Exam 1: Introduction to Research Methods

Which of the following biases or heuristics make it particularly challenging for researchers to convince the public that the findings might be interesting and novel?

A researcher has recently published an article about the benefits of a smartphone application for increasing concentration levels and intelligence. You later find out that this researcher owns shares in the company that developed this application. Which of the following is now the most reasonable response to the researcher's claims?

You should never trust a research claim at face value, no matter how experienced the researcher is.

Which of the following is best categorized as a pseudo-scientific claim?

Researchers often present preliminary data. Which one of the following best describes preliminary data?

A researcher has obtained preliminary data for one of her studies. Which option best describes the attitude of the scientific community towards preliminary data?

If a specific area of research has findings that show converging evidence, one can infer that replication has occurred.

Well-known institutions are always trustworthy and never have any questionable practices that might lead one to question their claims and research findings.

Secondary sources are great outlets for individuals to get scientific claims that are written directly from the researchers.

Using a scientific approach to research means that one is always using subjective approaches.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between basic and applied research?

The Stroop effect is an example of scientific research that exemplifies cognitive biases.

Which of the following regarding mood effects and decision fatigue is true?

One of the goals of science is to make predictions.

Which of the following does not describe a claim arising from cognitive bias?

Which of the following is the best way of evaluating claims in the media?

Your textbook outlined three goals for science. Which of the following is true about these goals?

Anecdotal evidence, as seen with the example of Power bands that athletes use, are a hallmark of scientific research.

In media reports of scientific findings, researchers are sometimes quoted promoting a particular treatment or product. Which of the following statements presents the claim and rational that you should be most skeptical of?

Replication is an important aspect of scientific research. However, there are many instances in which replication occurs frequently within a particular laboratory but fails when other research laboratories attempt the experiment. One possibility is due to the ___________, as researchers are often known to have trouble switching views. Another reason may be the ___________, since researchers have vested interests in successfully conducting their work.