Question 1

What is one of the problems with news stories based on conference presentations?

Accepted Answer

There is unlikely to be a corresponding written report by the researchers at the time of the presentation, making it difficult to obtain more information.

Question 2

One of the goals of this course is to help you become an educated consumer of data.Name one way in which you 'consume' data.

Accepted Answer

Any reasonable answer ok.examples: read the newspaper; listen to the radio; watch tv news; read weather reports; read magazines, etc.

Question 3

A psychology student conducts a study to measure the amount of motivation students have for their math courses.She hands out a survey in every math class at her school on the day before spring break.What is the problem with her sampling process?

Accepted Answer

Students who are most likely to be in math class the day before spring break will be more motivated than those who are gone that day.This will bias the results.

Question 4

Surveys relying on voluntary responses are likely to be __________ because only those who feel strongly about the issues are likely to respond.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Surveys relying on voluntary responses are likely...

Question 5

Which of the following components of a good news report cannot be controlled by the researcher?

Accepted Answer

A) The exact nature of the measurements made. 
B) The individuals or objects studied and how they were selected. 
C) The differences in the groups being compared, in addition to the factor of interest. 
D) The amount of difference in the actual results. 
A) The exact nature of the measurements made. 
B) The individuals or objects studied and how they were selected. 
C) The differences in the groups being compared, in addition to the factor of interest. 
D) The amount of difference in the actual results.

Question 6

In the case of a cola taste test, explain why it is important that both the researchers and the participants be blind as to which brands are which.

Accepted Answer

Any clues might bias the respo

Question 7

Sometimes jury trials use__________ as expert witnesses to point out strengths or weaknesses in surveys or experiments used as evidence in the trial.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sometimes jury trials use__________ as expert witnesses...

Question 8

Why is it important to know how the individuals or objects in a study were selected?

Accepted Answer

A) It is important to know to whom the results can be extended. 
B) It is important for determining whether or not there is bias in the results. 
C) Both a) and b) are true. 
D) It is not important to know how the individuals were selected; only the size of the sample matters. 
A) It is important to know to whom the results can be extended. 
B) It is important for determining whether or not there is bias in the results. 
C) Both a) and b) are true. 
D) It is not important to know how the individuals were selected; only the size of the sample matters.

Question 9

For Questions use the following narrative
Narrative: Supermarket pricing
Suppose you are interested in determining which of three local supermarkets has the best prices so you can decide where to shop.
-{Supermarket pricing narrative} What are the objects studied in this example?

Accepted Answer

Items in the grocery

Question 10

Why is it important to know about any differences in two groups being compared, in addition to the factor of interest?

Accepted Answer

A) If the groups are too different, it becomes difficult to see the effects that are due only to the factor of interest. 
B) If the groups are too similar, then any difference found in the factor must be simply due to chance. 
C) Unless there is a big difference in the results, it doesn't matter whether or not the groups themselves are different. 
D) None of the above. 
A) If the groups are too different, it becomes difficult to see the effects that are due only to the factor of interest. 
B) If the groups are too similar, then any difference found in the factor must be simply due to chance. 
C) Unless there is a big difference in the results, it doesn't matter whether or not the groups themselves are different. 
D) None of the above.

Question 11

For Questions use the following narrative
Narrative: Supermarket pricing
Suppose you are interested in determining which of three local supermarkets has the best prices so you can decide where to shop.
-{Supermarket pricing narrative} Discuss one of the issues that would come up when defining the cost of an item in a supermarket and how you would handle it as the researcher.

Accepted Answer

any acceptable answer OK.Example: WHethe

Question 12

What impact can nonrespondents have on survey results?

Accepted Answer

A) The nonrespondents will have a negative impact; the results of the survey will be biased toward the opinions of the respondents. 
B) The nonrespondents will have no effect because they didn't respond to the survey. 
C) The nonrespondents will have a positive impact; without them, the results of the survey will be more dramatic and more likely to be picked up by the news media. 
D) None of the above. 
A) The nonrespondents will have a negative impact; the results of the survey will be biased toward the opinions of the respondents. 
B) The nonrespondents will have no effect because they didn't respond to the survey. 
C) The nonrespondents will have a positive impact; without them, the results of the survey will be more dramatic and more likely to be picked up by the news media. 
D) None of the above.

Question 13

Which of the following is a true statement?

Accepted Answer

A) You can't totally eliminate bias in a study, no matter what you do. 
B) If you do everything right, you will come out with the right conclusion every time when using statistics. 
C) You don't need all seven of the components of a good study in order to be confident in your results; you only need most of them. 
D) All of the above are true statements. 
A) You can't totally eliminate bias in a study, no matter what you do. 
B) If you do everything right, you will come out with the right conclusion every time when using statistics. 
C) You don't need all seven of the components of a good study in order to be confident in your results; you only need most of them. 
D) All of the above are true statements.

