The Research Process

Question 1

dependent variable

Answer 1

represent the measures that reflects the outcomes of a research study

Question 2

other terms for dependent variable

Answer 2

outcome variable, results variable, criterion variable

Question 3

independent variable

Answer 3

represents the treatments or conditions that the researcher has direct or indirect control over to test their effects on a particular outcome; manipulated or changed to examine its effects upon the dependent variable

Question 4

other terms for independent variable

Answer 4

treatment variable, factor, predictor variable

Question 5

control

Answer 5

a variable that has potential influence on the dependent variable; consequently, the influence must be removed or controlled

Question 6

another term for control

Answer 6

restricting variable

Question 7

extraneous

Answer 7

a variable that has an unpredictable impact upon the dependent variable

Question 8

another term for extraneous

Answer 8

threatening variable

Question 9

moderator

Answer 9

a variable that is related to the variables of interest masking the true relationship between the dependent and independent variables

Question 10

another term for moderator

Answer 10

interacting variable

Question 11

factorial designs

Answer 11

experiments that include more than one independent variable

Question 12

confounding

Answer 12

when variables compete to explain the effect

Question 13

what is the best independent variable?

Answer 13

one that is independent of any other variable that is being used in the same study

Question 14

what is the best dependent variable?

Answer 14

one that is sensitive to changes in the different levels of each independent variable

Question 15

most important role of hypothesis

Answer 15

to reflect the general problem statement or the question that was the motivation for undertaking the research study

Question 16

null hypothesis

Answer 16

statements of equality and statement of no relationship between variables

Question 17

chance

Answer 17

the random variability introduced as a function of the individuals participating as well as many unforeseen factors; and is the most likely explanation for differences between two groups

Question 18

research hypothesis

Answer 18

statements of inequality and statement of the relationship between two variables

Question 19

nondirectional research hypothesis

Answer 19

reflects a difference between groups but the direction of the difference is not specified

Question 20

directional research hypothesis

Answer 20

reflects a difference between groups, and the direction of the difference is specified

Question 21

which hypothesis refer to population

Answer 21

null hypothesis

Question 22

which hypothesis refer to sample

Answer 22

research hypothesis

Question 23

which hypothesis is indirectly tested

Answer 23

null hypothesis, thus an implied hypothesis

Question 24

which hypothesis is directly tested

Answer 24

research hypothesis, thus an explicit hypothesis

Question 25

how are null hypotheses stated

Answer 25

using Greek symbols

Question 26

how are research hypotheses stated

Answer 26

using Roman symbols

Question 27

5 criteria of a good hypothesis

Answer 27

1. stated in declarative form and not as a question, 2. posits an expected relationship between variables, 3. reflect the theory or literature upon which they are based, 4. should be brief and to the point, 5. are testable hypotheses

Question 28

population

Answer 28

a larger group

Question 29

sample

Answer 29

a smaller group selected from a population

Question 30

generalizability

Answer 30

when the sample does represent the population

Question 31

goal of selecting a sample

Answer 31

to have the sample resemble the population as much as possible

Question 32

significance

Answer 32

a measure of how much risk we are willing to take when reaching a conclusion about the relationship between variables, probability that error might occur

Question 33

significance level

Answer 33

the risk associated with not being 100% confident that the difference is caused by what you think and may be due to some unforeseen factor