Exam 11: Validity of Research Results in Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Research

A researcher tested a group of students first time in second grade and the second time in the middle of the third grade. The second test indicated significant improvement, but after reviewing the test scores the researcher became concerned that he could not be sure whether the scores were a result of the treatment or a result of the students' having gained more life experience in a year-and-a-half. What threat to internal validity is this researcher worried about?

Dr. Martin's research team was able to generalize the results of their study because they saw the same results in several other studies. These researchers were using:

A school district examines a program that uses mentors to help very poor readers improve their reading performance. The children in the program are at the 4th percentile at pretest. At posttest they are around the 20th percentile. While it is possible that the program made the difference, another reason for the change in scores could be:

A personnel committee is evaluating professors. Professor X has the highest student ratings in the department. One of the committee members suggests that Professor X should receive the highest merit raise in the department. Another committee member raises an objection. She states, "Professor X scores are high, compared to other professors, because over half of the students drop out of Professor X's courses, not because Professor X is an excellent professor." What threat to the validity of the conclusion that Professor X is an excellent professor is the committee member describing?

One common way to ensure descriptive validity in qualitative research is to:

Qualitative researchers can determine whether their results would hold in other settings and with other populations by using:

If a researcher understands and explains his or her epistemological, ontological, axiological, methodological, and rhetorical beliefs, the study has:

When the target population has several subpopulations within, it is possible that:

To increase the theoretical validity of his study, a qualitative researcher should use:

The ability to generalize the results across different but related dependent variables is called:

When the different threats to internal validity act differently in different comparison groups, this is known as:

The ability to generalize the results of a study to individuals not in the study is called:

A meta-inference is an inference:

Multiple theoretical perspectives refer to:

Dr. Pitts has successfully integrated her qualitative and quantitative data, analysis, and conclusions in her study. As a result the study has:

Fred took the SAT to meet an entrance requirement for a college. On his first attempt he scored far below average. He decided to study for the test and take it again. This time he scored higher and closer to the average of all people taking the test. This example illustrates the possibility of _______________ as a rival plausible explanation.

The use of multiple investigators is a way to provide evidence of descriptive validity in qualitative studies.

Mary wanted to demonstrate that her qualitative research results held in other settings and with other populations. In order to do this she should:

A major problem for research validity in qualitative research is:

The basic problems of history, maturation, instrumentation, and testing can all be eliminated by altering the study in what way?