Deck 10: Experimental Research

Question 1

Marcy is concerned that her findings may be due to an extraneous uncontrolled variable and not her treatment. Marcy is most concerned with

A) internal consistency reliability.
B) inter-rater reliability.
C) external validity.
D) internal validity.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Consider the example of Cyr, a researcher who studies the role of worked examples in engineering education. He measures students test performance and ratings of their instructors. He randomly assigns classes to condition. In some classes worked examples are shown, some where no worked examples are used, and a third set of classes in which students have access to worked examples if they elect to look at them.
The independent variable in Cyr's research is

A) Engineering education
B) Worked example exposure
C) Test performance
D) Teacher ratings

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The type of validity concerned with whether findings can be generalized to other groups or other settings is referred to as

A) internal validity.
B) external validity.
C) content validity.
D) construct validity.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Patsy conducted an experiment that included two groups of jr. high girls. One group received no training while the other received a 3-hour intervention about the benefits of careers in math and science domains. Patsy compared the willingness of girls to enroll in subsequent math courses as her outcome measure. Her t test analysis indicated no differences between her treatment group and the no-exposure control.
This finding is likely due to

A) preexisting group differences.
B) limited treatment exposure.
C) sampling error.
D) too small a sample size.

Question 5

Given a laboratory study that compared learning from text in two conditions, one with underlining of important terms and one without underlining, found that the underlining group did better on factual items; Marina conducted a study with tenth-grade history students and compared one group that read a chapter with the important text underlined and one group that read a chapter without any underlining. In her study she found no effects for the underlining.
Marina's findings may indicate that the underlining treatment has

A) low internal reliability.
B) low external reliability.
C) low internal validity.
D) low external validity.

Question 6

Treatment variable is another name for

A) independent variable.
B) dependent variable.
C) extraneous variable.
D) mediating variable.

Question 7

The final step in an experimental study is the

A) selection and definition of a problem.
B) execution of procedures.
C) formulation of conclusions.
D) analysis of data.

Question 8

Gavin's study compared reading error rates and reading comprehension scores between two groups of 50 third-grade students that received different reading programs. His t-test data analysis did not indicate any differences between the two types of instruction.
The treatment variable in Gavin's study is

A) error rates.
B) third graders.
C) reading instruction.
D) reading comprehension.

Question 9

The type of validity concerned with whether differences between groups are due to the manipulated variable is referred to as

A) internal validity.
B) external validity.
C) content validity.
D) construct validity.

Question 10

Replications in experimental research are generally conducted to facilitate

A) internal validity.
B) external validity.
C) internal reliability.
D) external reliability.

Question 11

Compared to all other types of research, experimental research

A) requires greater number of participants.
B) provides evidence concerning cause-effect relationships.
C) measures dependent and independent variables.
D) collects samples to generalize to populations.

Question 12

In experimental studies, the sample may be derived from

A) one population.
B) two populations.
C) three populations.
D) more than three populations.

Question 13

Consider the example of Cyr, a researcher who studies the role of worked examples in engineering education. He measures students test performance and ratings of their instructors. He randomly assigns classes to condition. In some classes worked examples are shown, some where no worked examples are used, and a third set of classes in which students have access to worked examples if they elect to look at them.
Cyr argues that his research is experimental. However, you know better given the following reason.

A) He randomly assigned in-tact groups not students
B) Ratings of instructors are not measured in experiments.
C) He uses a correlational approach to the study.
D) There is no dependent variable in his research study.

Question 14

In order for a study to be experimental it must include

A) one assigned variable.
B) one assigned variable and one active variable.
C) one active variable.
D) two or more active variables.

Question 15

A researcher's efforts to remove influence of extraneous variables is referred to as

A) experimental control.
B) sample assignment.
C) sorting independent variables.
D) determining dependent variables.

Question 16

Given a laboratory study that compared learning from text in two conditions, one with underlining of important terms and one without underlining, found that the underlining group did better on factual items; Marina conducted a study with tenth-grade history students and compared one group that read a chapter with the important text underlined and one group that read a chapter without any underlining. In her study she found no effects for the underlining.
Marina's study illustrates an example of an)

A) replication study.
B) internal validity study.
C) test for reliability.
D) regression study.

Question 17

Patsy conducted an experiment that included two groups of jr. high girls. One group received no training while the other received a 3-hour intervention about the benefits of careers in math and science domains. Patsy compared the willingness of girls to enroll in subsequent math courses as her outcome measure. Her t test analysis indicated no differences between her treatment group and the no-exposure control.
In Patsy's study, willingness to enroll in future math and science courses is the

A) manipulated variable.
B) control variable.
C) criterion variable.
D) independent variable.

Question 18

Gavin's study compared reading error rates and reading comprehension scores between two groups of 50 third-grade students that received different reading programs. His t-test data analysis did not indicate any differences between the two types of instruction.
The most likely reason for his findings is that

A) his measures did not measure reading.
B) his sample is too small.
C) he conducted the wrong analysis.
D) his groups were too similar.

Question 19

Which of the following is a threat to external validity?

A) Statistical regression.
B) Testing effects
C) Specification of variables.
D) Instrumentation.

Question 20

In experimental studies, but NOT in other studies,

A) the researcher manipulates the dependent variables.
B) the researcher manipulates the independent variables.
C) the researcher tries to eliminate the effects of extraneous variables.
D) the researcher examines a priori differences between groups.

Question 21

According to your text the research should report any difficulty obtaining samples because of the increased threat of

A) pretest-treatment interaction.
B) multiple-treatment interference.
C) selection by treatment interaction.
D) experimenter effects.

Question 22

Mo, an early childhood researcher, is particularly interested in the effects of reading aloud on students' reading attitudes. She wants to do an experimental study to test the question of whether reading attitudes are more positive in children who are read aloud to during morning free time in classrooms. She randomly assigns students to either be read to or not to be read to daily for the course of one month. After she is two days into her study, children ask the researchers if they can go to other activities instead of going to read aloud time. Ethically she is bound to let them go to free time. By the end of her study she has only half as many participants as were in her initial experimental condition. Given Mo's study, the loss of participants in the experimental condition can be referred to as

A) Placebo effect.
B) attenuation.
C) attrition.
D) novelty effect.

Question 23

In Katia's remedial mathematics study, she collected pretest data from a group of participants. She divided the participants into three groups. One group received no treatment, one group received instruction by a teacher-delivered intervention, one group received peer tutoring on the same problems. After the intervention she tested their math skills. With which validity threat should Katia be most concerned?

A) Maturation
B) Testing
C) Instrumentation
D) Mortality

Question 24

PJ conducts an experimental study on the effects of soft music during high stakes science testing. He randomly assigns students at the school. In one condition he does not provide music for testing while in the other group he does provide the music. He administers a pretest at the beginning of the year and a posttest at the end of the year. One concern in his study is that during the year the music teacher at the school he administered the study shared with students the physiological benefits of soft music.
PJ's design is best represented by which of the following?

A) Static-group comparison
B) Pretest-posttest control group design
C) One-shot case study
D) One-group pretest-posttest design

Question 25

Shelly's study compared the effects of two different types of phonemic instruction on young children who volunteered to participate in the study. She gave each participant who completed the study two pencils and three stickers. These incentives are likely a strategy to decrease the threat of

A) history.
B) instrumentation.
C) differential selection.
D) mortality.

Question 26

Russell's study compared GPA of those students who volunteered for academic study skills training and those who did not elect to take the training. He found that those who had the training also had higher GPA. With which validity threat should Russell be most concerned?

A) Maturation
B) Instrumentation
C) History
D) Selection

Question 27

Max's study compared the differences in teachers' attitudes about inclusion before and after a Saturday in-service training. He assessed their post-intervention attitudes with a self-report questionnaire. With which of the following threats to validity should Max be particularly concerned?

A) Instrumentation
B) Mortality
C) Selection
D) History

Question 28

One way to decrease the threat of pretest-treatment interaction is

A) lengthen the time of the treatment.
B) decrease the sample size.
C) increase the significance level.
D) increase the number of conditions.

Question 29

As a secondary mathematics teacher, Hernandez conducted a study that explored whether giving children recess prior to testing helped their test performance. For one of the semesters, he sends half of his classes out for 10 minutes of recess prior to testing for the other half, he provides 10 minutes of free time after the test.
Given the study was conducted in a school, students in the recess condition classes told students in the other classes that they got to do recess before the tests. This is an example of which of the following?

