PSYC*1010: Ethical Behaviour in Research

Question 1

What are three ways researchers can mislead people?

Answer 1

• Misleading based on the public’s poor understanding of the scientific method
• Misleading with descriptive statistics
• Misleading with inferential statistics

Question 2

What are three ways a researcher can produce more honest research?

Answer 2

• Avoid using the word “prove”
• Being careful of how they state what is being measured and how they’re measuring it
• Using procedures that enable the control of as many confounding variables as possible

Question 3

What are four ways in which research may be misleading with descriptive statistics?

Answer 3

• Failing to report sample size
• Misleading with graphs
• Misleading with central tendency
• Misleading with correlation

Question 4

What are four techniques for misleading with graphs?

Answer 4

• Biased scale lie
• Sneaky sample lie
• Extrapolation lie
• Inaccurate value lie

Question 5

What is a biased scale lie?

Answer 5

A way to mislead with graphs in which the variable does not provide the full range of values

Question 6

What is a sneaky sample lie?

Answer 6

A way to mislead with graphs in which a non-representative sample is used

Question 7

What is an extrapolation lie?

Answer 7

A way to mislead with graphs in which it is assumed that points beyond those tested will continue the pattern observed in the data

Question 8

What is an inaccurate values lie?

Answer 8

A way to mislead with graphs in which the graph is true in one part, but distorted in another

Question 9

What is one way in which researchers can mislead with central tendency?

Answer 9

By reporting a sample mean, but no standard deviation

Question 10

How would an honest researcher handle outliers?

Answer 10

Create a decision rule for when to remove them from sample and disclose any decisions made to remove them

Question 11

What is one way in which inferential statistics may be misleading?

Answer 11

The misuse of the word “significant”

Question 12

What are the five key elements of a proper APA statement?

Answer 12

• The word “significant”
• The appropriate statistics
• The type of hypothesis
• The appropriate p value
• The “frills”

Question 13

When reporting the results of a t-test using an APA statement, what is/are the appropriate statistic(s) to include?

Answer 13

The t value with the degrees of freedom in parentheses next to it… t(df)= X

Question 14

When reporting the results of a correlation test using an APA statement, what is/are the appropriate statistic(s) to include?

Answer 14

The correlation (r) and sample size

Question 15

When reporting the results of a z-test using an APA statement, what is/are the appropriate statistic(s) to include?

Answer 15

The z-score

Question 16

What is the p value for a standard, significant result?

Answer 16

p < .05

Question 17

What is the p value for a standard, non-significant result?

Answer 17

p > .05

Question 18

What is the p value for a conservative, significant result?

Answer 18

p < .01

Question 19

What is the p value for a conservative, non-significant result?

Answer 19

p >.01

Question 20

When reporting an APA statement, when is it appropriate to include the “frills”?

Answer 20

Only if preceding questions have already asked for them to be computed