Exam 14: Nonexperimental Quantitative Research

Dr. Henry plans a study to determine how and why the use of laptop computers might help students perform better in school. This would be an example of explanatory research.

If a researcher finds an indirect effect, he should also be able to identify:

Matching and statistical control are important techniques of control that can and should be used in nonexperimental quantitative research.

Compared to experimental research, evidence for cause and effect is weaker in nonexperimental research.

Which of the following is an example of categorical independent variable that cannot be manipulated?

The correlation between teachers' salaries and the price of liquor is:

An intervening variable is:

One potential problem with prospective studies is:

If a researcher finds evidence of an intervening variable, she has found evidence of a direct effect involving that variable.

By definition, nonexperimental research is different from experimental research in that:

A researcher is interested in developing a model to predict first grade reading achievement. She includes in her model the following four factors: (a) the child's level of language development, (b) the highest level of education of a parent in the child's household, (c) the amount of time that the parent reads with the child, and (d) the quality of teaching that the child has received. Which of the following variables only has an indirect effect on reading achievement?

Which of the following variables has only a direct effect on reading achievement?

An example of a cross-sectional exploratory study would be using causal modeling to test the hypothesis that boys do better in math using a sample of students in grades 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.

The goal of a research study is to provide an accurate picture of the status or characteristics of a situation or phenomenon. This study is best described as:

Prospective studies:

A synonym for panel study is:

Establishing the third required condition for cause and effect (lack of alternative explanation) can also be viewed as eliminating the presence of "the third variable problem."

In order to have an indirect relationship, there must be at least one intervening (i.e., mediating) variable.

Differential attrition is a problem in which type of research study?

Using matching as a control strategy: