BS Research Methods and Statistics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a null hypothesis in scientific research?
- A statement that there is no effect or relationship between variables (Correct answer)
- A prediction that an experiment will succeed
- The primary hypothesis being tested
- A hypothesis with no supporting data
Correct answer: A statement that there is no effect or relationship between variables
A null hypothesis states that there is no significant effect or relationship between the variables being studied.
Question 2: Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme outliers?
- Mean (Correct answer)
- Median
- Mode
- Range
Correct answer: Mean
The mean is most affected by outliers because it incorporates every value in its calculation.
Question 3: What does a p-value less than 0.05 typically indicate?
- The result is statistically significant (Correct answer)
- The experiment failed
- The sample size was too small
- The hypothesis is proven true
Correct answer: The result is statistically significant
A p-value below 0.05 means there is less than a 5% probability that the results occurred by chance, indicating statistical significance.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment?
- To provide a baseline for comparison against the experimental group (Correct answer)
- To introduce the independent variable
- To randomize the sample selection
- To eliminate the dependent variable
Correct answer: To provide a baseline for comparison against the experimental group
A control group does not receive the experimental treatment, providing a baseline to compare against the treatment group.
Question 5: Which type of research involves observing subjects in their natural environment without manipulation?
- Naturalistic observation (Correct answer)
- Laboratory experiment
- Case study
- Survey research
Correct answer: Naturalistic observation
Naturalistic observation is a method where researchers observe subjects in their real-world environment without interfering.
Question 6: What is standard deviation used to measure?
- The spread or dispersion of data around the mean (Correct answer)
- The highest value in a dataset
- The relationship between two variables
- The probability of an event occurring
Correct answer: The spread or dispersion of data around the mean
Standard deviation quantifies how much individual data points deviate from the mean of the dataset.
BS Research Methods and Statistics 1
What is a null hypothesis in scientific research?