Chapter 3: Proposing Explanations, Framing Hypotheses, and Making Comparisons

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. A(n) ______ is a testable statement about the empirical relationship between cause and effect.

A. concept

B. hypothesis

C. variable

D. explanation

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Framing Hypotheses

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. A researcher believes that voter turnout in a state is positively related to the educational achievement of its citizens. If true, the researcher should expect to find that ______.

A. voter turnout is unrelated to education

B. voter turnout is lower in states with higher educational achievement

C. voter turnout is roughly equal in all states

D. voter turnout is higher in states with higher educational achievement

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. An explanation must be described in such a way that it can be tested with ______.

A. empirical data

B. independent variable

C. dependent variable

D. conceptual definition

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Framing Hypotheses

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Which of the following is an unacceptable explanation for attitudes regarding same-sex marriage?

A. An individual’s religion is related to his or her views on the subject.

B. An individual’s views on the subject are innate.

C. An individual’s view on the issue is related to his or her political ideology.

D. An individual’s view on the issue is related to his or her education level.

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Causal Mechanism

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. A researcher believes that political attitudes are influenced by education level. What is the dependent variable?

A. the researcher

B. education level

C. political attitudes

D. influence

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. A researcher hypothesizes that age, party ID, and ideology are related to vote choice. What is the dependent variable?

A. party ID

B. vote choice

C. age

D. ideology

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. The statement that gender and same-sex marriage attitudes are related is a poor hypothesis because ______.

A. it is not a hypothesis

B. it is not a testable statement

C. the tendency of the relationship is not specified

D. the concepts are not clearly defined

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Framing Hypotheses

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. When comparing two categorical variables, it is appropriate to use which of the following methods?

A. means comparison

B. cross-tabulation

C. regression

D. logistic regression

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cross-Tabulations

Difficulty Level: Easy

9. A table that shows the distribution of cases across the values of a dependent variable for cases that have different values on an independent variable is called ______.

A. frequency distribution

B. bar chart

C. arrow diagram

D. cross-tabulation

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Cross-Tabulations

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. In a cross-tabulation, the categories of the independent variables are always placed ______.

A. in the columns

B. in the rows

C. where the researcher wants them

D. wherever it is most convenient

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cross-Tabulations

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. When performing a cross-tabulation, the researcher should always calculate the percentages of the categories of the ______.

A. dependent variable

B. intervening variable

C. independent variable

D. antecedent variable

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cross-Tabulations

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. A cross-tabulation is interpreted by comparing values across ______.

A. the same columns of the independent variable

B. the same columns of the dependent variable

C. the same rows of the independent variable

D. the same rows of the dependent variable

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Cross-Tabulations

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Suppose a researcher hypothesizes that states with higher levels of education will have higher GDP per capita. After conducting the research the results will be displayed in a ______.

A. frequency distribution table

B. cross-tabulation

C. mean comparison table

D. bar graph

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Mean Comparisons

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. A researcher hypothesizes that the higher the level of education a citizen has will increase his or her propensity to vote. This is an example of a(n) ______ relationship.

A. indirect

B. inverse

C. obverse

D. direct

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. A relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable that runs in a negative direction is called a(n) ______ relationship.

A. inverse

B. obverse

C. direct

D. indirect

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Easy

16. A relationship in which the value of the dependent variable changes consistently with a change in the value of the independent variable is referred to as a ______ relationship.

A. positive

B. negative

C. linear

D. curvilinear

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Easy

17. Suppose that as education increases so does the likelihood of political participation. However, the likelihood of participation levels off and begins to fall after one obtains a Master’s degree. What type of relationship is present between education and political participation?

A. linear

B. curvilinear

C. negative

D. inverse

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. The variable that represents a causal factor in an explanation is the ______.

A. antecedent variable

B. dependent variable

C. independent variable

D. intervening variable

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

19. The variable that represents the effect in a causal explanation is called the ______ variable.

A. antecedent

B. dependent

C. independent

D. intervening

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

20. Which of the following is considered to be the workhorses of explanation in political science?

C. hypotheses

D. variables

C. inferences

D. relationships

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

True/False

1. Older individuals make more money than younger individuals is an acceptable explanation for an observed difference in income between older and younger workers.

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Proposing Explanations

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. The law of diminishing returns is an example of a linear relationship between effort and return on the effort.

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. A linear relationship between two variables may be either positive or negative.

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. A valid hypothesis must be empirical and testable.

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. A politician claiming that lowering tax rates produces higher revenues is a valid hypothesis.

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Framing Hypotheses

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. A researcher hypothesizes that as income increases the likelihood of voting also increases. The independent variable is income.

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. A researcher hypothesizes that income inequality makes civil wars more likely. The dependent variable is inequality.

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Climate change related to human activity is a valid hypothesis.

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Framing Hypotheses

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. A valid hypothesis must clearly state the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable.

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Framing Hypotheses

Difficulty Level: Easy

10. The second goal of political research is to propose and test explanations for political phenomena.

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Proposing explanations is an “anything goes” activity.

Learning Objective: 3-2: The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Proposing Explanations

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. A good explanation always describes a causal process.

Learning Objective: 3-1: How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Causal Mechanisms

Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Hypotheses suggest a comparison.

Learning Objective: 3-4: How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Making Comparisons

Difficulty Level: Easy

14. Ordinal-level independent variables have equal unit differences.

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Graphing Relationships and Describing Patterns

Difficulty Level: Easy

15. A mean comparison table is a table that shows the mean of a dependent variable for cases that have different values on an independent variable.

Learning Objective: 3-5: How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Mean Comparisons

Difficulty Level: Easy