Communication Research Methods
(COMM 88 final - UCSB) Exam UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
What are the 4 steps of Multistage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Identify target
population
2. Define groups with the large population (clusters; e.g. geographical location)
3. Randomly sample them
4. Randomly sample individual elements within each of the sampled cluster
What are the pros and cons of Multistage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Pros:
useful for populations where individuals are not listed (ex: very large pop), reduces costs when
sampling
Cons: sampling error accumulates from each stage
What is the main idea of Multistage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER To break
population down and sample in stages.
What is done in Single-stage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Define groups within
larger population (clusters) then randomly sample them
What is an example of combining sampling techniques? - CORRECT ANSWER multistage
clustering with stratified sampling (e.g. when sampling HS clusters, stratify for private vs. public)
How do you construct a sampling frame? - CORRECT ANSWER *not a sample of anything
Plan/give an operational definition for the target population
What is coverage error? - CORRECT ANSWER When sampling frame doesn't perfectly fit the
target population
When can you generalize to a larger target population? - CORRECT ANSWER When random
sampling is done properly.
,What is the ecological fallacy? - CORRECT ANSWER Making unwarranted assertions about
individuals based on group observations
What is systematic error/sampling bias? What causes it? - CORRECT ANSWER Over- or
under-representing certain segments of the population systematically
Caused by low response rate, imperfect sampling frame, and using non-representative sampling
methods
What kind of sampling is this? when "who" is being sampled is more important than giving everyone
an equal chance - CORRECT ANSWER Non-representative sampling aka non-probability
sampling
What are the 4 types of non-representational sampling techniques? - CORRECT
ANSWER Convenience sample
Purposive sample
Volunteer sample
Network/Snowball sample
What is convenience sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Selecting individuals that are
available/handy
What is purposive sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Selecting individuals for a special reason
(e.g. their characteristics)
What is volunteer sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER People select themselves to be included in
a study
What is network/snowball sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Individuals are selected for the
study who contact other similar individuals to be in the study, who contact others and so on...
What are the primary goals of a survey? - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Identify/describe attitudes
or behaviors in a given target population
, 2. Examine relationships b/w the variables measured
Does one factor (X) predict/relate to an outcome(Y)?
Do (X1, X2, X3, etc) predict (Y)?
What are the 4 steps of survey research? - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Establish the goals of the
study
2. Determine the sample
3. Construct survey questionnaire
4. Administer questionnaire
What are the types of survey questions? - CORRECT ANSWER Factual, cognitive beliefs,
affective feelings, reported behavior, personal characteristics, demographic criteria, communication
networks
What is a cross-sectional survey? - CORRECT ANSWER Using different groups of people who
differ in the variable of interest
One sample taken at one point in time
What is a longitudinal survey and the 3 different types? - CORRECT ANSWER Variables are
measured at more than one point in time
1. Panel
2. Trend
3. Cohort
What is a panel? - CORRECT ANSWER Same people each time
Longitudinal survey
What is a trend? - CORRECT ANSWER Different random samples from the same target
population (usually large)
Longitudinal survey
What is a cohort? - CORRECT ANSWER Different samples, but of the same cohort (smaller
target population)
(COMM 88 final - UCSB) Exam UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
What are the 4 steps of Multistage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Identify target
population
2. Define groups with the large population (clusters; e.g. geographical location)
3. Randomly sample them
4. Randomly sample individual elements within each of the sampled cluster
What are the pros and cons of Multistage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Pros:
useful for populations where individuals are not listed (ex: very large pop), reduces costs when
sampling
Cons: sampling error accumulates from each stage
What is the main idea of Multistage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER To break
population down and sample in stages.
What is done in Single-stage Cluster Sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Define groups within
larger population (clusters) then randomly sample them
What is an example of combining sampling techniques? - CORRECT ANSWER multistage
clustering with stratified sampling (e.g. when sampling HS clusters, stratify for private vs. public)
How do you construct a sampling frame? - CORRECT ANSWER *not a sample of anything
Plan/give an operational definition for the target population
What is coverage error? - CORRECT ANSWER When sampling frame doesn't perfectly fit the
target population
When can you generalize to a larger target population? - CORRECT ANSWER When random
sampling is done properly.
,What is the ecological fallacy? - CORRECT ANSWER Making unwarranted assertions about
individuals based on group observations
What is systematic error/sampling bias? What causes it? - CORRECT ANSWER Over- or
under-representing certain segments of the population systematically
Caused by low response rate, imperfect sampling frame, and using non-representative sampling
methods
What kind of sampling is this? when "who" is being sampled is more important than giving everyone
an equal chance - CORRECT ANSWER Non-representative sampling aka non-probability
sampling
What are the 4 types of non-representational sampling techniques? - CORRECT
ANSWER Convenience sample
Purposive sample
Volunteer sample
Network/Snowball sample
What is convenience sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Selecting individuals that are
available/handy
What is purposive sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Selecting individuals for a special reason
(e.g. their characteristics)
What is volunteer sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER People select themselves to be included in
a study
What is network/snowball sampling? - CORRECT ANSWER Individuals are selected for the
study who contact other similar individuals to be in the study, who contact others and so on...
What are the primary goals of a survey? - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Identify/describe attitudes
or behaviors in a given target population
, 2. Examine relationships b/w the variables measured
Does one factor (X) predict/relate to an outcome(Y)?
Do (X1, X2, X3, etc) predict (Y)?
What are the 4 steps of survey research? - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Establish the goals of the
study
2. Determine the sample
3. Construct survey questionnaire
4. Administer questionnaire
What are the types of survey questions? - CORRECT ANSWER Factual, cognitive beliefs,
affective feelings, reported behavior, personal characteristics, demographic criteria, communication
networks
What is a cross-sectional survey? - CORRECT ANSWER Using different groups of people who
differ in the variable of interest
One sample taken at one point in time
What is a longitudinal survey and the 3 different types? - CORRECT ANSWER Variables are
measured at more than one point in time
1. Panel
2. Trend
3. Cohort
What is a panel? - CORRECT ANSWER Same people each time
Longitudinal survey
What is a trend? - CORRECT ANSWER Different random samples from the same target
population (usually large)
Longitudinal survey
What is a cohort? - CORRECT ANSWER Different samples, but of the same cohort (smaller
target population)
