Communication Skills Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher wants to determine whether a new public speaking training program causes measurable improvement. Which study design best establishes causation?
- Cross-sectional survey
- Randomized controlled trial (Correct answer)
- Case study
- Observational cohort study
Correct answer: Randomized controlled trial
Randomized controlled trials with random assignment to treatment and control groups are the gold standard for establishing causal relationships.
Question 2: When evaluating a source for a communication research paper, which criterion is most closely associated with the 'CRAAP' test?
- Creativity
- Currency (Correct answer)
- Conciseness
- Charisma
Correct answer: Currency
The CRAAP test evaluates Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose — with Currency referring to how recent the information is.
Question 3: A communication scholar finds a p-value of 0.03 in their study. What does this indicate?
- The effect size is large
- There is a 3% chance the results occurred by chance under the null hypothesis (Correct answer)
- The study has a 97% accuracy rate
- The hypothesis is proven true
Correct answer: There is a 3% chance the results occurred by chance under the null hypothesis
A p-value of 0.03 means there is a 3% probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as observed if the null hypothesis were true.
Question 4: Which ethical principle requires researchers to ensure participants fully understand what a study involves before they agree to take part?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Informed consent (Correct answer)
- Confidentiality
Correct answer: Informed consent
Informed consent requires that participants receive complete, understandable information about the study and voluntarily agree to participate.
Question 5: In communication research, triangulation refers to:
- Using three-point visual aids in presentations
- Combining multiple data sources or methods to strengthen findings (Correct answer)
- Interviewing exactly three participants
- Organizing arguments into three main points
Correct answer: Combining multiple data sources or methods to strengthen findings
Triangulation increases the validity and credibility of research findings by cross-checking results across multiple methods, sources, or researchers.
Question 6: A literature review serves which primary purpose in a communication research study?
- Provides personal anecdotes to support the thesis
- Summarizes what is already known and identifies gaps the study addresses (Correct answer)
- Lists all articles ever written on the topic
- Replaces the need for a methodology section
Correct answer: Summarizes what is already known and identifies gaps the study addresses
A literature review synthesizes existing scholarship to contextualize the study and justify why the research question merits investigation.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes a convenience sample in communication research?
- A sample selected to represent the full population proportionally
- Participants chosen because they are easily accessible to the researcher (Correct answer)
- A randomly generated list of research subjects
- A sample drawn from official government records
Correct answer: Participants chosen because they are easily accessible to the researcher
Convenience sampling selects participants based on availability and accessibility rather than random selection, which can limit generalizability.
Communication Skills Research & Evidence-Based Practice 2
A researcher wants to determine whether a new public speaking training program causes measurable improvement.
Which study design best establishes causation?