Deck 13: Describing Relationships with Correlation Coefficients

Question 1

You read in a professional magazine that, in one research study, researchers obtained a correlation of -.50 between the amounts of time that college students study and the course grades that they earn.You should conclude that:

A)studying helps students earn higher grades.
B)studying interferes with students' class performance.
C)students who study more get higher grades.
D)students who study more get lower grades.

Answer 1

students who study more get lower grades.

Question 2

According to the research, the relationship between academic achievement and self-determination (i.e., the amount choice and personal control over one's environment) is both positive and strong.However, researchers doing work in your classroom found a correlation of -.15 between the number of student choices and grades.You should conclude that:

A)the classroom research is incorrect.
B)there is a low negative correlation in the classroom research.
C)removing student choices will help improve students' grades.
D)increasing student choices will help improve students' grades.

Answer 2

there is a low negative correlation in the classroom research.

Question 3

When analyzing the data she has collected for a research project, a researcher computes a correlation coefficient of +32.9 between self-esteem and classroom performance.The researcher should definitely conclude that:

A)there is a high positive correlation between self-esteem and classroom performance.
B)there is a low positive correlation between self-esteem and classroom performance.
C)one variable causes the other (although she does not know in which direction the cause-effect relationship goes).
D)she has made an error in her calculations.

Answer 3

she has made an error in her calculations.

Question 4

You read in a professional magazine that the correlation between test anxiety and classroom test performance is -.30.You should conclude that:

A)students who have high test anxiety perform at higher levels on classroom tests, almost without exception.
B)students who have low test anxiety perform at higher levels on classroom tests, almost without exception.
C)students who have high test anxiety perform at higher levels on classroom tests, but with many students being exceptions to the rule.
D)students who have low test anxiety perform at higher levels on classroom tests, but with many students being exceptions to the rule.