You are on page 1of 17

Action Research Using Strategic

Inquiry to Improve Teaching and


Learning 1st Edition Rock Test Bank
Visit to Download in Full: https://testbankdeal.com/download/action-research-using-str
ategic-inquiry-to-improve-teaching-and-learning-1st-edition-rock-test-bank/
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Test Bank
Chapter 6: Analyzing the Data

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is the definition of generalizability?


a. It is an explanation for that which influences, informs, and biases people's judgments about
truth or reality; it is the collection of the perceptions, experiences, expectations, personal or
cultural understanding, and beliefs specific to a person.
b. It represents the process of explaining the behavior of a large sample as a result of conducting
a study with a smaller set that appears to exemplify the characteristics associated with the
population.
c. It is the process of deducing properties of an underlying distribution by analysis of data.
d. It summarizes a sample, rather than using the data to learn about the population that the
sample of data is thought to represent.
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Generalizability extends from research that is both ______ and ______.


a. accurate/valid
b. reliable/valid
c. accurate/reliable
d. reliable/trustworthy
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Medium

3. ______ generalizability applies to a particular setting where the study was conducted.
a. combined
b. simple
c. internal
d. external
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Easy
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

4. Generalizing in a new setting is considered ______ generalizability.


a. external
b. internal
c. combined
d. simple
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Medium

5. In action research studies, ______.


a. external generalization is often possible
b. internal generalization is rarely used
c. generalizability is usually a main focus
d. generalizability is not usually a main focus
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Medium

6. Preparing for data analysis requires the researcher to be ______.


a. inquisitive
b. organized
c. trustworthy
d. healthy
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-2: How does a researcher determine the appropriate techniques for data
analysis within an action research project?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Preparing for Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Mr. Xavier used Wordle to generate a “word cloud” of the most common terms used in his
data. He used the information generated to develop ______ within his analysis.
a. hypotheses
b. deduction
c. induction
d. themes
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-2: How does a researcher determine the appropriate techniques for data
analysis within an action research project?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Preparing for Data Analysis
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Difficulty Level: Easy

8. Color-coded spreadsheets and anecdotal records written on sticky notes are just two of the
ways action researchers might ______ their data for analysis.
a. calculate
b. organize
c. aggregate
d. triangulate
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-3: What is the best way to organize data for analysis?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Preparing for Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

9. ______ represent(s) the systematic development of categories and themes that originate from
the interpretation of data.
a. hypothesizing
b. inductive analysis
c. encoding
d. descriptive statistics
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-4: How are qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy
Question Type: MC

10. Coding data involves finding bits of information that are seemingly aligned and combining
them to form ______.
a. answers
b. deductions
c. categories
d. hypotheses
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

11. Which of the following is the definition of inductive analysis?


a. It summarizes a sample, rather than using the data to learn about the population that the
sample of data is thought to represent
b. It represents the systematic development of categories and themes that originate from the
interpretation of data.
c. It represents the process of explaining the behavior of a large sample as a result of conducting
a study with a smaller set that appears to exemplify the characteristics associated with the
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

population.
d. It is the process of deducing properties of an underlying distribution by analysis of data.
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

12. Which of the following is a true statement about qualitative methods?


a. It employs a greater depth of analysis than quantitative methods.
b. It is deductive.
c. It allows for a larger potential number of participants.
d. It uses statistical tests/analysis.
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Table 6.1 Review of Differences Between Research Methods
Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Which type of research methods typically involves a greater time expenditure necessary for
collection and analysis of data?
a. qualitative
b. quantitative
c. deductive
d. hypothesis-driven
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Table 6.1 Review of Differences Between Research Methods
Difficulty Level: Medium

14. What is the primary goal of coding data for analysis?


a. to explain a phenomenon
b. to explain the behavior of a large sample as a result of conducting a study with a smaller set
that appears to exemplify the characteristics associated with the population
c. to summarize a sample, rather than using the data to learn about the population that the sample
of data is thought to represent
d. to take the potentially large amount of textual data and refine it so that it is represented by a
significantly smaller number of categories
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

15. ______ occurs when no new codes or themes appear as additional data are collected and
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

examined.
a. extinction
b. maturation
c. saturation
d. iteration
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

16. Standard deviation refers to the average distance of scores ______ the mean.
a. closest to
b. next to
c. below
d. away from
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

17. One benefit of using descriptive statistics is that the researcher can ______.
a. take a large amount of data and quickly gain a sense of how spread out the data are or
determine their mean value
b. take a small amount of data and quickly gain a sense of how spread out the data are or
determine their mean value
c. explain the behavior of a large sample as a result of conducting a study with a smaller set that
appears to exemplify the characteristics associated with the population
d. explain a phenomenon
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Mean, median, mode, variance, and standard deviation are all considered to be ______
a. inductive statistics
b. descriptive statistics
c. deductive statistics
d. iterated statistics
Ans: B
Learning Objective: LO 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Cognitive Domain: Knowledge


