Chapter 11: Bias

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. What does the term “bias” mean in research studies? Choose the best answer.

A. an estimation error that is higher or lower than the true value of a variable

B. a systematic error due to faulty study design, data collection, or analysis

C. an incorrect assumption applied to variables in a study

D. an error in measuring the values of a variable

Learning Objective: 11-1: Define bias and why it is important for making sense of numbers.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Is Bias?

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. The difference between the estimated and actual value of a variable for three cases were as follows: –3, +9, +2. What type of error do these differences suggest?

A. bias

B. measurement error

C. random error

D. variance

Learning Objective: 11-1: Define bias and why it is important for making sense of numbers.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: What Is Bias?

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. What is a cross-sectional study?

A. a study with data collected at one time point

B. a research study of data for several time periods

C. a study comparing variables with each other

D. a research study of several themes or subtopics

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cross-Sectional Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. In a study on changes in weather patterns in Buffalo, NY, temperatures were recorded for each month, using a sample of 10 zip codes. The process of recording temperature per month was repeated every 5 years for a different sample of 10 zip codes. The data covered a total time period of 20 years. What type of research study is this?

A. longitudinal study

B. cross-sectional study

C. repeated cross-sectional study

D. prospective study

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Longitudinal Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. What does the term “cohort study” refer to?

A. study of longitudinal data of cases with a common starting event

B. study of past characteristics of a set of cases across time

C. study of cases with variable values within a fixed range

D. study of several sets of cases at one time period

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Prospective Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. A study collects data for a set of individuals, on a common set of variables, over multiple periods of time. Which term best describes this type of study?

A. prospective

B. longitudinal

C. fixed-panel

D. cross-sectional

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Prospective Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. Which of the following statements is true of a case–control study?

A. It identifies a control set who have a certain condition or characteristic.

B. It fixes a number of cases who have identical characteristics.

C. It defines a group of cases whose data is collected over time.

D. It sets a control group who do not have a condition of interest.

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Retrospective Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. A study identified a sample set of 200 policyholders who had either one or no motor vehicle incidents in the last 2 years. The characteristics of this set of policyholders was analyzed in the study. What type of bias does the study suffer from?

A. sample bias

B. survivor bias

C. nonresponse bias

D. prospective bias

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Retrospective Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. A researcher designs a study on political affiliations of those residing in Mercer county, New Jersey. A sample set of households were chosen who resided mainly in and around the town of Princeton. Which type of bias is present in this study design?

A. sample selection bias

B. case–control bias

C. survivor bias

D. retrospective bias

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. What is a “sampling frame”?

A. the limits set for a unit to be included in a study sample

B. list of elements in a population from which sample is to be drawn

C. the general population of the domain being studied

D. the range of values of a sample for the outcome variable

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Probability Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. A random sample of 2,000 units is chosen from a data set of 49,000 elements. What is the probability of selection to the sample?

A. 24.50

B. 0.408

C. 0.041

D. 2.450

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Probability Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. A study on political affiliations of residents of Mercer county, New Jersey, created random samples of 100 residents from each census tract within the county. The samples of 100 were then combined to create a master sample for the study. What is this type of sample called?

A. simple random sampling

B. oversampling

C. cluster sampling

D. stratified random sampling

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Stratified Random Sampling

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Which primary factor distinguishes cluster sampling from stratified sampling?

A. sampling unit

B. sample size

C. population size

D. sampling method

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cluster Sampling

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. What does the term “matching” mean in case–control studies?

A. pairing a case with a control based on similarity of one variable

B. sampling as many controls as the number of cases of interest

C. taking a preset number of cases with presence of a risk factor

D. selecting a fixed set of control units determined by the analyst

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Case–Control

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. Which are the nonprobability methods of sampling?

A. case–control and availability

B. convenience, quota, and case–control

C. availability, stratified, and quota

D. cluster, convenience, and quota

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Nonprobability Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. A research study on the quality of customer service of telecom call centers, chose 20 call centers for the study, with the condition that at least four had to be from Pakistan, two had to be selected from Ireland, and, another four were to be from the Philippines. What type of sampling method was used by this study?

A. stratified

B. cluster

C. quota

D. convenience

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Quota Sampling

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. What is “selective observation” in designing a research study?

A. selecting only cases that support the study's hypothesis

B. choosing the first x%, (x=fixed number), cases in a data set

C. using cases that are already available to the researcher

D. including a fixed number of cases based on a characteristic

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Selective Observation

Difficulty Level: Easy

18. What does the term “differential nonresponse” refer to?

A. difference in response rate over two time periods

B. response rate differing between sample strata

C. groups having unequal response counts in a sample

D. cases with certain characteristics less likely to respond than others

Learning Objective: 11-4: Define study nonresponse and understand how it relates to external validity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Baseline Nonresponse

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. A survey questionnaire was sent to 1,000 individuals. 456 of those individuals filled out and returned the questionnaire. What is the nonresponse rate of this survey?

A. 45.6%

B. 54.4%

C. 45.0%

D. 55.1%

Learning Objective: 11-4: Define study nonresponse and understand how it relates to external validity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Baseline Nonresponse

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. What are the consequences of attrition to a longitudinal study?

A. decreasing sample size

B. loss of data on a variable

C. increment in sample size

D. oversampling of a group of cases

Learning Objective: 11-4: Define study nonresponse and understand how it relates to external validity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Attrition From Longitudinal Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. Cable R has observed the number of customers, residing in Bergen county, fall from 25,315 in June, 2019 to 23,643 in June, 2020. What was the attrition rate for Bergen county?

