Research Methods Module 4

Three of the following accurately characterize data.  Which one does NOT necessarily characterize data?

• Data may be elusive.

• Data can be volatile.

• Data are ever changing.

• Data reveal truth.

Charlotte, an anthropologist, has been living in an Incan village for three years. During that time Charlotte has become expert in Incan weaving by observing and imitating the master weavers in the community. When Charlotte was observing, she was collecting:

• primary data.

• secondary data.

• informal data.

• nonempirical data.

Charlotte wrote a book about her experience as an anthropologist living in an Incan village for three years and becoming an expert weaver.  Her book was widely read by other anthropologists, including Mira, who is an expert in Navaho weaving.  For Mira, Charlotte's book constitutes:

• hearsay data.

• secondary data.

• informal data.

• primary data.

Replications in experimental research are generally conducted to facilitate:

• internal validity.

• external validity.

• internal reliability.

• external reliability.

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

• triangulation.

• respondent validation.

• external validity.

• internal validity.

When a qualitative researcher asks the participants, "Do the conclusions I've drawn make sense to you" the researcher is evaluating:

• the trustworthiness of the study.

• the reliability of the study.

• the external validity of the study.

• the Hawthorne effect.

An ordinal scale of measurement:

• assigns a name to a category.

• is tied to an absolute zero.

• incorporates equal units of measurement.

• communicates greater than and less than relationships.

An interval scale of measurement:

• assigns a name to a category.

• communicates rank-order information.

• incorporates equal units of measurement.

• is tied to an absolute zero.

The main difference between an interval and a ratio scale is that only one of them:

• includes an absolute zero.

• uses equal units of measurement.

• supports the use of statistical analyses.

• is used in research with human subjects.

Dick and Jane are studying aggression among preschool children.  Separately, they each watch a videotape of four children interacting in a playroom and then rate each child on the level of aggression displayed during the play session.  They compare their completed ratings and are pleased to note they are highly similar.  This is an example of ________ reliability.

• interrater

• internal consistency

• equivalent form

• test–retest