Deck 9: Making Sense of the Numbers

Question 1

A skewed distribution has

A)the mean,median,and mode exactly in the center of the bell curve.
B)many cases at extremes of the curve.
C)the shape of a cup,otherwise known as a cup curve.
D)six curves stacked sideways across the field.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A type II error

A)is falsely accepting a null hypothesis.
B)is the same as a type I error.
C)is falsely rejecting a null hypothesis.
D)None of the answer options are correct.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

What is the median in the following set of numbers: 1,16,35,14,7

A)1
B)35
C)14
D)7

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a technique to help decide if there is a relationship between two variables?

A)scattergram
B)cross-tabulation
C)bell curve
D)measures of association

Question 5

Covariance means to vary together.What is the opposite of covariance in a bivariate relationship?

A)scattergram
B)anticovariance
C)univariance
D)statistical independence

Question 6

The results of Dr.Mottle's study indicate a level of statistical significance at the .01 level.What does this mean?

A)Results like these are due to chance factors only 1 in 100 times.
B)There is a 95 percent chance that the sample results are not due to chance factors alone.
C)The odds of such results based on chance alone are .05.
D)One can be 95 percent confident that the results are due to a real relationship in the population.

Question 7

What is the mean of the following set of numbers: 6,3,9

A)3
B)5
C)9
D)6

Question 8

A bivariate table

A)is used infrequently.
B)works with variables that have 2-5 categories and data at nominal or ordinal levels of measurement.
C)is exactly the same as a scattergram.
D)uses percentages exclusively.

Question 9

A graph that allows a researcher to see bivariate relationships and usually has independent variables on the horizontal axis and dependent variables on the vertical axis is called a

A)percent table.
B)bell curve.
C)scattergram.
D)covariation.

Question 10

When coding categories of variables,it is essential to keep written records of coding rules in a

A)diary.
B)research log.
C)video tape.
D)codebook.

Question 11

Statistical significance indicates

A)the probability of finding a relationship in sample data when there is none in the population.
B)the probability of not finding a relationship in sample data when there is none in the population.
C)the probability of not finding a relationship in sample data when there is one in the population.
D)the probability of finding a relationship in sample data when there is one in the population.

Question 12

Variation can be measured in three ways: range,percentile,and

A)mean.
B)median.
C)standard deviation.
D)mode.

Question 13

After coding,a researcher needs to

A)write the research paper.
B)design a new trial.
C)finish the research.
D)clean the data.

Question 14

What is the mode in this group of numbers: 1,1,1,1,5,6,16,33,1

A)1
B)3
C)16
D)5

Question 15

Multiple Regression Analysis results tell the researcher two things,the percentage of prediction accuracy and the

A)length of time to calculate.
B)standard deviation.
C)scattergram accuracy.
D)size and direction of effects.

Question 16

R-squared in multiple regression analysis is

A)always 20 percent.
B)based on improvement over zero.
C)considered good if it is at least .50.
D)never a helpful measurement.

Question 17

Inferential statistics uses ______ to allow a researcher to test hypotheses,permit inferences from sample to population,and evaluate the strength of relationships among variables.

A)probability theory
B)levels of significance
C)multiple regression
D)statistical significance

Question 18

A scattergram reveals three aspects of a bivariate relationship.Which of the following is NOT an aspect?

A)form
B)frame
C)direction
D)precision

Question 19

The level of statistical significance

A)is not related to random error.
B)should be 5% or smaller by rule of thumb.
C)is irrelevant to inferential statistics.
D)is the same as standard deviation.

Question 20

When using bivariate statistics,the researcher

A)can look at two variables together simultaneously and evaluate the statistical relationships between variables.
B)uses 8-10 variables at the same time.
C)uses a diagram and map together.
D)None of these answers are correct.

Question 21

A researcher gathering his/her own data needs to convert raw data into a computer-friendly format or engage in data coding.

Question 22

A Z-score is a standardized measure that uses what two measures in one score?

Question 23

Mr.Marsh discovers that the measure of association is zero in his data relationship.What does this mean?

A)He should stop the study right away and refuse to publish.
B)It means that there is statistical independence.The variables do not covary.
C)He has made a mistake in his data collection.
D)It means that there is strong covariation.

Question 24

Scattergrams can determine linear relationships.A positive relationship

A)is not possible.
B)is circular in shape.
C)looks like a diagonal line that begins in the lower left and goes to the upper right.
D)looks like a diagonal line that begins in the upper left and goes to the lower right.

