Research & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards

Which of the following BEST describes a norm-referenced assessment?

Answer: A test that compares a student's score to those of a representative sample group

Norm-referenced assessments rank students relative to a norming group rather than against a fixed performance standard.

In educational research, which sampling method gives every member of a population an equal chance of being selected?

Answer: Simple random sampling

Simple random sampling ensures every individual in the population has an equal probability of selection, reducing selection bias.

A district adopts a reading program because 'it has always worked.' Which critical-thinking step is being skipped?

Answer: Searching for and critically appraising research evidence

Evidence-based practice requires critically appraising research before adoption, not relying solely on tradition or anecdote.

Which type of research question is BEST answered using qualitative methods?

Answer: How do students experience the transition from elementary to middle school?

Qualitative research is suited to exploring experiences, perceptions, and meanings rather than measuring quantities or testing hypotheses.

Test-retest reliability is best described as:

Answer: The consistency of scores when the same test is given to the same group at two different times

Test-retest reliability assesses score stability by administering the same instrument to the same group on two separate occasions.

Effect size in research primarily communicates:

Answer: The practical magnitude of a difference or relationship

Effect size indicates the practical or educational significance of a finding, independent of sample size or statistical significance.

Which of the following is an example of a Type I error in educational research?

Answer: Concluding there is an effect when one does not actually exist

A Type I error (false positive) occurs when a researcher incorrectly rejects a true null hypothesis and concludes an effect exists.