A) History effect
B) Instrumentation bias
C) Treatment diffusion
D) Placebo effect

Question 30

As a secondary mathematics teacher, Hernandez conducted a study that explored whether giving children recess prior to testing helped their test performance. For one of the semesters, he sends half of his classes out for 10 minutes of recess prior to testing for the other half, he provides 10 minutes of free time after the test.
Which of the following best represents the design of Hernandez's study?

A) Static-group comparison
B) Post-test only control group
C) Solomon four group
D) One-shot case study

Question 31

Anne's study compared pre-post differences in prekindergarten children's strategies for alternatives to violent displays when frustrated by others. She found that there were differences between pre and post testing. With which validity threat should Anne be most concerned?

A) Differential selection
B) Statistical regression
C) Maturity
D) Instrumentation

Question 32

Molly's study examines the benefits of exercise on weight loss. In one group she advocates exercise as well as a new diet program. In the comparison group she only presents the diet program. Those in the comparison group find out that some of Molly's clients are in an exercise program too, so they form an exercise group. This is an example of

A) compensatory rivalry.
B) placebo effect.
C) treatment diffusion.
D) experimenter effects.

Question 33

Which of the following is a threat to internal validity?

A) Differential selection of participants
B) Pretest treatment interference
C) Posttest sensitization
D) Multiple-treatment interactions

Question 34

PJ conducts an experimental study on the effects of soft music during high stakes science testing. He randomly assigns students at the school. In one condition he does not provide music for testing while in the other group he does provide the music. He administers a pretest at the beginning of the year and a posttest at the end of the year. One concern in his study is that during the year the music teacher at the school he administered the study shared with students the physiological benefits of soft music.
The introduction of the benefits of music during the duration of his study can be considered which of the following threats?

A) History
B) Maturation
C) Mortality
D) Testing

Question 35

PJ conducts an experimental study on the effects of soft music during high stakes science testing. He randomly assigns students at the school. In one condition he does not provide music for testing while in the other group he does provide the music. He administers a pretest at the beginning of the year and a posttest at the end of the year. One concern in his study is that during the year the music teacher at the school he administered the study shared with students the physiological benefits of soft music.
PJ's study can best be described as

A) descriptive.
B) correlational.
C) causal-comparative.
D) experimental.

Question 36

As a secondary mathematics teacher, Hernandez conducted a study that explored whether giving children recess prior to testing helped their test performance. For one of the semesters, he sends half of his classes out for 10 minutes of recess prior to testing for the other half, he provides 10 minutes of free time after the test.
That Hernandez is the experimenter and the teacher administering the conditions, introduces which potential threat to validity?

A) Experimenter
B) Placebo
C) John Henry
D) Instrumentation

Question 37

As a secondary mathematics teacher, Hernandez conducted a study that explored whether giving children recess prior to testing helped their test performance. For one of the semesters, he sends half of his classes out for 10 minutes of recess prior to testing for the other half, he provides 10 minutes of free time after the test.
The students in the non recess condition decided they would try harder on the tests because they didn't get recess. This is an example of an)

A) Experimenter threat.
B) John Henry effect.
C) Placebo effect.
D) Hawthorne effect.

Question 38

The threat to validity defined as the effects of the occurrence of events that are not part of the treatment but affect the dependent variable is

A) history.
B) testing.
C) statistical regression.
D) instrumentation.

Question 39

Lisa's study assessed the effects of an intervention to facilitate the math skills of low-achieving second grade learners. She administered a treatment to the students in the form of structured computer lesson and found that students' skills increased. With which validity threat should Lisa be most concerned?

A) History
B) Statistical regression
C) Instrumentation
D) Mortality

Question 40

Laura was conducting a study on two treatment interventions to increase patriotism. During her study, terrorist attacks on a federal building occurred. Laura should be concerned with which of the following validity threats?

A) Statistical regression
B) Instrumentation.
C) History
D) Testing

Question 41

Jorge studies the effects of mnemonic training on learning vocabulary. He randomly assigns one group to a no treatment control and he gives mnemonic training to the other group. He assesses them at the end of the study and compares how many words they know. Which of the following designs is Jorge best illustrating?

