Deck 3: Scientific Method and Basic Concepts

Question 1

"Effect of school pregnancy-prevention clinics on students' attitudes toward contraception." The independent variable is:

A) pregnancy-prevention clinics in schools
B) students' attitudes toward contraception
C) effect of school on students
D) not enough information provided to determine the independent variable

Answer 1

A

Question 2

"Effect of school pregnancy-prevention clinics on students' attitudes toward contraception." The dependent variable is:

A) pregnancy-prevention clinics in schools
B) students' attitudes toward contraception
C) effect of school on students
D) not enough information provided to determine the dependent variable

Answer 2

B

Question 3

"Effect of school pregnancy-prevention clinics on students' attitudes toward contraception." A testable hypothesis is:

A) Schools have effects on students' attitudes.
B) Students' attitudes affect whether or not a school has a pregnancy-prevention clinic.
C) There are schools where students lack pregnancy-prevention clinics.
D) None of these hypotheses (a, b, c) is testable as stated.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

According to the textbook, why can we reject a hypothesis but never "prove" a hypothesis?

A) A hypothesis about causation projects into the future so there is no way to verify it conclusively.
B) Relationships among social variables are imperfect, so it is possible to contradict a hypothesis.
C) Both a and b
D) Neither a nor b

Question 5

It is important to know the types of measures used in a study because the type of measures

A) determines the statistical procedures that can be undertaken.
B) determines whether an ethics committee must evaluate the research proposal.
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 6

An IRB (or research ethics committee, or research ethics board) examines research proposals to look for

A) problems with stated hypothesis(es).
B) adequate sample size and use of appropriate measurement of variables.
C) potentially harmful impacts on subjects.
D) all of these (a, b, c)

Question 7

A "control" variable is used to

A) test the relationship between two variables of interest.
B) reduce the likelihood of misinterpreting a spurious relationship as if it were causal.
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 8

Confidentiality in social research means that the researcher

A) cannot link data to specific individuals.
B) knows respondents' identities but does not reveal in any way that can be linked to individual respondents.
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 9

In social science, perfect relationships almost never are observed because

A) nearly every variable in the social world is influenced by many other variables.
B) measurements are often imprecise and contain errors.
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b