A. 93.4%

B. 6.6%

C. 1.07%

D. 98.93%

Learning Objective: 11-4: Define study nonresponse and understand how it relates to external validity.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Attrition From Longitudinal Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. How would you calculate the item nonresponse rate of a survey?

A. cases with missing values divided by total cases

B. total number of respondents divided by total values missing

C. respondents with missing values on a variable divided by total respondents

D. cases in the survey divided by cases with variable value missing

Learning Objective: 11-5: Describe types of item nonresponse and how they can introduce bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Item Nonresponse

Difficulty Level: Easy

23. Which of the following is a “double negative” question? Choose the best answer.

A. Don’t you agree that the defective rate should not be above 5%?

B. Don’t you think the current defective rate is high?

C. Do you or do you not concur on the efficacy of quality control standards of the company?

D. Do you think the defective rate should not be above 5%, nor below 1%?

Learning Objective: 11-5: Describe types of item nonresponse and how they can introduce bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Question Wording

Difficulty Level: Easy

24. Peter was unable to respond to a survey due to a health condition. John, his colleague, filled-out the survey in his place, in the best way that he could. What is this phenomenon called?

A. biased response

B. proxy reporting

C. reporting error

D. absentee response

Learning Objective: 11-5: Describe types of item nonresponse and how they can introduce bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Respondents Who Lack Knowledge

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. What type of bias is present when some values of a variable are systematically wrong in the same direction?

A. social desirability bias

B. nonresponse bias

C. question response bias

D. sample selection bias

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Measurement Bias

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. Social desirability bias could lead to a higher rate of item nonresponse.

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Social Desirability Bias

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. A leading question is one that uses normative wording to minimize bias.

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Biased Wording

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. A loaded question should be replaced by a filter question and an associated contingent question.

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Biased Wording

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. The magnitude of recall bias generally decreases with increase in the recall period.

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Recall Bias

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. A measurement bias could occur regardless of the type of research study.

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Respondents Who Lack Knowledge

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. Bias due to attrition occurs only in cross-sectional research studies.

Learning Objective: 11-6: List sources of measurement bias and how they affect reliability and measurement validity.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Respondents Who Lack Knowledge

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. A survey of high school students on their smoking habits was conducted by a district school board. A sampling bias is likely to occur in the data of this study.

Learning Objective: 11-7: Itemize common sources of data collected for research and for nonresearch purposes, and how those sources are affected by different types of bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Questionnaires

Difficulty Level: Hard

8. Surveillance is the continuous and systematic collection of data from a defined sample of a population.

Learning Objective: 11-7: Itemize common sources of data collected for research and for nonresearch purposes, and how those sources are affected by different types of bias.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Surveillance

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Data collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is an example of data collected for administrative purposes

Learning Objective: 11-7: Itemize common sources of data collected for research and for nonresearch purposes, and how those sources are affected by different types of bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Administrative Data

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. Usage of 'big data' for research may lead to greater measurement error or bias.

Learning Objective: 11-7: Itemize common sources of data collected for research and for nonresearch purposes, and how those sources are affected by different types of bias.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: “Big Data”

Difficulty Level: Medium

Short Answer

1. What is the difference between bias and random error? Explain with an example.

Learning Objective: 11-1: Define bias and why it is important for making sense of numbers.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: What Is Bias?

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Describe the three types of bias that could occur in research studies, with the help of an example each.

Learning Objective: 11-1: Define bias and why it is important for making sense of numbers.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Is Bias?

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. A private hospital conducted a study to predict average number of patients, by department, for the next 12 months. The predictions were based on the hospital's patient data for the last 24 months. What type of study would you call this? Explain your answer.

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Longitudinal Studies

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. What is a repeated cross-sectional study? Why is it considered a type of longitudinal study?

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Repeated Cross-Sectional Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. With the help of an example, explain the difference between a prospective and a retrospective study.

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Longitudinal Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. In your own words, describe the characteristics of a case-control study. Illustrate with an example.

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Retrospective Studies

Difficulty Level: Hard

7. What is survivor bias in the context of retrospective studies? Give an example of this type of bias.

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Retrospective Studies

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. What are the primary methods for probability sampling? Which type of bias could be associated with these methods?

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Probability Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. What kind of adjustment is made in disproportionate sampling to restore the pattern in the population to the sample? Illustrate with an example.

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Disproportionate Sampling

Difficulty Level: Hard

10. Differentiate between bias due to study nonresponse and item nonresponse. Provide an example of each.

Learning Objective: 11-5: Describe types of item nonresponse and how they can introduce bias.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Study Nonresponse; Item Nonresponse

Difficulty Level: Medium

Essay

1. Design a cross-sectional study on a topic of your choice. Make sure that there are at least three independent variables in the study, with at least one of them being categorical. Discuss the sampling method you would use to prepare data for the study. Explain the reason(s) for your choice.

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Probability Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. For the research study in question 1, discuss the possible types of bias that could be present in the study. What steps would you take to correct this bias?

Learning Objective: 11-3: Recognize different types of probability and nonprobability methods for selecting a sample and how they affect sampling bias.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Probability Sampling Methods

Difficulty Level: Hard

3. Design a repeated cross-sectional study on a topic of your choice. Ensure that there are at least three independent variables in the study, with at least one of them being categorical. Explain the steps needed to design this type of study. Discuss possible bias due to study and item nonresponse. What steps would you take to correct this bias?

Learning Objective: 11-2: Describe the time structure of different types of study design.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Repeated Cross-Sectional Studies

Difficulty Level: Hard