Question 1

A history threat is one that a researcher cannot anticipate.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

Which of the following illustrates an attitudinal threat to internal validity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Teachers resented having to try a new curriculum approach. 
B)  The new curriculum was too difficult for the grade level in which it was used. 
C)  Students resented not receiving the new curriculum. 
D)  Test questions did not validly assess the new curriculum. 
A)  Teachers resented having to try a new curriculum approach. 
B)  The new curriculum was too difficult for the grade level in which it was used. 
C)  Students resented not receiving the new curriculum. 
D)  Test questions did not validly assess the new curriculum. C

Question 3

Studies in special education are particularly vulnerable to regression threats.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

The threat of "subject characteristics refers to differences among subjects on:

Accepted Answer

A)  a dependent variable 
B)  an independent variable 
C)  an extraneous variable 
D)  a treatment variable 
A)  a dependent variable 
B)  an independent variable 
C)  an extraneous variable 
D)  a treatment variable

Question 5

In qualitative research, internal validity:

Accepted Answer

A)  is irrelevant 
B)  has a completely different meaning 
C)  is the same as instrument validity 
D)  takes a different form than in quantitative research 
A)  is irrelevant 
B)  has a completely different meaning 
C)  is the same as instrument validity 
D)  takes a different form than in quantitative research

Question 6

Matching
-Location threat

Accepted Answer

A)  Age, gender, and class 
B)  Unreturned surveys 
C)  Classrooms with fewer resources 
D)  A fatigued researcher scoring data 
E)  An earthquake 
A)  Age, gender, and class 
B)  Unreturned surveys 
C)  Classrooms with fewer resources 
D)  A fatigued researcher scoring data 
E)  An earthquake

Question 7

An implementer threat to internal validity in a study comparing two methods is best controlled by:

Accepted Answer

A)  allowing teachers to select the method they will use 
B)  insisting that each teacher use the assigned method 
C)  making sure that all teachers are equal in ability 
D)  using many teachers with each method 
A)  allowing teachers to select the method they will use 
B)  insisting that each teacher use the assigned method 
C)  making sure that all teachers are equal in ability 
D)  using many teachers with each method

Question 8

Loss of subjects is a threat to internal validity because:

Accepted Answer

A)  it reduces the size of the sample 
B)  those "lost" may differ on the dependent variable from the remainder 
C)  it reduces the power of statistical tests of significance 
D)  it means that results of the study are less generalizable 
A)  it reduces the size of the sample 
B)  those "lost" may differ on the dependent variable from the remainder 
C)  it reduces the power of statistical tests of significance 
D)  it means that results of the study are less generalizable

Question 9

Subjects performing well merely because they are being observed (and not necessarily because of any effect of treatment) are considered to be under the influence of:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Hawthorne effect 
B)  the novelty effect 
C)  the halo effect 
D)  none of the above 
A)  the Hawthorne effect 
B)  the novelty effect 
C)  the halo effect 
D)  none of the above

Question 10

Which of the following is a question of internal validity in experimental research?

Accepted Answer

A)  How widely can the results of the experiment be generalized? 
B)  Was the sample representative of the population? 
C)  Has maturation influenced the dependent variable? 
D)  Did the instruments permit valid interpretations? 
A)  How widely can the results of the experiment be generalized? 
B)  Was the sample representative of the population? 
C)  Has maturation influenced the dependent variable? 
D)  Did the instruments permit valid interpretations?

Question 11

When the same questionnaire is scored for opinions on two or more topics, a threat to internal validity may exist because:

Accepted Answer

A)  respondents may psych out the researcher's hypothesis 
B)  the questionnaire becomes too long 
C)  some items may be similar to other items 
D)  reliability of both scores is likely to be reduced 
A)  respondents may psych out the researcher's hypothesis 
B)  the questionnaire becomes too long 
C)  some items may be similar to other items 
D)  reliability of both scores is likely to be reduced

Question 12

A history threat to internal validity refers to the possibility that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the dependent variable is affected by past experiences of the subjects 
B)  historical events are incorrectly reported 
C)  unknown events occurring during the study may affect the dependent variable 
D)  the prior history of the researcher may lead to unconscious bias 
A)  the dependent variable is affected by past experiences of the subjects 
B)  historical events are incorrectly reported 
C)  unknown events occurring during the study may affect the dependent variable 
D)  the prior history of the researcher may lead to unconscious bias

Question 13

Which threat would not apply to a correlational study?

