MMC 3420 UPDATED EXAMS SCRIPT QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔What is the central limit theorem? - ✔✔For samples of a sufficiently large enough
size, the real distribution of means is almost always about normal. The original variable
can have any distribution
✔✔Law of Large Numbers? - ✔✔The smaller the size of a random sample, the less
accurate it approximates the true population parameter
✔✔Confidence Level - ✔✔The degree of assurance that an actual mean in a sampling
distribution accurately represents the true population mean
-We set this at 95% in the social sciences
✔✔Confidence Interval (sampling error) - ✔✔The plus or minus percentage that is a
range within the confidence level
-So a CI of 5, or 5%: 50 +/- 5 is a range between 45 and 55% OR, you can say a CI of
one standard deviation unit, a z-value of +/- 1.96 around the mean accounts for 95% of
scores
-Influenced by: Variability in the population; Confidence level employed; Size of the
random sample
✔✔Why does it matter that we sample appropriately in research? - ✔✔
, ✔✔What is content analysis? - ✔✔Is analyzing communication in a systematic,
objective and quantitative manner for the purpose of measuring variable.
✔✔What does content analysis study? - ✔✔The message
✔✔The biggest difference between a probability and a non-probability sample is: -
✔✔You can not generalize data from non-probability sample to a larger population.
✔✔What are examples of a non-probability sample? - ✔✔-Purposive sample
-Quota sample
-Volunteer sample
✔✔What is an advantage of a simple random sample? - ✔✔You can infer your findings
to a larger population of interest
✔✔Sampling interval is most closely associated with what kind of sample? -
✔✔Systematic random
✔✔All other things equal, as sample size increases: - ✔✔Standard error decreases
✔✔What are measurement errors? - ✔✔-Data input errors
-Faulty data collection equipment
-Asking respondents the wrong questions or asking questions incorrectly
✔✔A census uses a sample of a population. - ✔✔False
✔✔A detailed list of all TV households in a market or all registered voters in a county
could serve as a ______________ in a research study - ✔✔Sampling Frame
✔✔What best characterizes the calculated or pre-set margin of error associated with a
sample statistic? - ✔✔Confidence Interval (sampling error)
✔✔The best possible sample from your population is one that is the most
_______________. - ✔✔Representative
✔✔Content analysis is... - ✔✔-Quantitative
-Systematic
-Objective, or Inter-Subjective
✔✔One purpose of content analysis is to... - ✔✔Compare media content with the real
world
✔✔Content analysis categories must: - ✔✔-Be reliable
AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔What is the central limit theorem? - ✔✔For samples of a sufficiently large enough
size, the real distribution of means is almost always about normal. The original variable
can have any distribution
✔✔Law of Large Numbers? - ✔✔The smaller the size of a random sample, the less
accurate it approximates the true population parameter
✔✔Confidence Level - ✔✔The degree of assurance that an actual mean in a sampling
distribution accurately represents the true population mean
-We set this at 95% in the social sciences
✔✔Confidence Interval (sampling error) - ✔✔The plus or minus percentage that is a
range within the confidence level
-So a CI of 5, or 5%: 50 +/- 5 is a range between 45 and 55% OR, you can say a CI of
one standard deviation unit, a z-value of +/- 1.96 around the mean accounts for 95% of
scores
-Influenced by: Variability in the population; Confidence level employed; Size of the
random sample
✔✔Why does it matter that we sample appropriately in research? - ✔✔
, ✔✔What is content analysis? - ✔✔Is analyzing communication in a systematic,
objective and quantitative manner for the purpose of measuring variable.
✔✔What does content analysis study? - ✔✔The message
✔✔The biggest difference between a probability and a non-probability sample is: -
✔✔You can not generalize data from non-probability sample to a larger population.
✔✔What are examples of a non-probability sample? - ✔✔-Purposive sample
-Quota sample
-Volunteer sample
✔✔What is an advantage of a simple random sample? - ✔✔You can infer your findings
to a larger population of interest
✔✔Sampling interval is most closely associated with what kind of sample? -
✔✔Systematic random
✔✔All other things equal, as sample size increases: - ✔✔Standard error decreases
✔✔What are measurement errors? - ✔✔-Data input errors
-Faulty data collection equipment
-Asking respondents the wrong questions or asking questions incorrectly
✔✔A census uses a sample of a population. - ✔✔False
✔✔A detailed list of all TV households in a market or all registered voters in a county
could serve as a ______________ in a research study - ✔✔Sampling Frame
✔✔What best characterizes the calculated or pre-set margin of error associated with a
sample statistic? - ✔✔Confidence Interval (sampling error)
✔✔The best possible sample from your population is one that is the most
_______________. - ✔✔Representative
✔✔Content analysis is... - ✔✔-Quantitative
-Systematic
-Objective, or Inter-Subjective
✔✔One purpose of content analysis is to... - ✔✔Compare media content with the real
world
✔✔Content analysis categories must: - ✔✔-Be reliable
