Chapter 1

Question 1

Statistics:

Answer 1

Help us comprehend trends and patterns that are too large for us to see in other ways.

Question 2

3 methods of statistics:

Answer 2

1. Describe large-scale patterns
2. Determine factors for these patterns
3. Help understand if we can generalize from data gathered to draw conclusions about a population

Question 3

Research question:

Answer 3

Asks how two or more variables are related

Question 4

Variable

Answer 4

Any single factor that has more than one category

Question 5

Hypothesis:

Answer 5

A specific prediction about how variables are related

Question 6

Quantitative Analysis:

Answer 6

Analyses that use statistical techniques to analyze numerical data

Question 7

Qualitative Analysis:

Answer 7

Analyses of data that are not numerical, such as the text of documents, interviews, and field observations

Question 8

Mixed Methods:

Answer 8

Employ qualitative and quantitative data analyses

Question 9

Concepts:

Answer 9

Abstract factors or ideas, not always directly observable. Must be defined by the researcher

Question 10

Operationalization:

Answer 10

The process of transforming concepts into variables, determines how the researcher will observe concepts using empirical data

Question 11

Close-ended survey items:

Answer 11

Provide predefined response categories

Question 12

Open-ended survey items:

Answer 12

Do not provide response categories

Question 13

Unit of Analysis

Answer 13

Who or what is being studied. Individual-level or aggregate-level

Question 14

Ecological fallacy:

Answer 14

Mistakenly making inferences about individuals on the basis of the characteristics of groups to which they belong.

Question 15

Measurement:

Answer 15

The procedure by which one assigns numerals, numbers, and other symbols to empirical properties according to predefined rules

Question 16

Validity:

Answer 16

The extent to which variables actually measure what they claim to measure

Question 17

Reliability:

Answer 17

The extent to which responses are consistent and unaffected by the measurement process.

Question 18

Level of Measurement:

Answer 18

How a value is measured

Question 19

Ratio-level variables:

Answer 19

Numerical values, identical distances between each value, a true 0 value.

Question 20

Interval-level variables:

Answer 20

Numerical values, identical distances between each value, no true 0 value.

Question 21

Interval-ratio refers to:

Answer 21

Both interval- and ratio-level

Question 22

Ordinal-level variables:

Answer 22

Non-numerical values that can be rank-ordered, distances between values are not identical

Question 23

Nominal-level variables:

Answer 23

non-numerical values that cannot be rank-ordered