Ch13 Uncertainty Of Numeric Estimates Verified Test Bank - Complete Test Bank | Making Sense of Numbers 1e by Miller by Jane E. Miller. DOCX document preview.
Chapter 13: Uncertainty of Numeric Estimates
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Why does sampling from a population introduce uncertainty into the sample estimates?
A. variation in samples drawn from the population
B. systematic error in samples drawn
C. changes in population due to time
D. estimates different from population statistics
Learning Objective: 13-1: Define statistical uncertainty and why it is important for making sense of numbers.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: What Is Statistical Uncertainty?
Difficulty Level: Easy
2. What is a point estimate?
A. estimate of a sample parameter
B. estimate of a population parameter
C. mean of several sample means
D. variance of a population parameter
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy
3. Why is inferential statistics from a sample collected using nonprobability methods problematic?
A. Sample has both sample and systematic error.
B. sample not representative of the population
C. Sample data is incomplete or partially missing.
D. Sample has too many outlier values.
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium
4. The sample mean of a variable is found to be 35.7. The true population mean of that variable was known to be 40.2. What is the sampling error of the variable?
A. 4.20
B. 9.00
C. 4.50
D. 2.25
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy
5. Three different samples were drawn from a population. The mean of variable AGE for the three samples was found to be 24, 27, and 21, respectively. What is the sampling variation in AGE?
A. 3.0
B. 8.0
C. 9.0
D. 1.5
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard
6. What are the two factors that determine the standard error of a point estimate?
A. population size and sample size
B. sample estimate and population statistic
C. standard deviation and variance of estimate
D. sample size and variance of estimate
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Standard Error
Difficulty Level: Easy
7. The sample mean of the variable height in a data set was found to be 68 inches, with a standard error of four inches. The researcher reported that the population or true mean height fell within one margin of error of the sample mean, at the 95% confidence level. What is the chance that the true mean is 75 inches or more?
A. 95%
B. 2.5%
C. 5%
D. 47.5%
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Margin of Error and Confidence Level
Difficulty Level: Hard
8. What is a confidence interval of a point estimate?
A. the likelihood that the true parameter falls within a range of values
B. the values that the true parameter is likely to exceed, at a given level
C. a numeric range within which the true parameter falls, at a given confidence level
D. a percentage range of the likelihood that the sample and true mean are equal
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Confidence Intervals
Difficulty Level: Medium
9. Which of the following is not affected by sample size?
A. random error
B. bias
C. uncertainty
D. reliability
Learning Objective: 13-4: Distinguish between uncertainty and bias.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Uncertainty Versus Bias
Difficulty Level: Easy
10. How could bias be reduced, if measurement validity has been corrected?
A. take a representative sample
B. increase the sample size
C. ensure measurement reliability
D. choose a different population
Learning Objective: 13-4: Distinguish between uncertainty and bias.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Uncertainty Versus Bias
Difficulty Level: Medium
11. What is hypothesis testing?
A. assess whether a point or sample estimate falls within a given confidence interval
B. confirm a hypothesis that a population parameter has a given p value
C. state an assumption on the expected value of a sample estimate
D. assess whether a hypothesis on a population parameter is supported by sample data
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Step 1: Write a Hypothesis
Difficulty Level: Easy
12. The sample mean of a variable is 137.6, and is reported with an associated p value of 0.001. How could this p value be interpreted as?
A. Probability of .999 that true mean is null, when sample mean is 137.6.
B. The chance of the population or true mean being 137.6 is 0.001.
C. Probability of .001 that population mean is 0, when sample mean is 137.6.
D. 99.9% chance that the true mean is greater than 137.6.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Step 2: Obtain a p Value
Difficulty Level: Hard
13. For a hypothesis test, the confidence level is taken as 95%. What is the significance level for this test?
A. .95
B. .05
C. .95%
D. .05%
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Step 3: Specify the Significance Level
Difficulty Level: Easy
14. If the p value of the hypothesis test in Question 13 is calculated to be .003, what conclusion could be made from the test?
