Research: Measurements and Analysis

Question 1

Nominal

Answer 1

Category of measurement used when 2 or more named variables exist (male/female, pass/fail)

Question 2

Ordinal

Answer 2

Used with a hieracrchy is present but when the distance between each value is no necessarily equal (i.e., first, second, third place)

Question 3

Interval

Answer 3

Hierarchal values that are at equal distance from each other

Question 4

Ratio

Answer 4

one value divided by another providing a realtive association of one quantity in terms of the other

Question 5

Statistic

Answer 5

Numerical representation of an identified characteristic of a subject

Question 6

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 6

mathematically derived values that represent characteristics identifed in a group or population

Question 7

Inferential statistics

Answer 7

Mathematical calculations that produce generalizations about a group or population.

Question 8

What is a measure of central tendency

Answer 8

Identifies the relative degree to which certain characteristics in a population are grouped together

Question 9

What are the 3 types of measures of central tendency?

Answer 9

1. Mean - the arthmetic average
2. Median - the middle, 50% of the population is above this point and 50% are below this point.
3. Mode - the most frequently appearing value (score).

Question 10

What are the 3 measures of variability

Answer 10

1. Range - the arithmetic difference between the largest and the smallest value (outliers are often excluded).
2. Interquartile range - the different between the upper and lower quartiles
3. Standard deviation - the average distance that numericl values are disperesed around an arithmetic mean.

Question 11

Define correlation

Answer 11

The strength of relatedness when a relationship exists between 2+ numerical values.

Question 12

Correlation coefficient

Answer 12

The numerical value assigned to a correlation.

Question 13

What is a perfect correction and its “r” value

Answer 13

Perfection correlation is a 1:1 value and it’s r value is 1.0.

Question 14

Statistical significance

Answer 14

Numbers that indicate the likelihood of getting the same or better results under the conditions of the null hypothesis. If the likelihood is very small, the null hypothesis is rejected. Alpha for a small chance is either 0.05 or 0.01 and then the research hypothesis is accepted.

Question 15

Three tests of sitatistical significance

Answer 15

1. Chi square test
2. t-test
3. Analysis of variance, ANOVA, “F test”

Question 16

Chi square test

Answer 16

Assesses if 2 samples are sufficiently different to be geenralized to a large population in a nonparametric (cannot be put on a distribution) study. The scale is from 0 (impossibility) to 1 (certainty).

Question 17

t-test

Answer 17

Used in two samples to determine if they are sufficiently different from each other tro be statistically significant

Question 18

ANOVA (analysis of variance) or “F test”

Answer 18

Used for multiple groups (more than 2) to determine if significant differences exist.

Question 19

Reliability

Answer 19

The consistency of results

Question 20

Validity

Answer 20

Indicates the degree that the study captures the actual characteristics the study intended to measure.

Question 21

Method for testing validity: Concurrent validity

Answer 21

Compares results of studies that used different measurement instruments, but targeted the same features. (different meansures, same features)

Question 22

Construct validity

Answer 22

The extent to which a research method or measure can accurately assess the concept it aims to measure.

Question 23

Content validity

Answer 23

The degree to which an assessment instrument is relevant to, and representative of, the targeted construct it is designed to measure. (If measuring IQ, does the test actually measure that?)

Question 24

Predictive validity

Answer 24

Can a test accurately predict a future outcome? To establish this type of validity, the test must correlate with a variable that can only be assessed at some point in the future—i.e., after the test has been administered.