1
PSYCHOL1004/1005
RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Semester 1, 2020
APPLIED MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM QUESTIONS
Important things to know about this exam
This is an open-book multiple choice exam covering all aspects of the course. The
exam is worth 35% of your final grade for the course. It consists of 35 items, each
worth 1 mark.
At 9am on Wednesday May 27 (week 11) the exam portal will be opened on MyUni
and you will be able to go online and submit your answers. You should therefore
spend your time between now and then deciding what your answers will be. Do not
leave it to the last minute to prepare. Start working on it now.
The official due date is 9am Monday June 1. University policy allows you to submit
within the next 24 hours after that date without penalty – i.e., by 9am Tuesday June 2.
Submissions received after 9am Tuesday June 2 will be penalized 5% per day (unless
an extension has been granted).
Extensions will only be granted on genuine medical and compassionate grounds.
Work commitments are not grounds for an extension. Commitments during week 12
are not grounds for an extension. Extension requests will be accepted up to 9am on
the morning of Monday June 1 (week 12) and absolutely no later, and will only be
considered if submitted directly to me (Peter Strelan; )
using the Extension Request form available on MyUni, and including supporting
documentation.
The exam items as they appear online will be presented in random order to each
student. Be aware of this as you prepare for entering your answers online.
To avoid accidentally submitting the online exam before you have finished it, I
strongly recommend that you plan to do the online exam in one sitting.
To stay on the safe side, I strongly recommend that you keep this copy of the exam
with your final answers indicated on it.
Because it is an exam, because it is open-book, and because the questions are being
given to you months ahead, teaching staff will not discuss any of the exam items.
However, we are always available to discuss, more generally, methodological
principles and concepts that you don’t understand.
Exam results will only be released once ALL students have submitted their exam
(including students with extensions).
, 2
THESE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE IN THE EXAM
[in the exam these questions will be presented to you in random order]
1. Which of the following scenarios is the best example of the scientific method in action?
a. A world-renowned University academic with expertise in international relations
appears on a national current affairs TV show and says that “Based on the many
books and papers I have read, my view is that refugees should not be allowed to
come to Australia because they act in ways that are contrary to our values”.
b. A caller to a talkback radio show says that “Refugees should not be allowed to
come to Australia because they act in ways that are contrary to our values. I have
direct evidence for this because last week I saw on the news that a man from the
Middle East assaulted his daughter with an iron bar for talking to a White
Australian boy.”
c. Three Year 12 students conduct an online study as part of their Year 12
assessment. With the assistance of their teachers, they asked friends, family, and
acquaintances to complete their short survey on attitudes towards refugees.
d. “I don’t understand why anyone would have a problem with refugees”, says
Chris, a 24 year old construction worker. “They’re human beings just like the rest
of us. I’ve got lots of evidence to show that. In my soccer club, for example, there
are several refugees and they’re great to have around”.
2. In a study on speed-dating, Kevin plans to measure the construct of ‘likeability’. Which
one of the following operational definitions of ‘likeability’ should Kevin decide to use?
a. “How likeable a participant seems to be”
b. “The number of times a participant smiles during the speed-dating session”
c. “How friendly a participant acts when meeting other people during the speed-
dating session”
d. “How many times a participant looks another person in the eye when talking to
them”
3. John measures ‘sexual preference’ with the item, “I am more attracted to men than to
women” ‘[yes/no]. This is an example of…
a. operationalising a variable.
b. operationalising a construct.
c. turning a research hypothesis into a research question.
d. turning a theoretical hypothesis into a research question.
PSYCHOL1004/1005
RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Semester 1, 2020
APPLIED MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM QUESTIONS
Important things to know about this exam
This is an open-book multiple choice exam covering all aspects of the course. The
exam is worth 35% of your final grade for the course. It consists of 35 items, each
worth 1 mark.
At 9am on Wednesday May 27 (week 11) the exam portal will be opened on MyUni
and you will be able to go online and submit your answers. You should therefore
spend your time between now and then deciding what your answers will be. Do not
leave it to the last minute to prepare. Start working on it now.
The official due date is 9am Monday June 1. University policy allows you to submit
within the next 24 hours after that date without penalty – i.e., by 9am Tuesday June 2.
Submissions received after 9am Tuesday June 2 will be penalized 5% per day (unless
an extension has been granted).
Extensions will only be granted on genuine medical and compassionate grounds.
Work commitments are not grounds for an extension. Commitments during week 12
are not grounds for an extension. Extension requests will be accepted up to 9am on
the morning of Monday June 1 (week 12) and absolutely no later, and will only be
considered if submitted directly to me (Peter Strelan; )
using the Extension Request form available on MyUni, and including supporting
documentation.
The exam items as they appear online will be presented in random order to each
student. Be aware of this as you prepare for entering your answers online.
To avoid accidentally submitting the online exam before you have finished it, I
strongly recommend that you plan to do the online exam in one sitting.
To stay on the safe side, I strongly recommend that you keep this copy of the exam
with your final answers indicated on it.
Because it is an exam, because it is open-book, and because the questions are being
given to you months ahead, teaching staff will not discuss any of the exam items.
However, we are always available to discuss, more generally, methodological
principles and concepts that you don’t understand.
Exam results will only be released once ALL students have submitted their exam
(including students with extensions).
, 2
THESE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE IN THE EXAM
[in the exam these questions will be presented to you in random order]
1. Which of the following scenarios is the best example of the scientific method in action?
a. A world-renowned University academic with expertise in international relations
appears on a national current affairs TV show and says that “Based on the many
books and papers I have read, my view is that refugees should not be allowed to
come to Australia because they act in ways that are contrary to our values”.
b. A caller to a talkback radio show says that “Refugees should not be allowed to
come to Australia because they act in ways that are contrary to our values. I have
direct evidence for this because last week I saw on the news that a man from the
Middle East assaulted his daughter with an iron bar for talking to a White
Australian boy.”
c. Three Year 12 students conduct an online study as part of their Year 12
assessment. With the assistance of their teachers, they asked friends, family, and
acquaintances to complete their short survey on attitudes towards refugees.
d. “I don’t understand why anyone would have a problem with refugees”, says
Chris, a 24 year old construction worker. “They’re human beings just like the rest
of us. I’ve got lots of evidence to show that. In my soccer club, for example, there
are several refugees and they’re great to have around”.
2. In a study on speed-dating, Kevin plans to measure the construct of ‘likeability’. Which
one of the following operational definitions of ‘likeability’ should Kevin decide to use?
a. “How likeable a participant seems to be”
b. “The number of times a participant smiles during the speed-dating session”
c. “How friendly a participant acts when meeting other people during the speed-
dating session”
d. “How many times a participant looks another person in the eye when talking to
them”
3. John measures ‘sexual preference’ with the item, “I am more attracted to men than to
women” ‘[yes/no]. This is an example of…
a. operationalising a variable.
b. operationalising a construct.
c. turning a research hypothesis into a research question.
d. turning a theoretical hypothesis into a research question.
