Question 1

The level of random sampling error in a study is directly related to the ______ in the population characteristic.

Accepted Answer

A)  people 
B)  ambiguity 
C)  variation 
D)  bias

Question 2

The interval within which 95 percent of all possible sample estimates will fall by chance is defined as ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  lower confidence boundary 
B)  upper confidence boundary 
C)  the sample mean ±1.96 standard errors 
D)  the central limit theorem

Question 3

The standard error of a sample mean is synonymous with random sampling error.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

The idea that an infinite number of samples drawn from a population will have normally distributed means is called the central limit theorem.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Random sampling error is defined as the extent to which a sample statistic differs from a population parameter by ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  chance 
B)  bias 
C)  sloppiness 
D)  poor research design

Question 6

A public opinion poll reporting the president's job approval rating is an example of a ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  sample statistic 
B)  population parameter 
C)  sample 
D)  census

Question 7

Many of the variables of interest to political researchers are not measured at the nominal level.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The magnitude of random sampling error in a study depends upon the ______ of a sample and the amount of ______ in the population characteristic being measured.

Accepted Answer

A)  error; bias 
B)  size; variation 
C)  variation; error 
D)  bias; variation

Question 9

In a normal distribution the portion of the curve above 1.96 standard errors is ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  1 percent 
B)  5 percent 
C)  10 percent 
D)  2.5 percent

Question 10

A ______ allows the researcher to obtain measurements for all members of a population.

Accepted Answer

A)  sample 
B)  census 
C)  parameter 
D)  distribution

Question 11

In statistical notation, the letter n refers to the ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  standard deviation 
B)  variance 
C)  sample size 
D)  sampling error

Question 12

The larger the sample size, the lower the degrees of freedom, the more relaxed the t distribution.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The average amount given to a political candidate is an example of a ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  sample statistic 
B)  population 
C)  sample 
D)  population parameter

Question 14

In statistical notation, the symbol σ refers to the ______.

Accepted Answer

A)  sample size 
B)  variance 
C)  error 
D)  standard deviation

Exam 6: Foundations of Statistical Inference

The level of random sampling error in a study is directly related to the ______ in the population characteristic.

The interval within which 95 percent of all possible sample estimates will fall by chance is defined as ______.

The standard error of a sample mean is synonymous with random sampling error.

The idea that an infinite number of samples drawn from a population will have normally distributed means is called the central limit theorem.

Random sampling error is defined as the extent to which a sample statistic differs from a population parameter by ______.

A public opinion poll reporting the president's job approval rating is an example of a ______.

Many of the variables of interest to political researchers are not measured at the nominal level.

The magnitude of random sampling error in a study depends upon the of a sample and the amount of in the population characteristic being measured.

In a normal distribution the portion of the curve above 1.96 standard errors is ______.

A ______ allows the researcher to obtain measurements for all members of a population.

In statistical notation, the letter n refers to the ______.

The larger the sample size, the lower the degrees of freedom, the more relaxed the t distribution.

The average amount given to a political candidate is an example of a ______.

In statistical notation, the symbol σ refers to the ______.