Exam 2: A: Reading and Evaluating Scientific Research

Using random sampling increases the likelihood that the results from studying a sample will generalize to the population.

If a group of researchers find that the number of books fifth grade students read is positively correlated with their scores on an intelligence test,it would be correct to conclude that having children read more increases their intelligence.

Pedro designs an experiment to test whether drinking a protein shake after weightlifting increases muscle development.The independent variable in his experiment is the protein shake.

Once the results of a study have been peer reviewed and published they are considered accurate,even if other researchers cannot replicate them.

If the distribution of quiz scores for a class has high variability,most of the students scored within a few points of each other.

For security and confidentiality reasons,once the results of a study are reported in a journal or at a conference,the data should be destroyed.

Researchers must give participants total anonymity.

A negatively skewed distribution has a long tail on the right of the cluster.

The mean,median,and mode are all measures of central tendency.

Asking participants to write about upsetting or traumatic experiences puts them at risk for cognitive and emotional stress.

If someone takes an intelligence test several times and receives the same score,the test has high validity.

When a distribution is skewed,the median is a better measure of the "average" than the mean.

In a double-blind experiment,neither the participant nor the researcher knows which treatment group the participant is in.

Researchers are not allowed to deceive participants about the purpose of the study.

The right to give informed consent stays with a volunteer throughout the entire study,and they should be able to withdraw at any point.

Good scientific research is based on measurements that are objective,valid,and reliable.

Surveys and questionnaires are used to collect self-report data.

A correlation of -.80 is a stronger relationship than a correlation of +.50.

If researchers find a statistically significant result,they would be likely to find the same result if they replicated the study again.