Research Methods and Sampling Techniques

What is the primary difference between a hypothesis and a theory in research?

• A hypothesis is a tested prediction, while a theory is an educated guess.

• A hypothesis is a statement supported by data, while a theory is an assumption made before research.

• A theory is a statement supported by data from completed research, while a hypothesis is a testable prediction made before research.

• A theory analyzes connections between variables, while a hypothesis looks at only one variable.

Why is it important to create operational definitions in a study?

• It reduces the impact of the Hawthorne effect.

• It allows for the entire population to be surveyed.

• It makes it so others can replicate your study and check your results.

• It ensures that you have a representative sample in the study.

What is a primary benefit of using surveys as a research method?

• They are the only method that isolates cause and effect.

• They allow for in-depth investigation of a single individual or group.

• They are excellent tools for gathering a lot of self-reported data quickly.

• They ensure that participants alter their behavior due to observation.

What is the "wording effect" in survey research?

• It refers to the tendency of participants to alter their behavior when they know they are being observed.

• It describes how the phrasing or order of questions can influence a participant's response.

• It is a method of randomly selecting individuals from a population.

• It is the process of defining variables and how they will be measured.

In research, what is the difference between a population and a sample?

• A population is a small group selected for study, while a sample is the entire group being studied.

• A population refers to all individuals in the group being studied, while a sample is a selected subset representing that group.

• A population is used in experiments, while a sample is used in surveys.

• A population is always larger than a sample.

What is the key characteristic of random sampling?

• Participants are selected based on specific characteristics.

• Every individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected.

• The sample is divided into subgroups before selection.

• Only a small, convenient group is chosen for the study.

Aiden created a study that looked at students' sleeping patterns in his school. When selecting participants to study he broke the school population into subcategories based on their age. He then went on to randomly pick 10 students from each subcategory. What type of sampling is Aiden using?

• Stratified sampling

• Random sampling

• Naturalistic sampling

• Selected sampling

What is the goal when creating a representative sample in a study?

• To ensure the sample group is as small as possible.

• To select participants who are easy to access.

• To make sure the sample group represents all the different people in the population in an unbiased way.

• To only include participants who agree with the research hypothesis.

What is sampling bias?

• When the sample accurately represents the entire population.

• When the process of picking the sample group is flawed, leading to a non-representative sample.

• When researchers intentionally select participants who support their hypothesis.

• When participants alter their behavior because they know they are being observed.

What is a key characteristic of a case study?

• It involves observing behaviors in a real-world setting without manipulation.

• It provides an in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, or event.

• It determines the strength of a relationship between variables, showing cause and effect.

• It compares different groups of participants at the same time.