Question 14

Which of the following is true about statistics?

Accepted Answer

A) Numbers don't lie.All statistics have to be believed. 
B) Statistics can be made to say whatever you want them to say.No statistic should be believed. 
C) Any statistic that is based on data is likely to be correct. 
D) All statistics should be carefully scrutinized before determining whether or not they can be believed.Some are correct, and some are not. 
A) Numbers don't lie.All statistics have to be believed. 
B) Statistics can be made to say whatever you want them to say.No statistic should be believed. 
C) Any statistic that is based on data is likely to be correct. 
D) All statistics should be carefully scrutinized before determining whether or not they can be believed.Some are correct, and some are not.

Question 15

Your book lists three major reasons that studies are conducted.Name one of them.

Accepted Answer

ANy of the following is acceptable: 1) t

Question 16

Which of the following describes possible origins of news stories?

Accepted Answer

A) Academic conferences 
B) Scholarly journals 
C) Government and private agency reports 
D) All of the above 
A) Academic conferences 
B) Scholarly journals 
C) Government and private agency reports 
D) All of the above

Question 17

The people who are most likely to respond to a volunteer response survey are those who have a strong __________ about the questions being asked.

Accepted Answer

opinion or

Question 18

Give one example of where a news story involving a statistical study can originate.

Accepted Answer

Any of the following

Question 19

The time to consider the seven components of a good statistical study is __________ the study has been (is being) conducted.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The time to consider the seven components...

Question 20

What type of sample would give the most unbiased data?

Accepted Answer

A) A volunteer response sample. 
B) A random sample. 
C) A sample with a high number of respondents. 
D) None of the above. 
A) A volunteer response sample. 
B) A random sample. 
C) A sample with a high number of respondents. 
D) None of the above.

Exam 2: Reading the News

What is one of the problems with news stories based on conference presentations?

One of the goals of this course is to help you become an educated consumer of data.Name one way in which you 'consume' data.

A psychology student conducts a study to measure the amount of motivation students have for their math courses.She hands out a survey in every math class at her school on the day before spring break.What is the problem with her sampling process?

Surveys relying on voluntary responses are likely to be __________ because only those who feel strongly about the issues are likely to respond.

Which of the following components of a good news report cannot be controlled by the researcher?

In the case of a cola taste test, explain why it is important that both the researchers and the participants be blind as to which brands are which.

Sometimes jury trials use__________ as expert witnesses to point out strengths or weaknesses in surveys or experiments used as evidence in the trial.

Why is it important to know how the individuals or objects in a study were selected?

For Questions use the following narrative Narrative: Supermarket pricing Suppose you are interested in determining which of three local supermarkets has the best prices so you can decide where to shop. -{Supermarket pricing narrative} What are the objects studied in this example?

Why is it important to know about any differences in two groups being compared, in addition to the factor of interest?

What impact can nonrespondents have on survey results?

Which of the following is a true statement?

Which of the following is true about statistics?

Your book lists three major reasons that studies are conducted.Name one of them.

Which of the following describes possible origins of news stories?

The people who are most likely to respond to a volunteer response survey are those who have a strong __________ about the questions being asked.

Give one example of where a news story involving a statistical study can originate.

The time to consider the seven components of a good statistical study is __________ the study has been (is being) conducted.

What type of sample would give the most unbiased data?

The Benefits and Risks of Using Statistics

Measurements, Mistakes, and Misunderstandings

How to Get a Good Sample

Experiments and Observational Studies

Getting the Big Picture

Summarizing and Displaying Measurement Data

Bell-Shaped Curves and Other Shapes

Plots, Graphs, and Pictures

Relationships Between Measurement Variables

Relationships Can Be Deceiving

Relationships Between Categorical Variables

Statistical Significance for 2 2 Tables

Understanding Probability and Long-Term Expectations

Understanding Uncertainty Through Simulation

Psychological Influences on Personal Probability

When Intuition Differs From Relative Frequency

Understanding the Economic News

The Diversity of Samples From the Same Population

Estimating Proportions With Confidence

The Role of Confidence Intervals in Research

Rejecting Chancetesting Hypotheses in Research

Hypothesis Testingexamples and Case Studies

Significance, Importance, and Undetected Differences

Meta-Analysis: Resolving Inconsistencies Across Studies

Ethics in Statistical Studies

Putting What You Have Learned to the Test

Filters