Question 1

Lucy examined relationships between middle-school students' self-esteem and their performance in Mathematics.Her data analysis indicated that students with higher self-esteem perform better than those with lower self-esteem.Her investigation further revealed that students with higher self-esteem are more willing to invest effort in solving Math problems.In this case,the amount of effort is:
A)an independent variable.
B)a dependent variable.
C)a mediating variable.
D)a moderating variable.

Accepted Answer

The amount of effort in solving Math problems is a mediating variable as it explains or provides a mechanism of how self-esteem affects performance in Mathematics. Students with higher self-esteem are more willing to invest effort, which leads to better performance in Mathematics.

Question 2

"Among social workers in selected U.S.urban areas,are the personality characteristics of Need for Structure or In-Group Preference related to prejudicial social judgments about African Americans,Latino Americans,or Asian Americans?" Which of the following is a well-stated subproblem that follows from this research problem?
A)Which group is more discriminated against by the public at large in each of the selected areas: African Americans,Latino Americans,or Asian Americans?
B)What is the most valid existing measure of In-Group Preference?
C)What is the relationship between an index of Need for Structure and an index of prejudice targeting attitudes about Asian Americans among the selected social workers?
D)Which analytic technique is best suited to addressing the research problem,multiple regression or path analysis?

Accepted Answer

This subproblem directly addresses the research problem by examining the relationship between personality characteristics and prejudicial social judgments about a specific group (Asian Americans) among the selected social workers. A is not relevant to the specific focus of the study, B is useful but does not directly address the research problem, and D is premature as the choice of analytic technique should be informed by the data and research design.

Question 3

Which of the following represents a research hypothesis?
A)Class A high school basketball teams who employ a sports psychologist will have a higher proportion of wins over the course of the season than comparable teams who do not employ a sports psychologist.
B)There will be no difference in rate of skill improvement between college gymnasts who practice meditation and those who do not.
C)Does incorporating relaxation exercises into the daily practice routine of college vocal majors enhance their performance confidence?
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

A research hypothesis should be a clear statement of the relationship between variables that the researcher seeks to investigate. Option A clearly states the relationship between the use of a sports psychologist and the number of wins in high school basketball teams.

Option B just states there will be no difference, and this cannot be considered a research hypothesis.

Option C is a research question, not a hypothesis. Research questions express central questions that the research will answer.

Option D is incorrect because there is a valid hypothesis in the options.

Question 4

Which of the following represents a well-written applied research problem?
A)"How does the organization of mathematical information in long-term memory differ between 3-year-olds and 13-year-olds?"
B)"How do business teams of six or fewer members compare to teams of more than six members in terms of productivity?"
C)"Which general education course is more interesting,U.S.History or World Music?"
D)"What is the ratio of native-born students to international students on the campuses of major U.S.state universities?"

Accepted Answer

The problem in option B is clearly stated and measurable, comparing the productivity of business teams of different sizes. This problem could have practical implications for organizations trying to optimize team structure. The other options either lack specificity or are not particularly applicable to practical problems.

Question 5

Imani analyzed data and found that explicitly teaching reading strategies improves students' performance on standardized tests.In this study,explicit teaching of reading strategies is
A)An independent variable
B)A dependent variable
C)A mediating variable
D)A moderating variable

Accepted Answer

In this study, the explicit teaching of reading strategies is the variable that is deliberately manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on students' performance on standardized tests. Therefore, it is the independent variable.

Question 6

Which of the following represents a null hypothesis?
A)Class A high school basketball teams who employ a sports psychologist will have a higher proportion of wins over the course of the season than comparable teams who do not employ a sports psychologist.
B)There will be no difference in rate of skill improvement between college gymnasts who practice meditation and those who do not.
C)Does incorporating relaxation exercises into the daily practice routine of college vocal majors enhance their performance confidence?
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

A null hypothesis is a statement of no difference or no effect. Option B is a statement that there will be no difference in rate of skill improvement between two groups of college gymnasts, hence it represents a null hypothesis. Option A suggests that there will be a significant difference in the number of wins between two groups of high school basketball teams, and option C asks a question about the effect of incorporating relaxation exercises on vocal majors, hence they do not represent a null hypothesis. Therefore, the correct answer is B.

Question 7

"What proportion of workers hired by selected factories in the state of Oklahoma between 1995 and 2000 held four-year college degrees?" The chief weakness of this research problem is that:
A)it lacks clarity or completeness in the problem statement.
B)it implies only description of the data,not interpretation.
C)it does not lead to the creation/discovery of new information.
D)studying the question as stated is not feasible.

Accepted Answer

The research problem is only focused on describing the data and does not have the potential to discover new information. It does not provide any insight into the reasons behind the proportion of workers with college degrees, nor does it explore any potential implications. Therefore, it is not a suitable research problem as it lacks the potential to generate new knowledge.

Question 8

Why is it important that the researcher articulate,as clearly as possible,all assumptions that affect the research problem?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why is it important that the researcher...

Question 9

Which of the following represents a well-written basic research problem?
A)"Which general education course is more interesting,U.S.History or World Music? "
B)"How do business teams of six or fewer members compare to teams of more than six members in terms of productivity?"
C)"How does the organization of mathematical information in long-term memory differ between 3-year-olds and 13-year-olds?"
D)"What is the ratio of native-born students to international students on the campuses of major U.S.state universities?"

Accepted Answer

The research problem is specific and significant, comparing the organization of mathematical information in long-term memory between two age groups. It also proposes a clear research question.

Answer: B
 The research problem is specific and significant, comparing productivity in different team sizes. It proposes a clear research question and can potentially provide useful information for businesses.

Answer: D
 The research problem is specific and significant, looking at the ratio of native-born students to international students on the campuses of major US state universities. It can provide useful information for policymakers and educational institutions.

A) does not represent a well-written research problem because the research question is vague and subjective. There is no clear significance or usefulness in answering this question.

Question 10

Three of the following questions lend themselves well to research.Which one does NOT?
A)"How does the organization of mathematical information in long-term memory differ between 3-year-olds and 13-year-olds?"
B)"How do business teams of six or fewer members compare to teams of more than six members in terms of productivity?"
C)"Does message medium,print versus television,impact the effectiveness of public service health messages?"
D)"Which general education course is more interesting,U.S.History or World Music?"

Accepted Answer

This question is subjective and cannot be measured objectively through research. It relies on individual opinions and preferences, which cannot be generalized to a larger population. The other three questions address measurable variables and can be studied through research methods.

Question 11

After presenting the main research problem or question in a research proposal,a researcher should identify any subproblems as well as discuss any a priori hypotheses.What are "a priori hypotheses?"
A)Hypotheses that are made by the researcher prior to data collection
B)Hypotheses that are made by the research during data collection
C)Hypotheses that are made by the researcher at the conclusion of the data collection
D)Hypotheses that are made by the researcher at the conclusion of data analysis

Accepted Answer

A priori hypotheses are hypotheses that researchers make before collecting data. They are created based on a theory, previous research, or expert knowledge. These hypotheses guide the research design and help ensure that data collection is focused and efficient.

Question 12

Marcos's study suggested that elementary students who watch TV more than three hours a day are more likely to be overweight than students who watch less TV.In this study,students' weight is:
A)an independent variable.
B)a dependent variable.
C)a mediating variable.
D)a moderating variable.

Accepted Answer

In the study, the amount of TV watched by students is being manipulated (independent variable) to see how it affects their weight (dependent variable). Therefore, weight is the dependent variable in this study.

Question 13

Three of the following are characteristics of a well-written research problem.Which one is NOT?
A)The problem statement includes the researcher's hypothesis.
B)The problem statement clearly delimits the object(s)of study.
C)The problem statement identifies the important factors to be investigated in the study.
D)The problem statement explicitly identifies assumptions.

Accepted Answer

A well-written research problem should not include the researcher's hypothesis as it can bias the study and limit the potential outcomes. The problem statement should be objective and focus on clearly defining the research problem, delimiting the object(s) of study, identifying important factors to be investigated, and explicitly identifying assumptions.

Question 14

Applied research is:
A)research intended to enhance basic knowledge and theoretical reasoning about the world.
B)large-scale research performed under contract with a governmental agency.
C)informal research conducted by a small staff with a small budget,designed to shed light on a problem of local interest.
D)research that informs human decision making about immediate,practical problems.

Accepted Answer

Applied research is a type of research that focuses on solving practical problems and informing decision-making. This type of research is designed to have a direct impact on real-world issues and is often conducted in fields such as engineering, medicine, and business. Options A and B describe basic and large-scale research, respectively, while option C describes a small-scale, localized type of research.

