STC 262 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED LATEST UPDATE 2026
Social Science - Answers Social science studies human society and social behavior. It uses empirical
methods to understand societal issues, often through research and data analysis.
Functions of Communication - Answers Informing, Persuading, Influencing, Entertaining, Relating,
Expressing (IPIERE)
Goals of Communication - Answers Creating understanding. Influencing perceptions and actions.
Building relationships. Generating social change.
Descriptive Research - Answers Aims to describe characteristics of a population or phenomenon.
Exploratory Research - Answers Investigates an under-researched area to find patterns or ideas.
Explanatory Research - Answers Seeks to explain the relationships between variables.
Evaluative Research - Answers Assesses the effectiveness of a program, policy, or intervention.
What do the Barcelona Principles guide? - Answers The measurement and evaluation of public
relations efforts.
What is the importance of setting measurable objectives according to the Barcelona Principles? -
Answers It is crucial for effective measurement and evaluation.
What should measurement focus on according to the Barcelona Principles? - Answers Outcomes
rather than outputs.
What types of methods should be used for measurement according to the Barcelona Principles? -
Answers Both qualitative and quantitative methods.
How should evaluation be aligned according to the Barcelona Principles? - Answers With
organizational goals.
Quantitative Paradigm - Answers Focuses on numbers, statistical analysis, and generalizability. Uses
large sample sizes and structured data collection methods.
Qualitative Paradigm - Answers Focuses on understanding meaning, context, and experiences. Uses
interviews, observations, and smaller, in-depth samples.
What is the scientific method? - Answers A systematic approach to research.
What is the first step of the scientific method? - Answers Observation: Gathering data.
What is the second step of the scientific method? - Answers Hypothesis Formation: Proposing an
explanation.
What is the third step of the scientific method? - Answers Experimentation: Testing the hypothesis
through experimentation.
What is the fourth step of the scientific method? - Answers Analysis: Interpreting the data.
What is the final step of the scientific method? - Answers Conclusion: Drawing conclusions and
possibly refining the hypothesis.
Hypothesis - Answers A testable statement predicting an outcome.
Research Question - Answers A clear, focused question guiding the research.
Diagramming - Answers Often represented visually through cause-and-effect relationships or
flowcharts.
Independent Variable (IV) - Answers The variable manipulated or changed to observe its effect.
Dependent Variable (DV) - Answers The variable that is measured in response to the IV.
Conceptual Definition - Answers A theoretical definition of a concept.
Operational Definition - Answers A specific, measurable definition used in a research context.
What is nominal measurement? - Answers Categories without an inherent order (e.g., gender,
ethnicity).
What is ordinal measurement? - Answers Categories with an order, but the distance between
categories is not meaningful (e.g., rankings).
What is interval measurement? - Answers Ordered categories with equal distances between them,
but no true zero point (e.g., temperature).
What is ratio measurement? - Answers Like interval, but with a true zero point (e.g., age, income).
Population - Answers The entire group being studied.
Sample - Answers A subset of the population selected for research.
Sampling Bias - Answers Occurs when the sample is not representative of the population, leading to
skewed results.
Simple Random Sampling - Answers Every member of the population has an equal chance of being
selected. (Probability Sampling)
Systematic Sampling - Answers Selecting every nth member from a list. (Probability Sampling)
Social Science - Answers Social science studies human society and social behavior. It uses empirical
methods to understand societal issues, often through research and data analysis.
Functions of Communication - Answers Informing, Persuading, Influencing, Entertaining, Relating,
Expressing (IPIERE)
Goals of Communication - Answers Creating understanding. Influencing perceptions and actions.
Building relationships. Generating social change.
Descriptive Research - Answers Aims to describe characteristics of a population or phenomenon.
Exploratory Research - Answers Investigates an under-researched area to find patterns or ideas.
Explanatory Research - Answers Seeks to explain the relationships between variables.
Evaluative Research - Answers Assesses the effectiveness of a program, policy, or intervention.
What do the Barcelona Principles guide? - Answers The measurement and evaluation of public
relations efforts.
What is the importance of setting measurable objectives according to the Barcelona Principles? -
Answers It is crucial for effective measurement and evaluation.
What should measurement focus on according to the Barcelona Principles? - Answers Outcomes
rather than outputs.
What types of methods should be used for measurement according to the Barcelona Principles? -
Answers Both qualitative and quantitative methods.
How should evaluation be aligned according to the Barcelona Principles? - Answers With
organizational goals.
Quantitative Paradigm - Answers Focuses on numbers, statistical analysis, and generalizability. Uses
large sample sizes and structured data collection methods.
Qualitative Paradigm - Answers Focuses on understanding meaning, context, and experiences. Uses
interviews, observations, and smaller, in-depth samples.
What is the scientific method? - Answers A systematic approach to research.
What is the first step of the scientific method? - Answers Observation: Gathering data.
What is the second step of the scientific method? - Answers Hypothesis Formation: Proposing an
explanation.
What is the third step of the scientific method? - Answers Experimentation: Testing the hypothesis
through experimentation.
What is the fourth step of the scientific method? - Answers Analysis: Interpreting the data.
What is the final step of the scientific method? - Answers Conclusion: Drawing conclusions and
possibly refining the hypothesis.
Hypothesis - Answers A testable statement predicting an outcome.
Research Question - Answers A clear, focused question guiding the research.
Diagramming - Answers Often represented visually through cause-and-effect relationships or
flowcharts.
Independent Variable (IV) - Answers The variable manipulated or changed to observe its effect.
Dependent Variable (DV) - Answers The variable that is measured in response to the IV.
Conceptual Definition - Answers A theoretical definition of a concept.
Operational Definition - Answers A specific, measurable definition used in a research context.
What is nominal measurement? - Answers Categories without an inherent order (e.g., gender,
ethnicity).
What is ordinal measurement? - Answers Categories with an order, but the distance between
categories is not meaningful (e.g., rankings).
What is interval measurement? - Answers Ordered categories with equal distances between them,
but no true zero point (e.g., temperature).
What is ratio measurement? - Answers Like interval, but with a true zero point (e.g., age, income).
Population - Answers The entire group being studied.
Sample - Answers A subset of the population selected for research.
Sampling Bias - Answers Occurs when the sample is not representative of the population, leading to
skewed results.
Simple Random Sampling - Answers Every member of the population has an equal chance of being
selected. (Probability Sampling)
Systematic Sampling - Answers Selecting every nth member from a list. (Probability Sampling)