A) Pretest-posttest control group design
B) Nonequivalent group control group design
C) Posttest-only control group design
D) Time series design

Question 42

A factorial design includes:

A) One manipulated independent variable.
B) More than one manipulated independent variable.
C) Two or more independent variables, one of which is manipulated.
D) Multiple dependent variables.

Question 43

In a recent study of young children's reading skills, Gregg and Steve both collected data. Gregg did not push the children and his scores are systematically lower than are Steve's. This example illustrates

A) compensatory rivalry.
B) placebo effect.
C) treatment diffusion.
D) experimenter effects.

Question 44

Nadine conducted a pretest-posttest control group design. The comparison group received traditional lecture of course content while the treatment group received the lecture and instructor-provided summary notes. She found, however, no differences between conditions, due in part to students sharing the instructor summaries across conditions. This is an example of

A) compensatory rivalry.
B) treatment diffusion.
C) placebo effect.
D) experimenter effects.

Question 45

Given a choice of the following research designs, which design controls the most threats to internal validity?

A) One-shot case study
B) One group pretest-posttest
C) Static group comparison
D) Pretest-posttest control group

Question 46

The third-grade teachers in one school are interested in the effects of seating assignments on self-esteem of students. All students take a self-esteem measure at the beginning of the school year. At the end of the school year, students take a self-esteem measure. Each teacher uses a different seating strategy for the year. This study best illustrates which of the following designs?

A) Nonequivalent groups design
B) Soloman four-group design
C) Pretest-posttest control group design
D) One group pretest-posttest design

Question 47

Which of the following is a concern with the nonequivalent control group design?

A) Selection interactions.
B) History.
C) Mortality.
D) Maturation.

Question 48

The most significant threat to internal validity of the time series design is

A) history.
B) maturation.
C) regression.
D) mortality.

Question 49

Nora is interested in differences in amount of content retained from a lecture based on time of class. She compares her two sections--one that meets at 8 am and one that meets at 2 pm-- by testing them, unannounced, on content that she taught two weeks ago. Which of the following designs is Nora best illustrating?

A) One shot case study
B) One group pretest-posttest design
C) Posttest only control group design
D) Static group comparison

Question 50

Of the following, the design that best controls for internal validity threats is the

A) Posttest only control group design.
B) Pretest-posttest group design.
C) Time series design.
D) Soloman four-group design.

Question 51

Jack wants to test if runners on his cross-country team improve with his new training regimen. He takes their times at the beginning of the season and again at the end of the season.
Runners in Jack's study improving their times due to running generally and not necessarily due to the new regimen is an example of which of the following threats?

A) Selection
B) Maturation
C) History
D) Instrumentation

Question 52

Jack wants to test if runners on his cross-country team improve with his new training regimen. He takes their times at the beginning of the season and again at the end of the season.
Which of the following designs is Jack best illustrating?

A) One-shot case study
B) One-group pretest-posttest design
C) Pretest-posttest control group design
D) Time series design

Question 53

Which of the following is the primary drawback of the posttest-only design?

A) History.
B) Selection.
C) Mortality.
D) Regression.

Question 54

Given the following notation, which design is illustrated? X₁ O
X₂ O
A) One group pretest-posttest design

A) One shot case study
B) Posttest only control group design
C) Static group comparison

Question 55

Given the following notation, which design is illustrated? O X₁ O
O X₂ O

A) Pretest-posttest control group design
B) Posttest only control group design
C) Nonequivalent groups control group design
D) Static group comparison design

Question 56

Linda is conducting a federally-funded research project that examines literacy skills in middle school learners. Bonnie recently started a new that specifically focuses on reading strategies. Some of the students are participating in both studies.

A) This is of no concern because there are two different studies.
B) This is a mostly a threat to internal validity.
C) This is mostly a threat to external validity.
D) This is an example of the placebo effect.

Question 57

For which of the following designs is multiple treatment interference a substantial threat?

A) Time series design.
B) Counterbalanced design.
C) Solomon Four group design.
D) Posttest-only control group design.

