Communication Research: Asking Questions, Finding Answers, 5e (Keyton)
Chapter 5 Measurement
1) Measurement is:
A) the same as evaluation.
B) identifying variables as independent or dependent.
C) collecting data through a questionnaire, or counting the number of instances a particular event
occurs.
D) the same as interpretation.
E) everything the researcher does to arrive at the numerical estimate.
2) Measurement allows researchers to make comparisons among:
A) individuals in the research project.
B) multiple studies using the same measurement device.
C) variables in one study.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.
3) A variable measured with discrete data means that the data identify participants as belonging to
A) one of at least two categories of the same variable.
B) one of several categories of multiple variables.
C) some position on a continuum of scores.
D) a ranked position as compared to other participants.
E) some position on a continuum of scores, including zero.
4) Continuous level data:
A) reflect differing degrees, amounts, or frequencies.
B) range from some minimum to maximum quantity.
C) reflect different categories of a variable.
D) are only produced from participants’ answers to items on a questionnaire.
E) A and B.
5) A Likert-type scale:
A) is a discrete measurement.
B) has a true zero.
C) distinguishes which element is highest, next highest, and so on.
D) has a response set which must be balanced at the ends of the continuum.
E) is any measurement that uses numbers as the response.
6) A semantic differential scale:
A) asks participants to locate the meaning they ascribe to a stimulus.
B) is a form of continuous level measurement.
C) is anchored by two opposite or bipolar adjectives.
D) does not include descriptors for the intermediate positions.
E) all of the above.
7) A threat to validity or reliability is:
A) any data-related problem that could lead you to draw a false conclusion from the data.
B) not really an issue if you’re not going to publish your research.
C) generated by research participants only.
D) generated by researchers only.
E) generated only when participants drop out of a study that collects data over a long period of
time.
8) Choose the research term that describes the ranking of preferences for political candidates.
A) Discrete data
B) Interval data
C) Ordinal data
D) Ratio data
9) Choose the research term that describes the score on communication competence questionnaire.
A) Discrete data
B) Interval data
C) Ordinal data
D) Ratio data
10) Choose the research term that describes the sex.
A) Discrete data
B) Interval data
C) Ordinal data
D) Ratio data
11) Choose the research term that describes the employment status.
A) Discrete data
B) Interval data
C) Ordinal data
D) Ratio data
12) Choose the research term that describes the ranking of television markets.
A) Discrete data
B) Interval data
C) Ordinal data
D) Ratio data
13) Choose the research term that describes the number of times the audience asks a speaker
questions.
A) Discrete data
B) Interval data
C) Ordinal data
D) Ratio data
14) Choose the research term that describes “measures what you want it to measure and not
something else.”
A) Reliability
B) Split-Half reliability
C) Test-Retest reliability
D) Validity
15) Choose the research term that describes the degree of similarity in measurements captured at
different points in time.
A) Reliability
B) Split-Half reliability
C) Test-Retest reliability
D) Validity
16) Choose the research term that describes the relationship between the concept being measured
and the process of measuring it.
A) Criterion-related validity
B) Face validity
C) Internal reliability
D) Internal validity
17) Choose the research term that describes “measuring the core concept that was intended to be
measured and not something else.”
A) Construct validity
B) Content validity
C) Criterion-related validity
D) Face validity
18) Choose the research term that describes “reflects true differences among individuals’ scores.”
A) Reliability
B) Split-Half reliability
C) Test-Retest reliability
D) Validity
19) Choose the research term that describes the following concept: just by looking at the
measuring device we believe it will measure what it is supposed to measure.
A) Construct validity
B) Content validity
C) Criterion-related validity
D) Face validity
20) Choose the research term that describes the following concept: achieved when one
measurement can be linked to some other external measure.
A) Construct validity
B) Content validity
C) Criterion-related validity
D) Face validity
21) Choose the research term that describes the following concept: a reliability coefficient
indicates the degree to which this concept occurred.
A) Internal reliability
B) Internal validity
C) Reliability
D) Split-Half reliability
22) Choose the research term that describes the easiest type of validity to establish.
A) Construct validity
B) Content validity
C) Criterion-related validity
D) Face validity
23) Choose the research term that describes the degree to which the measuring device represents
the full range of characteristics associated with the construct of interest.
A) Construct validity
B) Content validity
C) Criterion-related validity
D) Face validity
24) Choose the research term that describes “the measurement is stable, trustworthy, or
dependable.”
A) Reliability
B) Split-Half reliability
C) Test-Retest reliability
D) Validity
25) Choose the research term that describes the degree to which multiple items invoke the same
response from the participant.
A) Face validity
B) Internal reliability
C) Internal validity
D) Reliability
26) Choose the research term that describes “using half of the measuring items for one
measurement; the other half at another measurement.”
A) Reliability
B) Split-Half reliability
C) Test-Retest reliability
D) Validity
27) Choose the research term that describes “can be threatened when researcher selects
participants through convenience.”
A) Internal validity
B) Morality or attrition
C) Maturation
D) External validity
E) Ecological validity
28) Choose the research term that describes “can be threatened by the researcher’s influence on
participants.”
A) Internal validity
B) Morality or attrition
C) Maturation
D) External validity
E) Ecological validity
29) Choose the research term that describes the participants change over time.
A) Internal validity
B) Morality or attrition
C) Maturation
D) External validity
E) Ecological validity
30) Choose the research term that describes “can be threatened when researchers used
questionnaires that are dated.”
A) Internal validity
B) Morality or attrition
C) Maturation
D) External validity
E) Ecological validity
31) Choose the research term that describes “participants drop out of study that occurs over a
long-time period.”
A) Internal validity
B) Morality or attrition
C) Maturation
D) External validity
E) Ecological validity
32) Choose the research term that describes “particularly problematic when researcher uses
university students as participants to generalize results to other populations and samples.”
A) Internal validity
B) Morality or attrition
C) Maturation
D) External validity
E) Ecological validity
33) Discrete data are sometimes referred to as nominal data or categorical data.
34) Discrete data reflect amounts of the variable.
35) Generally, reliability can be improved.
36) In practice, perfect reliability is easily achieved.
37) Measurements must be both valid and reliable.
38) A measurement can be reliable, but not valid.
39) The quality of data interpretation cannot be better than the quality of data collected.
40) Explain the difference between measurement as a description and an evaluation.
41) Explain the difference between discrete and continuous data and give examples of both.
42) Define and give examples of the three criteria the categories of discrete data must meet.
43) Describe the essential elements of a Likert-type scale. Give an example. Explain the types of
error and bias that can affect the internal reliability of a questionnaire.
44) Explain the relationship between validity and reliability.