Answer Location: Descriptive Statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

19. Measures of central tendency ______.


a. occur most frequently in a group of data
b. provide only an average response
c. are presented in descriptive terms
d. yield general trends in data
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

20. Which of the following statements is true?


a. The median represents the value that occurs most frequently in a group of data.
b. Mode is the most commonly computed measure of central tendency.
c. The median is the point below which half the scores in the group occur.
d. The mean encompasses the median and mode.
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Descriptive Statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

21. What is the mean of the following set of test scores? 70, 76, 80, 85, 88, 92, 97
a. 48
b. 64
c. 77
d. 854
And: D
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

22. What is the mode of the following set of test scores? 70, 76, 88, 88, 88, 92, 97
a. 88
b. 76
c. 70
d. 97
Ans: A
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

23. What is the median of the following set of test scores? 70, 76, 80, 85, 88, 92, 97
a. 85
b. 80
c. 88
d. 76
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

24. An outlier is ______.


a. a very favorable asset to a data set
b. a very high or very low value in comparison to the rest of the data set
c. not likely to impact the overall mean of the data set
d. a true reflection of a typical response from the group of participants
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

25. The first thing researchers should do when determining whether or not they have an outlier is
______.
a. set up a data collection system that will avoid bias on the part of the researcher
b. determine the mode, as this is the most reliable measure of central tendency
c. calculate mean, median, and mode to look for dramatic differences between them
d. manipulate their hypothesis to match this new set of circumstances
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

26. Measures of ______ provide information about how individual scores differ from each other
within a set of scores.
a. central tendency
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

b. independence
c. variability
d. statistics
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

27. Which of the following is a true statement?


a. Measures of variability provide information about how well the variance represents the data.
b. Standard deviation refers to the outlying distance of scores away from the mean.
c. Range represents the difference between the highest and lowest value within a data set.
d. Variance is the mean divided by the sum of the squared distance of each score from the mean.
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard

28. Pie graphs ______.


a. is another term for histograms.
b. can show only nominal and ordinal data
c. can be used to depict all four types of data
d. use a horizontal axis as opposed to a discrete data category
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

29. ______ analysis focuses on testing hypotheses about differences or observed relationships.
a. inferential
b. deductive
c. inductive
d. hypothetical
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

30. What is the intent of inferential statistics?


a. to summarize a sample, rather than using the data to learn about the population that the sample
of data is thought to represent
b. to take the potentially large amount of textual data and refine it so that it is represented by a
significantly smaller number of categories
c. to extend findings associated with a particular sample to the population from which it was
drawn or to make generalizations from specific conditions to more general ones
d. to explain a phenomenon
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

31. In action research, we do not have a ______, which is considered to be the gold standard of
research.
a. random sample
b. control group
c. dependent variable
d. central measure of tendency
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

32. A ______ represents a prediction about the effects of an intervention on a specific variable
within a sample.
a. hypothesis
b. random sample
c. control group
d. dependent variable
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

33. Null hypotheses are ______.


a. what most researchers hope to be true
b. the opposite of what researchers would expect to find
c. written from the perspective that there are major differences between the variables being tested
d. tested as researchers implement their procedures
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

34. In most action research studies, the ______ hypothesis should be sufficient for most
purposes.
a. substantive
b. null
c. independent
d. alternative
Ans: A
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

35. Which of the following is a substantive hypothesis?


a. Tomato plants do not exhibit a higher rate of growth when planted in compost rather than soil.
b. Participation in the intervention will affect students’ test scores.
c. If I put half a pack of mints into a 2-liter soda bottle, there will be a big reaction/explosion.
d. Age has no effect on mathematical ability.
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Medium

36. The t-test, analysis of variance, correlation, and chi-square test are all examples of what type
of statistics?
a. descriptive
b. deductive
c. inferential
d. dependent
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

37. Which of the following is the most frequently applied form of inferential statistics?
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

a. standard deviation
b. ANOVA
c. histograms
d. t-tests
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

38. A paired t-test is most often used to compare ______.


a. two separate groups
b. the means of three or more groups
c. the means of two groups using a common measure
d. the same group under different conditions
Ans: D
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard

39. A repeated measures ANOVA compares the ______.


a. means of two groups using a common measure
b. scores of multiple groups at various points in time
c. scores of a single group at several points in time
d. same group under different conditions
Ans: C
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard

40. Which of the following statements is true?


a. Measures of association extend the findings associated with a particular sample to the
population from which it was drawn.
b. Measures of association examine the relationship between variables to provide information
about how they are linked.
c. Measures of association provide information about how individual scores differ from each
other within a set of scores.
d. Measures of association allow researchers to take a large amount of data and quickly gain a
sense of how spread out those data are.
Ans: B
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

measure inferential statistics?


Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard

True/False

1. Generalizability is the process of selecting the appropriate data analysis procedures.


Ans: F
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Internal generalizability applies to a particular setting where the study was conducted.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Generalizability is typically the focus of action research studies.


Ans: F
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Generalizability
Difficulty Level: Easy

4. There are a variety of apps and other technological tools (e.g., Wordle) that can help action
researchers begin to organize their data for analysis.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-2: How does a researcher determine the appropriate techniques for data
analysis within an action research project?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Preparing for Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Researchers should think proactively when deciding how to keep their data organized. These
procedures should be set up before any data are collected.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-3: What is the best way to organize data for analysis?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Preparing for Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

6. Qualitative research methods are often text-based and include fewer participants than
quantitative methods.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

7. Coding is a common quantitative research method.


Ans: F
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Inductive analysis involves the systematic creation of categories derived from the data.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Mean, median, and mode are considered to be descriptive statistics.


Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Descriptive statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

10. Qualitative analysis has a greater degree of objectivity than quantitative analysis.
Ans: F
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Quantitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

11. Qualitative analysis involves deductive analysis and inferential statistics involve inductive
analysis.
Ans: F
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

12. T-tests and chi-square tests are examples of descriptive statistics.


Ans: F
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Inferential statistics
Difficulty Level: Easy

13. Triangulation is one way of saying “the more data to support a finding, the better.”
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-7: What is triangulation and how can it be used to strengthen the
conclusions associated with an action research study?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Answer Location: Mixed Methods Approaches to Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

14. One advantage of mixed methods is the opportunity to use both inductive and deductive
reasoning simultaneously.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-7: What is triangulation and how can it be used to strengthen the
conclusions associated with an action research study?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Mixed Methods Approaches to Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

15. Through a combination of techniques, findings from mixed methods research studies often
derive more stable conclusions, as there is the capacity to develop depth as well as breadth
through analysis.
Ans: T
Learning Objective: 6-7: What is triangulation and how can it be used to strengthen the
conclusions associated with an action research study?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Mixed Methods Approaches to Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

Short Answer/Essay

1. Define generalizability. Give an example of internal generalizability.


Ans: Varies. Part 1: Generalizability represents the process of explaining the behavior of a larger
sample (or population) as a result of conducting a study with a smaller set that appears to
exemplify the characteristics associated with the population. Part 2: Responses should make
mention of the research being conducted in the setting where the activity typically occurs.
Learning Objective: 6-1: What is generalizability?
Cognitive Domain: Knowledge
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Answer Location: Generalizability


Difficulty Level: Medium

2. There are a number of examples of ways to organize data for analysis given in your text.
Which do you feel will work best for you? Why?
Ans: Varies. Responses may include a description of any example from the text or one of the
student’s own making as long as it makes sense. Be sure to look for the answer to why they
would choose this method, not just its description.
Learning Objective: 6-3: What is the best way to organize data for analysis?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Preparing for Data Analysis
Difficulty Level: Easy

3. Define inductive analysis. How might you go about using inductive analysis to analyze the
responses from the following question: What are your greatest concerns about coteaching?
Ans: Varies. Part 1: Inductive analysis represents the systematic development of categories and
themes that originate from the interpretation of data. Part 2: Responses should include a process
for reading all the responses and beginning to categorize them according to concerns (e.g., not
enough time to plan, differing philosophies of education).
Learning Objective: 6-4: How is qualitative data reduced, analyzed, and interpreted?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Qualitative Analysis
Difficulty Level: Medium

4. List and describe the three choices researchers have when they realize they have an outlier.
Explain why each is or is not a good choice.
Ans: Varies. Be sure responses make reference to the following three items:
1. choose to statistically adjust for the outlier—not recommended as it usually involves
complicated statistical measures
2. remove the outlier—not recommended as it may impact the findings
3. include all three measures of central tendency (i.e., mean, median, mode) in reporting
results—recommended in order to provide the most accurate picture of the data
Learning Objective: 6-5: What are descriptive statistics? When are they appropriate
measurements?
Cognitive Domain: Comprehension
Answer Location: Descriptive Statistics
Difficulty Level: Hard

5. Compare and contrast the null hypothesis with the alternative hypothesis with examples.
Ans: Varies. Responses should include definitions of null and alternative hypotheses, how they
are similar and dissimilar, and include at least one example of each. The examples may be on the
same topic with adjustments to coordinate with each definition.
Learning Objective: 6-6: What are inferential statistics? What statistical tests can be used to
measure inferential statistics?
Cognitive Domain: Application/Analysis
Answer Location: Inferential Statistics
Instructor Resource
Putman, Action Research
SAGE Publishing, 2018

Difficulty Level: Hard

You might also like