Accepted Answer

A)  Subject characteristics 
B)  Data collector bias 
C)  History 
D)  Testing 
A)  Subject characteristics 
B)  Data collector bias 
C)  History 
D)  Testing

Question 14

Matching
-History threat

Accepted Answer

A)  Age, gender, and class 
B)  Unreturned surveys 
C)  Classrooms with fewer resources 
D)  A fatigued researcher scoring data 
E)  An earthquake 
A)  Age, gender, and class 
B)  Unreturned surveys 
C)  Classrooms with fewer resources 
D)  A fatigued researcher scoring data 
E)  An earthquake

Question 15

A regression threat to internal validity refers to the fact that:

Accepted Answer

A)  groups selected at extremes will score closer to the average on retesting 
B)  students often forget what they learned during an intervention 
C)  a relationship is likely to be smaller when a study is replicated 
D)  data collectors can influence scores by their behavior 
A)  groups selected at extremes will score closer to the average on retesting 
B)  students often forget what they learned during an intervention 
C)  a relationship is likely to be smaller when a study is replicated 
D)  data collectors can influence scores by their behavior

Question 16

Which of the following is the best way to control for the unwanted influence of maturation processes in an experiment?

Accepted Answer

A)  Increase the sample size for the experiment 
B)  Use a pretest as well as a posttest 
C)  Use a control group 
D)  Use subjects who have stabilized with regard to maturational level 
A)  Increase the sample size for the experiment 
B)  Use a pretest as well as a posttest 
C)  Use a control group 
D)  Use subjects who have stabilized with regard to maturational level

Question 17

To avoid a possible implementation threat, a researcher should not be one of the individuals who implement a method in an intervention study.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

The Hawthorne effect deals with subjects who want to intentionally undermine the purpose of a study because they are suspicious of the researchers.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Matching
-Mortality threat

Accepted Answer

A)  Age, gender, and class 
B)  Unreturned surveys 
C)  Classrooms with fewer resources 
D)  A fatigued researcher scoring data 
E)  An earthquake 
A)  Age, gender, and class 
B)  Unreturned surveys 
C)  Classrooms with fewer resources 
D)  A fatigued researcher scoring data 
E)  An earthquake

Question 20

Students with low, average, and high scores on a commercial reading achievement test were used in a study designed to determine the effectiveness of a new method of teaching fifth-grade reading. There were no other control or comparison groups. It was found that the low group made the greatest gain over a six-month period. Concluding that the new method was most effective with the low group fails to consider some of the possible factors or influences, the most significant of which is:

Accepted Answer

A)  reactive effects of the experimental procedures 
B)  contemporary history 
C)  pretesting procedures 
D)  statistical regression 
A)  reactive effects of the experimental procedures 
B)  contemporary history 
C)  pretesting procedures 
D)  statistical regression

Exam 9: Internal Validity

A history threat is one that a researcher cannot anticipate.

Which of the following illustrates an attitudinal threat to internal validity?

Studies in special education are particularly vulnerable to regression threats.

The threat of "subject characteristics refers to differences among subjects on:

In qualitative research, internal validity:

Matching -Location threat

An implementer threat to internal validity in a study comparing two methods is best controlled by:

Loss of subjects is a threat to internal validity because:

Subjects performing well merely because they are being observed (and not necessarily because of any effect of treatment) are considered to be under the influence of:

Which of the following is a question of internal validity in experimental research?

When the same questionnaire is scored for opinions on two or more topics, a threat to internal validity may exist because:

A history threat to internal validity refers to the possibility that:

Which threat would not apply to a correlational study?

Matching -History threat

A regression threat to internal validity refers to the fact that:

Which of the following is the best way to control for the unwanted influence of maturation processes in an experiment?

To avoid a possible implementation threat, a researcher should not be one of the individuals who implement a method in an intervention study.

The Hawthorne effect deals with subjects who want to intentionally undermine the purpose of a study because they are suspicious of the researchers.

Matching -Mortality threat

The Nature of Research

The Research Problem

Locating and Reviewing the Literature

Ethics and Research

Variables and Hypotheses

Sampling

Instrumentation

Validity and Reliability

Descriptive Statistics

Inferential Statistics

Statistics in Perspective

Experimental Research

Single-Subject Research

Correlational Research

Causal-Comparative Research

Survey Research

The Nature of Qualitative Research

Observation and Interviewing

Content Analysis

Ethnographic Research

Historical Research

Mixed-Methods Research

Action Research

Preparing Research Proposals and Reports

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