Chapter 12 Test Items

1. Bethenny is conducting a study on the relationship between teacher–student interaction and student learning outcomes. Bethenny must choose a sample for her study, so she firsts obtains a list of all potential participants in her study population (students attending Ohio University). The students accessible to her are referred to as which of the following?

a. theoretical population

b. sampling frame

c. sampling population

d. simple sample

2. Bethenny is conducting a study on the relationship between teacher–student interaction and student learning outcomes. While Bethenny would like to generalize her study results to all college students, she cannot possibly sample students at every college in the United States. Because of this, Bethenny must use which type of sampling type?

a. probability sampling

b. nonprobability sampling

c. stratified random sampling

d. cluster sampling

3. Carlos runs a study where he wants to compare blind and deaf college students and their perceptions of professor sensitivity to the needs of other-impaired students. To conduct his study, he contacts organizations consisting of blind and deaf college student groups at universities across the country. He then randomly selects members from each organization for participation in his study. What form of probability sampling did he use?

a. simple random sample

b. stratified random sample

c. cluster sample

d. systematic sample

4. Bethenny selects the sample for her study by determining the sample size needed from the population and selecting every “nth” person from the population for inclusion in the study. Which type of sample is Bethenny using?

a. stratified sample

b. convenience sample

c. systematic sample

d. volunteer sample

5. Which sampling-related theory states the idea that the mean of the scores obtained from the probability sample will be equal to the mean of the scores obtained from the population?

a. quasi-sampling theory

b. central limits theorem

c. probability sampling theory

d. regression to the mean theory

6. Which of the following is NOT a type of nonprobability sampling?

a. simple random sample

b. convenience sample

c. purposive sample

d. volunteer sample

7. Which of the following samples is chosen to ensure that the number of volunteers recruited for a study is proportionate or equal to the number of group members in the population?

a. proportionate quota sample

b. quota sample

c. stratified sample

d. nonproportionate quota sample

8. Amanda is conducting a study examining firefighters’ communication satisfaction with their station chief. She visits all the fire stations in the region of her state and recruits participants who would like to participate in her study. What sampling approach is Amanda using?

a. convenience sample

b. volunteer sample

c. purposive sample

d. quota sample

9. Which of the following is an advantage of network sampling?

a. It is the easiest sampling procedure to use.

b. It is the most efficient probability sampling procedure.

c. It enables researchers to recruit members of populations that are not easily identifiable.

d. It allows a researcher to increase generalizability.

10. During the 2012 presidential election, news sources are reported that polls indicated that 59% of the population supported Obama for reelection. In addition, sources indicated a margin of error of 4%. Which of the following was the confidence interval?

a. 55–63

b. 4

c. 63–67

d. 2

11. What is the term used to refer to selecting people or units for inclusion in a research study?

a. sampling

b. research selection

c. methods

d. replication

12. Jamie is conducting a study using college students. He realizes that he needs a sample because there is no way he could possibly survey all college students in the world. All college students would represent what?

a. population

b. sampling frame

c. theoretical sample

d. populace

13. Which form of sampling involves selecting members of the accessible population in a nonrandom manner?

a. nonprobability

b. probability

c. random

d. nonrandom

14. Joann is conducting a study using a large mailing list. After rolling a dice, she ends up selecting every fourth person on the list until she meets her needed sample size. What type of sampling procedure did Joann use?

a. systematic

b. cluster

c. stratified

d. convenience

15. Daryl is conducting a study on student perceptions of college professors’ teaching. He finds a professor who will let him conduct a survey in a larger 300 student lecture hall. What type of sampling procedure did Daryl use?

a. convenience

b. cluster

c. volunteer

d. quota

16. A ______________ refers to an entire set of objects, observations, or scores that have some characteristic in common.

a. public

b. populace

c. population

d. sample

17. The term _____________ refers to the notion that the results of studying a sample from a population can be assumed to be true of the entire population.

a. generalizable

b. variable

c. postulated sample

d. universalizable

18. Xavier is conducting a study within a large multinational organization. He’s gotten permission to randomly sample people at offices in the United States. All of the employees within these offices are considered Xavier’s what?

a. sample

b. population

c. sampling frame

d. theoretical sample

19. To quickly conduct a study on instructor-student communication, a communication researcher hands outs surveys in three large lecture classes taught on her campus. What type of sample does this represent?

a. probability sample

b. nonprobability sample

c. stratified sample

d. systematic sample

20. A ___________ sample involves nonrandomly selecting participants to fulfill or meet a specific purpose the researcher has in mind.

a. convenience

b. volunteer

c. purposive

d. quota

21. A sample is an entire set of objects, observations, or scores that have some characteristic in common.

a. True

b. False

22. Nonprobability samples involve randomly selecting participants from a population of interest so that all potential participants have an equal chance of being selected for the sample.

a. True

b. False

23. Probability theory holds true when using any sampling procedure.

a. True

b. False

24. One advantage of random samples is the ability to calculate the statistical sampling error.

a. True

b. False

25. Stratified sampling is the preferred method in some research studies because it reduces the potential for sampling error.

a. True

b. False

26. Simple random samples are considered by many to be the “purest” method for collecting a probability sample.

a. True

b. False

27. Stratified sampling allows researchers to identify naturally occurring groups of participants who have a variable in common within the target population.

a. True

b. False

28. Cluster sampling involves selecting a sample by determining the sample size needed from the population and selecting every “nth” person from the population for inclusion in the study.

a. True

b. False

Essays:

29. Explain the central limits theorem.

30. Explain what sampling is and why we use samples and not populations in research studies.

31. When are nonprobability samples appropriate?

32. Provide an example to explain cluster sampling. How is cluster sampling different from stratified sampling?

33. Explain the relationship between sampling size and sampling error.

34. What is a major disadvantage when using convenience sampling? In what situation is convenience sampling particularly useful?

Matching:

35. Match each of the following terms with the correct statement.

a. Probability Sampling = Random selection of participants that guarantees that each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected.

b. Sampling Error = Refers to the random differences that exist between the sample and the population.

c. Central Limits Theorem = States that the mean of the scores obtained from the probability sample will be equal to the mean of the scores obtained from the population.

d. Theoretical Population = People in the population who qualify for a study, but may not be accessible.

e. Nonprobability Sampling = Selecting members of the accessible population in a nonrandom manner.