CNSL 503 Final Exam Comprehensive UPDATED ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT Answers
True of False: Statistics is used to prove claims. False
What are Variables? Variables are measurable characteristics that can vary in value.
My answer: Variables are different types of data in an experiment (used to classify
the type of data being collected)
What type of scale is used when labeling or using This would be qualitative data and the SCALE would be nominal! Ex: blood type,
categories? college majors, room numbers
True or false: it is generally feasible to collect data from FALSE! unless the target of a particular research study is comprised of a small
every member of a population population, it is usually not practical or sensible to attempt to reach every member
within a population
Which of the following are examples of ordinal variables? -shirt sizes, places in a marathon Explanation: ordinal is used for qualitative variables
Select all that apply. and includes ranking in size or measure (does not indicate how much the data differ)
- Shirt sizes
- college major
- places in a marathon (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Temperature
When a variable can contain negative values, what type of An interval scale because variables containing negative values do not have an
scale is most appropriate? Why? absolute zero. Note: this is quantitative data
When is it most appropriate to use a ratio scale? A ratio scale is used when a variable has an absolute zero (Ex: height, weight, exam
scores, GPA)
Note: this is quantitative data
True or false: statistics are used to communicate results but TRUE!
can be used to mislead individuals
Provide an example of quantitative variable and an Quantitative Ex: test scores, reaction time, error number, vital signs, temperature
example of a qualitative variable
Qualitative Ex: sex, college major, eye color, blood type, shirt size
How are sample and population related? A population includes every member within a particular group, whereas a sample is
a smaller subset of the given population (used to represent the whole population)
, True or false: discrete variables are counted as whole TRUE! discrete variables are quantitative variables that can be organized into
numbers separate categories or counted using whole numbers. Ex: number of patients in a
hospital, pets in a home
_ ____ statistics involves analyses that provide a way to Answer: descriptive; inferential Explanation: descriptive statistics involve
summarize and describe data, whereas ______ statistics are calcluations like mean, median, mode, standard deviation, variance, and range.
performed for researchers to make inferences and Inferential statistics involve calculations such as those use for hypothesis testing (z-
generalizations about populations based on sample data. scorem, t-test, ANOVA, correctional analyses).
Which of the following is NOT involved in the process of Answer: obtain resources Explanation: the steps are identify goals, gather sample,
sampling? make inferences/conclusions
- identify goals
- collect data
- make conclusions
- obtain resources
A movie theater is interested in how movie-goers would descriptive statistic because average rating of movie is a calculation used to
rate the current movies being shown. They survey a group summarize / describe
of 100 movie-goers and ask each to rate the movie they
saw on a scale of 1-5 (1 = terrible, 5 = excellent). The
surveyors then calculate the average rating of each movie.
This is an example of what kind of statistic?
- descriptive statistics
- sample statistics
- parametric statistics
- inferential statistics
Which of the following is a discrete variable? Select all that number of pets per household, number of patients at a hospital
apply.
- Number of pets per household because discrete variables can ONLY be counted as whole numbers!
- distance
- number of patients at a hospital
- exam scores
Name a continuous variable. Why is it considered Ex: weight, temperature, time, length, and speed.
continuous?
continuous variables are variables that can be broken down into smaller, fractional
components (decimals, fractions, etc). It does NOT have to be a whole number
Which of the following fields do NOT use statistics? all of these fields use statistics
- politics
- sports
- entertainment
- medicine
- none of these fields use statistics
- all of these fields use statistics
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT Answers
True of False: Statistics is used to prove claims. False
What are Variables? Variables are measurable characteristics that can vary in value.
My answer: Variables are different types of data in an experiment (used to classify
the type of data being collected)
What type of scale is used when labeling or using This would be qualitative data and the SCALE would be nominal! Ex: blood type,
categories? college majors, room numbers
True or false: it is generally feasible to collect data from FALSE! unless the target of a particular research study is comprised of a small
every member of a population population, it is usually not practical or sensible to attempt to reach every member
within a population
Which of the following are examples of ordinal variables? -shirt sizes, places in a marathon Explanation: ordinal is used for qualitative variables
Select all that apply. and includes ranking in size or measure (does not indicate how much the data differ)
- Shirt sizes
- college major
- places in a marathon (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
- Temperature
When a variable can contain negative values, what type of An interval scale because variables containing negative values do not have an
scale is most appropriate? Why? absolute zero. Note: this is quantitative data
When is it most appropriate to use a ratio scale? A ratio scale is used when a variable has an absolute zero (Ex: height, weight, exam
scores, GPA)
Note: this is quantitative data
True or false: statistics are used to communicate results but TRUE!
can be used to mislead individuals
Provide an example of quantitative variable and an Quantitative Ex: test scores, reaction time, error number, vital signs, temperature
example of a qualitative variable
Qualitative Ex: sex, college major, eye color, blood type, shirt size
How are sample and population related? A population includes every member within a particular group, whereas a sample is
a smaller subset of the given population (used to represent the whole population)
, True or false: discrete variables are counted as whole TRUE! discrete variables are quantitative variables that can be organized into
numbers separate categories or counted using whole numbers. Ex: number of patients in a
hospital, pets in a home
_ ____ statistics involves analyses that provide a way to Answer: descriptive; inferential Explanation: descriptive statistics involve
summarize and describe data, whereas ______ statistics are calcluations like mean, median, mode, standard deviation, variance, and range.
performed for researchers to make inferences and Inferential statistics involve calculations such as those use for hypothesis testing (z-
generalizations about populations based on sample data. scorem, t-test, ANOVA, correctional analyses).
Which of the following is NOT involved in the process of Answer: obtain resources Explanation: the steps are identify goals, gather sample,
sampling? make inferences/conclusions
- identify goals
- collect data
- make conclusions
- obtain resources
A movie theater is interested in how movie-goers would descriptive statistic because average rating of movie is a calculation used to
rate the current movies being shown. They survey a group summarize / describe
of 100 movie-goers and ask each to rate the movie they
saw on a scale of 1-5 (1 = terrible, 5 = excellent). The
surveyors then calculate the average rating of each movie.
This is an example of what kind of statistic?
- descriptive statistics
- sample statistics
- parametric statistics
- inferential statistics
Which of the following is a discrete variable? Select all that number of pets per household, number of patients at a hospital
apply.
- Number of pets per household because discrete variables can ONLY be counted as whole numbers!
- distance
- number of patients at a hospital
- exam scores
Name a continuous variable. Why is it considered Ex: weight, temperature, time, length, and speed.
continuous?
continuous variables are variables that can be broken down into smaller, fractional
components (decimals, fractions, etc). It does NOT have to be a whole number
Which of the following fields do NOT use statistics? all of these fields use statistics
- politics
- sports
- entertainment
- medicine
- none of these fields use statistics
- all of these fields use statistics
