Question 1

A small P value means that the alternative hypothesis is a better explanation for the results than the null hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 2

The incorrect failure to reject a false null hypothesis is called which type of error?

Accepted Answer

A)   Alpha error
B)   Beta error
C)   Random error
D)   Measurement error B

Question 3

During the third phase of biostatistical history, between World Wars I and II, R.A. Fisher developed theoretical models for which of the following, a method for generalizing results from a sample to a population?

Accepted Answer

A)   Linear regression
B)   Dose-response relationships
C)   Agent-based modeling
D)   Statistical inference D

Question 4

Which type of distribution is frequently used in epidemiological research because many diseases are uncommon, particularly if one considers the likelihood of occurrence in a short period of time?

Accepted Answer

A)   Normal distribution
B)   Poisson distribution
C)   Gaussian distribution
D)   Binomial distribution

Question 5

Which of the following is considered a "uniform decision-making criterion" for evaluating random error that is superior to subjective impressions of the data?

Accepted Answer

A)   Hypothesis testing
B)   Dose-response relationships
C)   Agent-based modeling
D)   Statistical inference

Question 6

Because random samples are uncommon in epidemiological research, many epidemiologists question the use of P-values and confidence intervals in observational studies.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Which of the following quantifies the compatibility of the study data with the null hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)   P Value
B)   Confidence interval
C)   Odds ratio
D)   Risk ratio

Question 8

Which of the following leads to a false association between the exposure and disease that arises from chance, an uncontrollable force that seems to have no assignable cause?

Accepted Answer

A)   Bias
B)   Confounding
C)   Random error
D)   Generalization

Question 9

Because the significance level is an arbitrary cutoff, it is possible to incorrectly reject or not reject the null hypothesis.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

P-values are confounded statistics because they simultaneously reflect the magnitude of the association and the study size.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

In which of the following is the parent population first divided into subgroups, then a random sample is selected from each subgroup?

Accepted Answer

A)   Simple random sample
B)   Nested random sample
C)   Clustered random sample
D)   Stratified random sample

Question 12

Which of the following measures can be thought of as the lack of random error?

Accepted Answer

A)   Validity
B)   Reliability
C)   Accuracy
D)   Precision

Question 13

The statements "statistically significant" and "not statistically significant" indicate that the null hypothesis is true.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Which group believes that all events are "predestined to unravel in a theoretically predictable way that follows inexorably from the previous pattern of actions"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Probablists
B)   Determinists
C)   Statisticians
D)   Idealists

Question 15

Which of the following is the middlemost observation of the distribution, that is, the observation in which 50% of the observations fall above it and 50% of the observations fall below it?

Accepted Answer

A)   Mean
B)   Median
C)   Mode
D)   Standard deviation

Question 16

Statistical power measures the ability of a test to correctly reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

When a P value is less than or equal to which value, we reject the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative because random error is an unlikely explanation of the discrepancy between the results and the null hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)   0.01
B)   0.05
C)   0.10
D)   0.50

Question 18

When investigators measure which rate in a particular population, random errors may occur during the process of identifying cases of disease or calculating person-time of follow-up?

Accepted Answer

A)   Incidence rate
B)   Prevalence rate
C)   Morbidity rate
D)   Mortality rate

Question 19

Which type of epidemiologist believes that random error, or chance, is an important, even chief, explanation for events?

Accepted Answer

A)   Probablists
B)   Determinists
C)   Statisticians
D)   Idealists

Question 20

Which of the following is considered unsystematic because it arises from an unforeseeable and unpredictable process?

Accepted Answer

A)   Bias
B)   Confounding
C)   Random error
D)   Generalization

Exam 12: Random Error

A small P value means that the alternative hypothesis is a better explanation for the results than the null hypothesis.

The incorrect failure to reject a false null hypothesis is called which type of error?

During the third phase of biostatistical history, between World Wars I and II, R.A. Fisher developed theoretical models for which of the following, a method for generalizing results from a sample to a population?

Which type of distribution is frequently used in epidemiological research because many diseases are uncommon, particularly if one considers the likelihood of occurrence in a short period of time?

Which of the following is considered a "uniform decision-making criterion" for evaluating random error that is superior to subjective impressions of the data?

Because random samples are uncommon in epidemiological research, many epidemiologists question the use of P-values and confidence intervals in observational studies.

Which of the following quantifies the compatibility of the study data with the null hypothesis?

Which of the following leads to a false association between the exposure and disease that arises from chance, an uncontrollable force that seems to have no assignable cause?

Because the significance level is an arbitrary cutoff, it is possible to incorrectly reject or not reject the null hypothesis.

P-values are confounded statistics because they simultaneously reflect the magnitude of the association and the study size.

In which of the following is the parent population first divided into subgroups, then a random sample is selected from each subgroup?

Which of the following measures can be thought of as the lack of random error?

The statements "statistically significant" and "not statistically significant" indicate that the null hypothesis is true.

Which group believes that all events are "predestined to unravel in a theoretically predictable way that follows inexorably from the previous pattern of actions"?

Which of the following is the middlemost observation of the distribution, that is, the observation in which 50% of the observations fall above it and 50% of the observations fall below it?

Statistical power measures the ability of a test to correctly reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.

When a P value is less than or equal to which value, we reject the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative because random error is an unlikely explanation of the discrepancy between the results and the null hypothesis?

When investigators measure which rate in a particular population, random errors may occur during the process of identifying cases of disease or calculating person-time of follow-up?

Which type of epidemiologist believes that random error, or chance, is an important, even chief, explanation for events?

Which of the following is considered unsystematic because it arises from an unforeseeable and unpredictable process?