Basic research design and program evaluation concepts for counselors tested on the National Counselor Examination.
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- In an experiment, what is the independent variable?
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The variable the researcher manipulates or controls.- In an experiment, what is the dependent variable?
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The outcome variable that is measured and expected to change in response to the independent variable.- What does internal validity refer to in a study?
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The degree to which a study shows that the independent variable, not other factors, caused the change in the dependent variable.- What does external validity refer to in a study?
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The extent to which study results can be generalized to other people, settings, and times.- What is the main purpose of random assignment in an experiment?
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To distribute participant differences evenly across groups so the groups are equivalent before treatment, controlling for confounding variables.- What is a confounding variable?
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An outside variable that varies along with the independent variable and offers an alternative explanation for the results.- What two features distinguish a true experimental design from other designs?
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Manipulation of an independent variable and random assignment of participants to groups.- What makes a quasi-experimental design different from a true experiment?
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It involves manipulating a variable but without random assignment of participants to groups.- What does a correlational research design examine?
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The relationship or association between two or more variables without manipulating any of them.- Why can a correlation between two variables not prove that one causes the other?
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Because a third variable, reverse causation, or coincidence could explain the relationship instead.- What is a Type I error in hypothesis testing?
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Rejecting a true null hypothesis (a false positive).- What is a Type II error in hypothesis testing?
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Failing to reject a false null hypothesis (a false negative).- What does the null hypothesis state?
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That there is no significant difference or relationship between the variables being studied.- In most social science research, a p-value below what threshold is considered statistically significant?
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.05- What does reliability refer to in measurement?
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The consistency or repeatability of a test's results.
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