Question 58

Which of the following is a drawback of the Soloman Four group design?

A) Lack of control for threats to internal validity.
B) The large number of participants needed.
C) Systematic desensitization.
D) Increased experimenter effects.

Question 59

Of the following, which is an example of a pre-experimental design?

A) Time series design
B) Static group comparison
C) Posttest only control group design
D) Nonequivalent control group design

Question 60

Given the following notation, which design is illustrated? X O

A) One shot case study
B) One group pretest-posttest design
C) Posttest only control group design
D) Static group comparison

Question 61

Ewa is an athletic trainer at the university. She conducts research on violence in sport. She has designed a study to examine the effects of a new sportsmanship class. She randomly assigns teams by sport to be in either her new class or not. That is, some teams are in the class and others are not. She then compares incidents of violence between groups. What is one threat that Ewa must be particularly concerned about?

A) Instrumentation
B) Mortality
C) Selection
D) History

Question 62

Chin-Hsing conducted a study that examined motivation for sport and academics in a Taiwanese school for gifted athletes. One concern that Chin-Hsing has is that the findings from the study may not relate to findings that would be found in another school or country. The validity threat most evident in his concern is

A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Construct validity
D) Predictive validity

Question 63

Grace conducts research on race and achievement in mathematics. She designs a study to see if a new intervention she designed increases African-American students' math achievement scores. She goes to a local school with a representative Aftrican-American student population and randomly assigns college-bound African-American students to the intervention or to a control condition. Grace gives a mathematics achievement test in September to both groups. Through the academic year the treatment condition receives the intervention. She uses end of year achievement tests to see if there are differences between conditions.
Grace found that students studied together for the end of year achievement tests. She believes that some of the students in the treatment condition shared intervention information with the control group. Which of the following threats does Grace now have to be most concerned about?

A) Maturation by treatment
B) Treatment diffusion
C) Selection by treatment
D) Statistical regression

Question 64

Given the following notation, which design is illustrated? R X₁ O
R X₂ O

A) Pretest-posttest control group design
B) Posttest only control group design
C) Nonequivalent groups control group design
D) Static group comparison design

Question 65

Kari wants to make sure that all students in her study get both of the treatments she is testing. To assure all subjects get both interventions, which of the following designs should Kari consider?

A) Within-subjects design
B) Soloman Four-Group design
C) Counterbalanced design
D) Nonequivalent groups control group design

Question 66

Terence, one of the participants in the control group told Grace that his group found out that 'the other kids were getting a program to help their math scores' and therefore they decided to get together in a study group once a week to help each other. Grace was very concerned. What threat does this student action represent?

A) John Henry Effect
B) Multiple treatment interference
C) Experimenter effects
D) Treatment diffusion

Question 67

Grace conducts research on race and achievement in mathematics. She designs a study to see if a new intervention she designed increases African-American students' math achievement scores. She goes to a local school with a representative Aftrican-American student population and randomly assigns college-bound African-American students to the intervention or to a control condition. Grace gives a mathematics achievement test in September to both groups. Through the academic year the treatment condition receives the intervention. She uses end of year achievement tests to see if there are differences between conditions.
Which of the following best represents the design of Grace's study?

A) One shot case study
B) One-group pretest-posttest
C) Pretest-posttest control group
D) Two by two factorial

Question 68

Use the follow scenario to answer these questions.
Archimedes read about a study that found that soft music during stressful events was soothing for many workers. He thinks that test taking is stressful for many learners and wants to conduct an experiment to determine if music playing during testing assists in student test performance. Therefore, he randomly assigns all of the introductory biology classes into one of three groups. One group that tests as usual without music, one group that listens to soft music during the test, and the final group that listens to a CD with the latest pop music tracks playing.
Given Archimedes' study, the dependent variable is __________________.

A) biology class.
B) test performance.
C) type of music.
D) test anxiety.

Question 69

Khalad is conducting a study to determine if motivational posters inspire middle school students to be more pro-social and to complete more homework. He goes to a large school district to conduct his study. In one of the district's middle schools he puts the posters up and in the second school he does not. After the posters are up for two months he compares the GPA and number of disciplinary referrals between the two schools.
Which of the following designs is most representative of Khalad's study?

A) Two by two factorial
B) Static group comparison
C) Post-test only control
D) Solomon four group

Question 70

Audrey examines students' learning of science principles from interactive games. She randomly assigns the fifth grade students in her study to a control condition with no play time, a timed play condition, or an unlimited time play condition. She also groups her students into either high or low ability groups. She measures her students with a knowledge pretest, a post-test, and a delayed post-test.
Which of the following best represents Audrey's study design?

A) Pre-test post test design
B) A 3 x 3 factorial design
C) A 3 x 2 factorial design
D) A 3x2x3 factorial design

Question 71

One caution with factorial designs is that

A) they are less valid than most other designs.
B) they require more participants.
C) interactions impede the significant findings.
D) they are not used in educational studies.

Question 72

Ingrid works as a teacher in a small private school that does not have a food service program. She sees what kids bring to school and is very worried that families are not supporting their children's nutritional needs enough. This year she decides to conduct a study to see if sending home literature and homework that parents must do with their children makes a difference in their application of appropriate selections in children's lunches at the end of the year. Which of the following designs best represents Ingrid's research design plan?

A) One shot case study
B) Static group comparison
C) Pretest-post-test control group
D) Soloman Four group

Question 73

How many cells does a 2 x 4 factorial design have?

A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8

Question 74

A study that addressed the effects of gender and type of practice massed, distributed, massed and distributed) would be symbolized as

A) 2x2 factorial design
B) 3x2 factorial design
C) 2x3 factorial design
D) Soloman four group design

Question 75

Use the follow scenario to answer these questions.
Archimedes read about a study that found that soft music during stressful events was soothing for many workers. He thinks that test taking is stressful for many learners and wants to conduct an experiment to determine if music playing during testing assists in student test performance. Therefore, he randomly assigns all of the introductory biology classes into one of three groups. One group that tests as usual without music, one group that listens to soft music during the test, and the final group that listens to a CD with the latest pop music tracks playing.
Which of the following designs best represents Archimedes' study?

A) One shot case study
B) Static group comparison
C) Post-test only control group design
D) Soloman four group design

Question 76

Kathy trains nurses. She designed a new assertive communication unit to include in her training. She administers a pretest and then randomly assigns nurses to her treatment or a control condition. She tests their communication skills after the treatment. She sees significant differences at immediate testing but after eight weeks she retests the nurses and finds no differences between her treatment and control students.
It appears Kathy should be most concerned with which of the following threats to her study?

A) Participant effect
B) Researcher effect
C) Novelty effect
D) Placebo effect

Question 77

A study that investigates the effects of three different types of instruction text only, text with pictures, text with animation), and spatial ability high, low) would be symbolized as a

A) 2x2 factorial design
B) 3x2 factorial design
C) 2x3 factorial design
D) Soloman four group design

Question 78

Grace conducts research on race and achievement in mathematics. She designs a study to see if a new intervention she designed increases African-American students' math achievement scores. She goes to a local school with a representative Aftrican-American student population and randomly assigns college-bound African-American students to the intervention or to a control condition. Grace gives a mathematics achievement test in September to both groups. Through the academic year the treatment condition receives the intervention. She uses end of year achievement tests to see if there are differences between conditions.
Which of the following external validity threats should most concern Grace regarding her study?

A) Selection
B) History
C) Instrumentation
D) Maturation

Question 79

Kathy trains nurses. She designed a new assertive communication unit to include in her training. She administers a pretest and then randomly assigns nurses to her treatment or a control condition. She tests their communication skills after the treatment. She sees significant differences at immediate testing but after eight weeks she retests the nurses and finds no differences between her treatment and control students.
Which of the following best represents the design of Kathy's study?

A) Non-equivalent groups
B) Solomon four group
C) Pretest-posttest control group
D) Post-test only control group

Question 80

Audrey examines students' learning of science principles from interactive games. She randomly assigns the fifth grade students in her study to a control condition with no play time, a timed play condition, or an unlimited time play condition. She also groups her students into either high or low ability groups. She measures her students with a knowledge pretest, a post-test, and a delayed post-test.
Which of the following is an independent variable in Audrey's study?

A) Ability
B) Fifth grade
C) Post-test exam
D) Science principles