Question 15

Basic research is:
A)research intended to enhance basic knowledge about the physical,biological,psychological,or social world or to shed light on historical,cultural,or aesthetic phenomena.
B)large scale research performed under contract with a governmental agency such as the National Science Foundation (NSF),National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH),etc.
C)informal research conducted locally by a small staff with a small budget,the purpose of which is to pave the way for larger research initiatives.
D)research intended to address issues that have immediate relevance to current practices,procedures,and policies.

Accepted Answer

Basic research is intended to enhance our understanding of the physical, biological, psychological, or social world, or to shed light on historical, cultural, or aesthetic phenomena. It is not necessarily tied to any immediate practical application or policy concern.

Question 16

"What is the correlation between an index of civic-mindedness and years of involvement in local organizations and charities among members of city councils of selected midsized cities in the northeastern United States?" The chief weakness of this research problem is that:
A)it implies only description of the data,not interpretation.
B)it does not lead to the creation/discovery of new information.
C)it lacks clarity or completeness in the problem statement.
D)studying the question as stated is not feasible.

Accepted Answer

The answer of "What is the correlation between an index...

Question 17

Anneka ends her research proposal by introducing several variables that she does NOT plan to study,along with an explanation of why she's not studying them.When she presents her proposal to her research committee,her primary advisor is most likely to say:
A)Be sure to include operational definitions for these variables.
B)Take that section out; focus only on what you intend to do in this study.
C)It's good that you've identified the delimitations of your study before you begin.
D)Don't let your personal biases interfere with your plans; remain as objective as possible.

Accepted Answer

By identifying the variables she is not studying, Anneka is delimiting the scope of her study, which is an important aspect of research. This also shows that Anneka has a clear understanding of what her study will and will not cover. Her primary advisor is therefore most likely to commend her for doing so.

Question 18

"What do underemployed U.S.workers (i.e.,those workers who are employed,but not in positions for which they have specialized training or expertise)identify as the primary reason for their inability to find suitable employment?" The chief weakness of this research problem is that:
A)it lacks clarity or completeness in the problem statement.
B)it does not lead to the creation/discovery of new information.
C)it implies only description of the data,not interpretation.
D)studying the question as stated is not feasible.

Accepted Answer

The answer of "What do underemployed U.S.workers (i.e.,those workers who...

Question 19

Research suggests that children who eat hot breakfast at home perform better at school.Many argue that not only hot breakfast but also parental care of children before they go to school has an impact on children's performance.In this case,parental care is
A)An independent variable
B)A dependent variable
C)A mediating variable
D)A moderating variable

Accepted Answer

Parental care in this context is a moderating variable because it influences the strength or direction of the relationship between eating a hot breakfast and children's performance at school. It doesn't directly cause the outcome but affects how the primary independent variable (eating a hot breakfast) impacts the dependent variable (children's performance at school).

Quiz 2: The Problem: the Heart of the Research Process

Which of the following represents a research hypothesis?

Which of the following represents a well-written applied research problem?

Imani analyzed data and found that explicitly teaching reading strategies improves students' performance on standardized tests.In this study,explicit teaching of reading strategies is

Which of the following represents a null hypothesis?

"What proportion of workers hired by selected factories in the state of Oklahoma between 1995 and 2000 held four-year college degrees?" The chief weakness of this research problem is that:

Why is it important that the researcher articulate,as clearly as possible,all assumptions that affect the research problem?

Which of the following represents a well-written basic research problem?

Three of the following questions lend themselves well to research.Which one does NOT?

After presenting the main research problem or question in a research proposal,a researcher should identify any subproblems as well as discuss any a priori hypotheses.What are "a priori hypotheses?"

Marcos's study suggested that elementary students who watch TV more than three hours a day are more likely to be overweight than students who watch less TV.In this study,students' weight is:

Three of the following are characteristics of a well-written research problem.Which one is NOT?

Applied research is:

Basic research is:

"What is the correlation between an index of civic-mindedness and years of involvement in local organizations and charities among members of city councils of selected midsized cities in the northeastern United States?" The chief weakness of this research problem is that:

Anneka ends her research proposal by introducing several variables that she does NOT plan to study,along with an explanation of why she's not studying them.When she presents her proposal to her research committee,her primary advisor is most likely to say:

"What do underemployed U.S.workers (i.e.,those workers who are employed,but not in positions for which they have specialized training or expertise) identify as the primary reason for their inability to find suitable employment?" The chief weakness of this research problem is that:

Research suggests that children who eat hot breakfast at home perform better at school.Many argue that not only hot breakfast but also parental care of children before they go to school has an impact on children's performance.In this case,parental care is