W4 Primer Questions: Research Designs

Question 1

p < .05 should be interpreted to mean that:

a. the probability of being correct is >95%
b. the probability of being incorrect is <5%
c. the results are less convincing than if “p” were “

Answer 1

d. the probability of the same result occurring by random chance is <5%.

Question 2

The relationship between 2 correlated variables is:

a. causal.
b. random.
c. independent.
d. mathematical.

Answer 2

d. mathematical

Question 3

Meta-analysis is a quantitative approach for systematically combining the results of previous, non-definitive research in order to:

a. improve the quality of the research data.
b. allow a conclusion to be drawn.
c. identify studies with positive results.
d. improve the power of the research.

Answer 3

b. allow a conclusion to be drawn.

Question 4

Calculating summary information such as mean, standard deviation, standard error of a mean, median and mode, fall under which category?

a. Inferential statistics
b. Measures of dispersion
c. Descriptive statistics

Answer 4

b. Descriptive statistics

Question 5

The following describes which term: A subset of the population of interest that is assembled in such a way that it is fully representative of the defining characteristics of the entire population of interest.

a. study sample group
b. representative sample
c. intervention group
b. control group

Answer 5

b. representative sample

Question 6

Measures of central tendency include:

a. range, variance, spread
b. mean, median, mode
c. standard deviation, standard error of the mean

Answer 6

b. mean, median, mode

Question 7

True or false: the term “mean” is applicable only if the data is distributed normally

Answer 7

True

Question 8

Which describes the mode?

a. the halfway point in the data points when they have been arranged in ascending order
b. the average of the data points
c. the spread between the smallest and largest data points
d. the value that occurs the most frequently

Answer 8

d. the value that occurs the most frequently

Question 9

The standard deviation measures:

a. the spread between the smallest and largest data points
b. the extent of the variation from the mean
c. the approximation of the accuracy of which the mean within a data set estimates the true mean of the population that is represented by the sample

Answer 9

b. the extent of the variation from the mean

Question 10

Which describes internal validity:

a. the faith we can place in a study assessing the tie between intervention/exposure and outcome for that study sample in particular.
b. whether or not we could reasonably expect these same results to occur if the study were repeated in a different sample of participants

Answer 10

a. the faith we can place in a study assessing the tie between intervention/exposure and outcome for that study sample in particular.

Question 11

Which of the below fall under observational research?

a. case studies/series, qualitative studies
b. cross-sectional, case-control, cohort
c. basic science studies, clinical trials, RCTs
d. literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis

Answer 11

b. cross-sectional, case-control, cohort

Question 12

Which better describes what inferential statistics can help with:

a. allows assessment of whether the data is generalizable to the broader population
b. aids in summarization of the characteristics of a data set

Answer 12

a. allows assessment of whether the data is generalizable to the broader population. Descriptive statistics summarize the characteristics of a data set.

Question 13

Without a ________, there can be no inference.

a. standard deviation
b. hypothesis
c. representative sample
d. control group

Answer 13

b. hypothesis