Question 25

The power of multiple regression is an ability to control for many variables simultaneously.

Question 26

A researcher shouldn't think about coding until halfway through the research process.

Question 27

Statistics refers both to a set of collected numbers such as existing statistics in the Statistical Abstract and a branch of applied mathematics.

Question 28

Levels of significance tell a researcher whether a relationship among variables is likely due to chance alone.

Question 29

Why does a researcher assign numbers to variable attributes or categories in each variable?

Question 30

What are three measures of central tendency?

Question 31

If a researcher demands a very high standard of significance,he may make a mistake,saying there is no relationship in the population when in reality one exists.

Question 32

This measure is the most comprehensive measure of variability,giving an "average" difference between all scores and the mean.It is called what?

A)median
B)standard deviation
C)Z-score
D)mode

Question 33

The distribution across the center of a curve can be measured three ways.What are they?

Question 34

Multiple regression analysis is only for interval- and ratio-level data.

Question 35

It is sufficient to say when showing an association between an independent variable and a dependent variable that the independent variable causes a dependent variable.

Question 36

Mr.Marsh lost his codebook at a meeting.Is this a problem? If so,why?

Question 37

The arithmetic average is the most widely used measure of central tendency;it is also called what?

A)mode
B)central tendency average
C)median
D)mean

Question 38

Because standard deviation is not easy to interpret,Dr.Mottle uses another standard measure that expresses scores on a frequency distribution in terms of a number of standard deviations from the mean.What is Dr.Mottle using?

A)Z-score
B)X-score
C)mean score
D)standard deviation score

Question 39

The plot of a positive directional relationship on a scattergram looks like a diagonal line that begins in the lower left and goes to the upper right.

Question 40

Covariation and statistical independence are the same concept.

Question 41

When more cases in a distribution curve are in the extreme upper or lower areas of the curve,the curve is no longer bell-shaped;it becomes ______.

Question 42

A scattergram reveals three aspects of a bivariate relationship: ______,direction,and precision.

Question 43

This measure of central tendency requires that one half of the variables are above it and half are below it on a curve.This is called the ______.

Question 44

Bivariate relationships vary in their degree of ______.A very precise relationship occurs when all the cases fit right along the line that indicates the relationship and direction.The amount of spread among the points on the graph indicates ______(same as above).

Question 45

A(n)______ is a graph that allows the researcher to see bivariate relationships.Usually the independent variable goes on the horizontal axis and the dependent variable on the vertical axis.

Question 46

A measure of spread around the center of distribution that gives the researcher the score at a specific place within the distribution is called a(n)______.

Question 47

This coefficient tells the researcher the size and direction of effects in multiple regression analysis and is known as the ______ coefficient.

Question 48

When there is an absence of an association or covariation between two variables this is called what?

Question 49

A graph that allows a researcher to see bivariate relationships using an X and Y axis is called what?

Question 50

Many naturally occurring phenomena fit the ______ curve when data points are plotted.

Question 51

What is a control variable in a nonexperimental research study?

Question 52

____ is one of the most widely used statistical techniques for nonexperimental data analysis in professional research reports.

Question 53

The spread around the center of a distribution can be measured three ways.The ______ gives the highest and lowest ends of a set of numbers.

Question 54

The ______ of statistical significance tells the researcher the likelihood that results are due to chance factors- that is,that a relationship appears in the sample when there is none in the population.

Question 55

A simple table showing how many,or what percent of the cases fall into each variable category is called ______.

Question 56

If the level of significance is 0.001,this means that the results are due to chance factors 1 in _____ times?

Question 57

_____ indicates the probability of finding a relationship in sample data when there is
none in the population.

Question 58

The statistical analysis technique used for nonexperimental data analysis in interval and ratio level data is called what?

Question 59

What three aspects of a bivariate relationship are revealed in a scattergram?

Question 60

A ______ error falsely accepts the null hypothesis when there is a relationship in the
population.

Question 61

What does a .01 level of significance mean?

Question 62

Discuss three measures of central tendency-mean,median,mode.Which is the most widely used?

Question 63

Mr.Marsh wants to see if smokers like to gamble at casinos.Once he has his data,he plots the information in a scattergram.What three aspects of the bivariate relationship will the scattergram reveal? Explain the significance of each.

Question 64

What is the purpose of multiple regression analysis? What two things does it tell a researcher?

Question 65

Discuss measurements used in distribution around the center of a curve: range,percentile,standard deviation,and Z-score.