MCRS first exam

Question 1

Triangulation

Answer 1

The use of two or more research methods to address the same research question. If results from different methods agree, researchers can have greater confidence in their findings.

Question 2

Idiographic research approach

Answer 2

A research approach with an emphasis on understanding the subjectivity and individuality of human communication, rather than universal laws of human behavior.
Idiographic research aims to understand why something is, rather than predict how will something be or generalizing that all individuals might feel the same.

Question 3

Induction

Answer 3

is reasoning from observations to a theory that might explain your observations. Induction moves from the specific to the general.

Question 4

Deduction

Answer 4

Reasoning from a theory to defining the observations you will make to test the theory.
Deduction moves from a theory to defining the observations you will make to test the theory; it moves from the general to the specific.

Question 5

Hypothesis

Answer 5

A testable prediction about some event

Hypotheses are statements about the relationship that we expect to find between variables.

Question 6

Null hypotheses

Answer 6

usually symbolized as H0, specify that there is no relationship between variables.

Question 7

Research purposes

Answer 7

1. exploration
2. description
3. explanation
4. prediction
5. control,
6. interpretation
7. criticism

Question 8

Debriefing

Answer 8

After a study there deception was used, a researcher has to reveal to the participants that they were deceived.

Question 9

Confederates

Answer 9

are participants in a study who have been briefed to behave in a particular way

Question 10

Unobtrusive measures

Answer 10

is an approach that by definition observes people’s behavior without their being aware of it.

Question 11

Confidentiality vs. anonymity

Answer 11

Confidentiality reassures participants non of the private information will be displayed.

Anonymity on the other hand is when the researchers themselves do not have any links to what person does data belong. You just have a lot of data not tied to anyone.

Question 12

A priori

Answer 12

in a way based on theoretical deduction rather than empirical observation.

Question 13

A good research question is:

Answer 13

1. Is clear
2. Covers the entire research
3. Articulates exactly what and who you want to examine
4. Is not a yes/no question
5. Must be empirically observable
6. Does not examine assumptions or opinions
7. Is not too large or too small

Question 14

Intercoder or observer reliability

Answer 14

A measure of the extent to which two different coders code the same phenomenon the same way.

Question 15

Test-retest

Answer 15

when you do two tests with the same group one or two weeks apart from each other and check for correlation. The results are from 0 to 1, generally anything above .95 is regarded as almost perfect, above .85 is acceptable and anything below is of questionable reliability.

Question 16

inter-item reliability

Answer 16

is a check that the individual questions in a question set are consistent in their results and capture the same concept.

Question 17

Construct validity

Answer 17

Construct validity is demonstrated when the measures of one concept or construct agree with the measures of other related concepts.

Question 18

Predictive validity

Answer 18

is when your tests predict real-life outcomes. For example, great exam results should predict a successful career.

Question 19

Convergent validity

Answer 19

refers to how closely a test is related to other tests that measure the same (or similar) constructs.

Question 20

Divergent validity

Answer 20

indicates that the results obtained by this instrument do not correlate too strongly with measurements of a similar but distinct trait.