A. Estimate is not significant.
B. Population parameter is null.
C. Estimate is statistically significant.
D. accept the null hypothesis
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Step 4: Assess Statistical Significance Using the p Value
Difficulty Level: Medium
15. In a research study the estimate of variable X is found to be 12.8, with a confidence interval of 10.8 and 14.8. A second estimate of variable X, using a different sample, was 14.2, with a confidence interval of 11.2 and 17.2. What can we say about the difference in the two estimates, if both had valid p values? Choose the best answer.
A. Difference is not significant.
B. Difference is statistically significant.
C. Any difference cannot be determined.
D. There is minimal difference.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Use of Confidence Intervals for Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Hard
16. What is an alternative term used in recent research for “confidence interval”?
A. confidence bounds
B. significance interval
C. compatibility interval
D. reliability range
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Easy
17. What is the current critique of a statistically significant estimate found using traditional research methods?
A. Estimate is biased downwards.
B. Estimate significance is often unknown.
C. Estimate is different for other p values.
D. Estimate is biased upwards.
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Easy
18. What is a common critique of traditional research methods of testing significance, other than publication bias? Choose the best answer.
A. incorrect statistical techniques
B. misleading conclusion on presence of a null effect
C. misleading usage of a confidence interval
D. erroneous calculation of the point estimate
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Medium
19. What could be done to minimize faulty inferences made with traditional research methods? Choose the best answer.
A. remove references to confidence intervals of estimate
B. choose multiple p values for testing significance
C. report compatibility interval along with estimate
D. interpret direction, size, and uncertainty of estimate
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional hypothesis testing
Difficulty Level: Medium
20. What is meant by publication bias? Choose the best answer.
A. an upward bias in effect sizes of estimates
B. a bias toward medical research papers
C. a downward bias in effect size of estimate
D. publication of research with yes/no conclusions
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Easy
21. What does the value of 'R' represent in a correlation matrix for bivariate data?
A. the p values of each pair of variables
B. correlation of a variable with itself
C. strength of association between two variables
D. the number of cases with values for both variables
Learning Objective: 13-7: Interpret results of bivariate and three-way inferential statistical tests.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Correlation
Difficulty Level: Easy
22. A cell in a bivariate correlation matrix shows a value of 1 for the 'R' statistic. How would you interpret this value?
A. positive correlation present
B. one case with both variable values
C. incorrect p value in the table
D. correlation of a variable with itself
Learning Objective: 13-7: Interpret results of bivariate and three-way inferential statistical tests.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Correlation
Difficulty Level: Medium
23. What is the statistical measure generally shown in a cross-tabulation between two categorical variables?
A. R2
B. R
C. ᵪ2
D. variance
Learning Objective: 13-7: Interpret results of bivariate and three-way inferential statistical tests.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Cross-tabulation
Difficulty Level: Easy
24. What is a multichotomous variable?
A. a numeric variable with multiple decimals
B. a categorical variable with one or more categories
C. an interval variable with one or more values
D. a categorical variable with two or more categories
Learning Objective: 13-7: Interpret results of bivariate and three-way inferential statistical tests.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Cross-tabulation
Difficulty Level: Easy
25. Which measure is used to analyze difference in means in an ANOVA test?
A. R2
B. F statistic
C. standard deviation
D. ᵪ2
Learning Objective: 13-7: Interpret results of bivariate and three-way inferential statistical tests.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Difference in means or ANOVA
Difficulty Level: Easy
True/False
1. “Statistical uncertainty” means a sample estimate can never be exactly equal to the population parameter.
Learning Objective: 13-1: Define statistical uncertainty and why it is important for making sense of numbers.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: What Is Statistical Uncertainty?
