Deck 9: Descriptive Statistics, Significance Levels, and Hypothesis Testing

Question 1

The normal curve is:

A) a theoretical distribution of scores.
B) characterized by the majority of cases at one end of the curve.
C) asymmetrical.
D) characterized by very few very high or very few very low scores.
E) the distribution of participants' scores for all variables.

Answer 1

a theoretical distribution of scores.

Question 2

A skewed curve is:

A) symmetrical.
B) characterized by identical left and right slopes.
C) characterized by the mean, median, and mode in the same location.
D) characterized by the data being bunched to one side or the other.
E) a theoretical distribution of scores.

Answer 2

characterized by the data being bunched to one side or the other.

Question 3

The mean:

A) is the most commonly reported measure of central tendency.
B) is the most sensitive to extremely high or low scores.
C) depends upon each and every score.
D) is also known as the average.
E) all of the above.

Answer 3

all of the above.

Question 4

The standard deviation is the:

A) lowest score given by any participant.
B) indication of how close or how far apart scores are from one another.
C) computation found by adding all scores and dividing by the number of cases.
D) computation found by subtracting the lowest score from the highest score.
E) score reported most often by participants.

Question 5

The further out a score is on the distribution, the:

A) more skewed the score.
B) more common the score.
C) more extreme the score.
D) more normal the score.
E) more likely the score will fall beyond the +/-4 deviation.

Question 6

A frequency is used to:

A) indicate the mode of the scores.
B) assess the dispersion of the scores.
C) report on the occurrence of communication events.
D) compute percentages.
E) c and d

Question 7

A significance level is:

A) the degree to which research findings have utility.
B) the degree to which the sample mirrors the population.
C) the term used to described research that has social significance.
D) the level of error the researcher is will to accept for each statistical test.
E) based solely on sample size.

Question 8

Hypothesis testing:

A) relies on sampling and significance levels.
B) is really decision making about accepting the alternative explanation or retaining the null hypothesis.
C) allows for Type I and Type II error.
D) is used in research projects based on quantitative methods.
E) all of the above.

Question 9

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Information about communication phenomena, of which numbers are one type.

A) Descriptive statistics
B) Raw data
C) Data
D) Inferential statistics
E) Dataset

Question 10

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Participants' numerical responses to questionnaire.

A) Descriptive statistics
B) Raw data
C) Data
D) Inferential statistics
E) Dataset

Question 11

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Summary information about the data set as a whole.

A) Descriptive statistics
B) Raw data
C) Data
D) Inferential statistics
E) Dataset

Question 12

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Information about the relationships between or among variables.

A) Descriptive statistics
B) Raw data
C) Data
D) Inferential statistics
E) Dataset

Question 13

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-All participants' responses compiled together.

A) Descriptive statistics
B) Raw data
C) Data
D) Inferential statistics
E) Dataset

Question 14

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Number of sources from which data were collected.

A) Number of cases
B) Measures of central tendency
C) Measures of dispersion

Question 15

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Describes the spread of scores

A) Number of cases
B) Measures of central tendency
C) Measures of dispersion

Question 16

Match the following descriptions and terms:

-Describe how the majority of participants responded.

A) Number of cases
B) Measures of central tendency
C) Measures of dispersion

Question 17

Match the following terms and the descriptions. Some responses can be used more than once.

-the null hypothesis is retained even though the null hypothesis is false.

A) Type I error
B) Type II error

Question 18

Match the following terms and the descriptions. Some responses can be used more than once.

-researcher claims some difference or relationship exists when one dose not.

A) Type I error
B) Type II error

Question 19

Match the following terms and the descriptions. Some responses can be used more than once.

-researcher misses claiming a difference pr relationship that is real.

A) Type I error
B) Type II error

Question 20

Generally, it is not meaningful to analyze or interpret a score on one variable from one individual.

Question 21

A negatively skewed curve represents a distribution in which there are very few scores on the right side of the distribution.

Question 22

In a skewed distribution, the mean is always pulled to the side with the long tail.

Question 23

Descriptive statistics supply information about the variables, but the researcher must make value judgments or inferences about what the data mean.

Question 24

The letter n or N represents the number of cases for which data is reported.

Question 25

To compute the median, the data must be arranged in order from lowest to highest score.

Question 26

Most distributions of scores have only one score that occurs most often.

Question 27

Two distributions of scores can have the same mean, but different spreads of scores.

Question 28

In considering the distribution of scores, there are four standards to the right of the midpoint, and four standards to the left of the midpoint.

Question 29

All percentages are computed on 100 as the base.

Question 30

A significance level of .05 means that 5 out of 100 findings that appear to be valid will, in fact, be due to chance.

Question 31

Significance levels are never set at levels other than .05.

Question 32

Achieving statistical significance indicates that the findings have social and practical application.

Question 33

How does a normal curve differ from a skewed curve?

Question 34

Explain why researchers should examine their data for its normal or skewed characteristics.

Question 35

Describe the role of the researcher versus the use of statistical programs in calculating and interpreting descriptive statistics.