CRC Research Methods 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A rehabilitation counselor reviews 10 years of client records to examine trends in disability-related employment barriers. This is an example of:
- Prospective cohort study
- Archival research (Correct answer)
- Action research
- Longitudinal experimental study
Correct answer: Archival research
Archival research analyzes existing records or documents rather than collecting new primary data.
Question 2: Which qualitative data collection method involves the researcher observing participants in their natural environment without manipulating variables?
- Structured interview
- Naturalistic observation (Correct answer)
- Focus group
- Delphi technique
Correct answer: Naturalistic observation
Naturalistic observation involves studying behavior in real-world settings without researcher interference.
Question 3: In a multiple regression analysis, multicollinearity refers to:
- High correlation among predictor variables (Correct answer)
- Non-normal distribution of residuals
- Unequal variances across groups
- Outliers in the dependent variable
Correct answer: High correlation among predictor variables
Multicollinearity occurs when independent variables are highly intercorrelated, making it difficult to isolate each predictor's effect.
Question 4: The Hawthorne effect is a threat to internal validity because:
- Participants drop out at different rates across groups
- Participants change behavior simply because they are being observed (Correct answer)
- Instruments lose reliability over time
- Groups differ on pretest scores
Correct answer: Participants change behavior simply because they are being observed
The Hawthorne effect occurs when awareness of being studied alters participant behavior, confounding results.
Question 5: A researcher computes a 95% confidence interval for mean job placement rates. This interval means:
- 95% of individual scores fall within this range
- There is a 95% probability the true population mean lies within this interval across repeated sampling (Correct answer)
- The sample mean is statistically significant at p < .05
- The margin of error is exactly 5%
Correct answer: There is a 95% probability the true population mean lies within this interval across repeated sampling
A 95% CI means that if the study were repeated many times, 95% of such intervals would contain the true population parameter.
Question 6: Which measure of central tendency is most resistant to the influence of extreme outliers?
- Mean
- Mode
- Median (Correct answer)
- Range
Correct answer: Median
The median is not affected by extreme values because it reflects the middle rank, not the arithmetic average.
Question 7: A single-subject research design that involves withdrawing a treatment to demonstrate its effect is called an:
- AB design
- ABA (reversal) design (Correct answer)
- Multiple baseline design
- Alternating treatments design
Correct answer: ABA (reversal) design
The ABA reversal design reinstates baseline conditions after treatment to confirm the treatment caused behavioral change.
CRC Research Methods 3
A rehabilitation counselor reviews 10 years of client records to examine trends in disability-related employment barriers.
This is an example of: