Experiments & Observations

Question 1

What is a RANDOM SAMPLE?

Answer 1

a way to create a sample from the population. It is the best way to create a sample because each person or item in the population has an equal chance of being placed in the sample. This means that the sample will be a good representation (scaled-down version) of the total population.

Question 2

What is a SELF-SELECTED SAMPLE?

Answer 2

a sample created when the people or items in the population volunteer to be in the sample.

Question 3

What is a SYSTEMATIC SAMPLE?

Answer 3

a sample created when the people or items that are in the sample were selected according to some type of rule, formula, or equation.

Question 4

What is a STRATIFIED SAMPLE?

Answer 4

a sample created by choosing ONE person or item from different small groups that were created when all of the people or items in the population were sorted into the smaller groups because they have similar characteristics.

Question 5

What is a CLUSTER SAMPLE?

Answer 5

a sample created choosing ALL the people or items of a small group that was created when all of the people or items in the population were sorted into the smaller group because they have similar characteristics.

Question 6

What is a CONVENIENCE SAMPLE?

Answer 6

a sample created by only selecting the people or items that are easy to reach.

Question 7

What is BIAS?

Answer 7

an error or a dislike that produces a misunderstanding or a mistake.

Question 8

What is a BIASED SAMPLE?

Answer 8

a sample that does not produce a fair version of the population. This type of sample could over-represent a portion of the population, or it could under-represent a portion of the population. When such an unfair version of the population is created, the information will be unreliable and none of the conclusions will be accurate.

Question 9

What is an UNBIASED SAMPLE?

Answer 9

a sample that produces a fair version of the population. It is a fair version because each person or item in the population has an equal chance of being selected. When such an fair version of the population is created, the information will be reliable and the conclusions will be accurate.

Question 10

What is an EXPERIMENT?

Answer 10

a study that gives a treatment or test to people or items in order to collect data on their response to the treatment or test.

Question 11

What is an OBSERVATIONAL STUDY?

Answer 11

a study that collects data by watching people or items without disturbing them or their environment.

Question 12

What is a SURVEY?

Answer 12

a study that collects data from people by asking them questions.

Question 13

What is a SIMULATION?

Answer 13

a study that collects data by using a model or an example of a real-life situation.

Question 14

What is a CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT?

Answer 14

a study that collects data from two groups. One group is given a treatment or test. The other group is not given the treatment or the test.

Question 15

What is a CONTROL GROUP?

Answer 15

the group in a controlled experiment that is not given the treatment or the test.

Question 16

What is a TREATMENT GROUP?

Answer 16

the group is a controlled experiment that is given the treatment or the test.

Question 17

What is RANDOMIZATION?

Answer 17

a process that fairly places people or items into small groups.

Question 18

What is a PLACEBO?

Answer 18

a fake harmless treatment or test that does not change the person or item that receives it.

Question 19

What is an INDEPENDENT VARIABLE?

Answer 19

the item that a researcher changes in order to see how the change impacts the people or items in the study.

Question 20

What is a DEPENDENT VARIABLE?

Answer 20

the data that a researcher measures or collects from the people or items in the study.

Question 21

What is a CONFOUNDING VARIABLE?

Answer 21

something that damages the ability of the researcher to make accurate conclusions or predictions from data that is collected in a study because it creates fake cause-and-effect relationships in the information that was created.