Difficulty Level: Easy
2. Inferential statistics means reaching a conclusion about characteristics of a population based on sample data.
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy
3. A “point estimate” is a summary statistic, such as the mean or proportion, of the population.
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium
4. The mean income of residents of Long Island City, NY, was $32,500. The mean income of a random sample of 200 residents of Long Island City was found to be $28,900. The difference between the two numbers ($3,600) is known as sampling error.
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy
5. The higher the precision of a sample estimate, the lower is its sampling error.
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy
6. The standard error is an estimate of the sampling error of a point estimate.
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Standard Error
Difficulty Level: Medium
7. The sample size drawn from a population was increased from 200 cases to 1,000 cases. This increase in sample size reduced the standard error of summary statistics calculated from the independent variable in the data.
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Standard Error
Difficulty Level: Medium
8. Choosing a higher confidence level results in a smaller range for margin of error of a sampling estimate.
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Margin of Error and Confidence Level
Difficulty Level: Medium
9. A confidence level of 99% is interpreted as the difference between a sample estimate and the population parameter is less than the margin of error 99% of the time.
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Margin of Error and Confidence Level
Difficulty Level: Easy
10. A confidence interval is calculated as Point Estimate (+/–) 2*Margin of Error.
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Confidence Intervals
Difficulty Level: Easy
Short Answer
1. What are the limits, if any, to values of uncertainty measures such as standard error, confidence level, and confidence interval?
Learning Objective: 13-3: Recognize measures of uncertainty and how they are affected by sample size.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Criteria for Making Sense of Measures of uncertainty
Difficulty Level: Easy
2. Distinguish between random error and bias. Illustrate the differences with the help of an example.
Learning Objective: 13-4: Distinguish between uncertainty and bias.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Uncertainty Versus Bias
Difficulty Level: Medium
3. Describe the steps in developing a hypothesis test. Walk through these steps with an example.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Basics of Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Medium
4. Write a hypothesis statement on cigarette smoking and the probability of cancer as the variables of interest. You may have 2 statements for the null and the alternative hypothesis respectively.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Step 1: Write a Hypothesis
Difficulty Level: Hard
5. Explain what is a p value, and how it is used in hypothesis testing. Provide an example.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Step 2: Obtain a p Value
Difficulty Level: Medium
6. In a hypothesis test, a significance level of 0.05 was chosen. How would you interpret this value?
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Step 3: Specify the Significance Level
Difficulty Level: Medium
7. Explain what is a 'statistically significant' result from a hypothesis test. Illustrate with an example.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Step 4: Assess Statistical Significance Using the p Value
Difficulty Level: Hard
8. With the help of an example, illustrate how confidence intervals could be used to assess differences in an outcome variable across values of a categorical independent variable.
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Use of Confidence Intervals for Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Medium
9. Distinguish between interpreting a confidence interval and a compatibility interval.
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Easy
10. In your own words, describe what is 'publication bias'. Provide an example.
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Medium
Essay
1. Find a research paper on the internet that uses traditional statistical hypothesis testing and reports on measures of uncertainty. Identify the inferential statistics and uncertainty measures used in the study. Comment on these statistics and measures.
Learning Objective: 13-2: Understand the basic concepts behind inferential statistics.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium
2. Using the paper chosen in question 1, comment on the hypothesis development and testing done by the authors. Would you have done anything differently in this process of hypothesis testing?
Learning Objective: 13-5: Understand the objectives behind statistical significance (hypothesis) testing.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Basics of Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Medium
3. Discuss any drawbacks you observe in the traditional statistical methods used by the authors of the paper in question 1. How would you revise the approach taken by the authors on significance testing, using more current approaches? Explain your answer.
Learning Objective: 13-6: List some disadvantages of traditional ways of reporting statistical significance.
Cognitive Domain: Application
Answer Location: Drawbacks of Traditional Hypothesis Testing
Difficulty Level: Hard
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Complete Test Bank | Making Sense of Numbers 1e by Miller
By Jane E. Miller