitative research?

Answer 4

nominal and ordinal

Question 5

what variables are used for quantitative reseach?

Answer 5

ratio/interval

Question 6

what is validity?

Answer 6

the extent to which the instruments used in a study measure exactly what they are intended to measure

Question 7

what is reliability?

Answer 7

is the instrument consistent?

Question 8

if a tool is not reliable, can it be valid?

Answer 8

no

Question 9

how can a random error be fixed?

Answer 9

by doing many measurements and averaging them

Question 10

what is bias?

Answer 10

systematic over/underestimation of the true value of the variable – you must change the instrument and you cannot just take an average

Question 11

what is a random error?

Answer 11

an over AND underestimation of the value of the variable

Question 12

what are weaknesses of a sample survey?

Answer 12

respondents can lie or forget details, researchers cannot make casual claims

Question 13

what is the census

Answer 13

a country wide survey done every 5 years in canada by stats canada – gathers demographic information

Question 14

what is the only type of research method that allows casual claims?

Answer 14

experiments!

Question 15

what are experiments?

Answer 15

type of research method designed to test predictions about cause-effect relationships

Question 16

what is content analysis

Answer 16

study the creations/productions of humans (documents, movies, etc)

Question 17

what is non-participant observation?

Answer 17

researchers insert themselves into a public or private place and observe people

Question 18

what is secondary data sources+ analyss?

Answer 18

researchers use and analyse data that was collected by someone else

Question 19

how do you get relative frequencies for a bar graph?

Answer 19

divide the individual count by total number then x 100

Question 20

if data is qualitative, what graph will you use?

Answer 20

pie or bar

Question 21

what variable is it if youre using a line graph?

Answer 21

quantitative variable over time interval – MUST have a time factor

Question 22

what variable is it if youre using a histogram

Answer 22

only ONE quantitative varibale

Question 23

how to calculate ranges for a histogram?

Answer 23

see given interval, try to dovide your lowest data point by interval # then start counting down

Question 24

what is N in the formula

Answer 24

sample size

Question 25

what is the spread

Answer 25

span between the smallest and largest value

Question 26

what is x (bar)

Answer 26

the mean

Question 27

what is the backwards pointy 3

Answer 27

sum

Question 28

what is a sampling error?