Communication Skills Research & Evidence-Based Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a communication researcher uses grounded theory, the primary goal is to:
- Test a pre-existing theory using deductive reasoning
- Develop a new theory that emerges from the data itself (Correct answer)
- Ground the study in peer-reviewed literature before data collection
- Apply classical rhetorical theory to modern contexts
Correct answer: Develop a new theory that emerges from the data itself
Grounded theory is an inductive qualitative method in which theoretical explanations are generated directly from systematically collected and analyzed data.
Question 2: Replication in communication research serves to:
- Copy a published article for distribution
- Confirm or challenge findings by repeating the study under similar conditions (Correct answer)
- Translate research into multiple languages
- Replace a flawed study with a corrected version
Correct answer: Confirm or challenge findings by repeating the study under similar conditions
Replication strengthens scientific knowledge by testing whether findings hold across different samples, contexts, or times, building confidence in their reliability.
Question 3: A communication researcher reports a Pearson correlation of r = 0.72 between eye contact and perceived credibility. This indicates:
- Eye contact causes higher credibility ratings
- A strong positive relationship between the two variables (Correct answer)
- A weak negative relationship between the two variables
- No meaningful relationship between eye contact and credibility
Correct answer: A strong positive relationship between the two variables
A Pearson r of 0.72 reflects a strong positive correlation, meaning higher eye contact tends to be associated with higher credibility ratings.
Question 4: Which of the following is the strongest level of evidence for evaluating a communication intervention's effectiveness?
- Expert opinion from a professional association
- A single well-designed randomized controlled trial
- A systematic review or meta-analysis of multiple RCTs (Correct answer)
- A compelling case study with detailed description
Correct answer: A systematic review or meta-analysis of multiple RCTs
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that synthesize findings from multiple RCTs sit at the top of the evidence hierarchy because they reduce bias from any single study.
Question 5: Which term describes the degree to which a measurement instrument consistently produces the same results under the same conditions?
- Validity
- Reliability (Correct answer)
- Generalizability
- Transferability
Correct answer: Reliability
Reliability refers to the consistency and repeatability of a measurement tool; a reliable instrument yields similar scores when conditions remain the same.
Question 6: A practitioner reviews evidence and finds that active listening training has strong research support but decides against it because it contradicts her intuition. This violates the core principle of evidence-based practice because:
- Intuition should always override research in professional settings
- Evidence-based practice requires integrating research evidence with practitioner expertise and client values (Correct answer)
- She should only follow research if it matches her intuition
- Research findings are irrelevant when a practitioner has personal experience
Correct answer: Evidence-based practice requires integrating research evidence with practitioner expertise and client values
Evidence-based practice integrates the best available research with practitioner expertise and client preferences — dismissing strong evidence based on intuition alone is not acceptable.
Question 7: When a researcher generalizes findings from a sample to a broader population, the key factor enabling this generalization is:
- A large number of open-ended interview questions
- Random and representative sampling from the target population (Correct answer)
- High participant satisfaction with the study experience
- Use of complex statistical software for analysis
Correct answer: Random and representative sampling from the target population
Random and representative sampling gives every member of the population an equal chance of selection, making statistical generalization to the population defensible.
Communication Skills Research & Evidence-Based Practice 5
When a communication researcher uses grounded theory, the primary goal is to: