RESEARCH METHODOLOGY – 001330

vucongdanh@tdtu.edu.vn

FURTHER PRACTICE FOR RM FINAL

Chapters 5-9

TASK 1: Identify the level of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) of each item of the survey below.

Survey on Opinions of Same-Sex Marriage

Instructions: Please respond to the following questions regarding your opinions on same-sex marriage.

Background Information
1. What is your age? ▢ Under 18 ▢ 18-25 ▢ 26-35 ▢ Over 35
2. What is your gender? ▢ Male ▢ Female ▢ Non-binary
Opinions on Same-Sex Marriage
3. I believe same-sex couples should have the right to get married legally.
▢ Strongly disagree ▢ Disagree ▢ Neutral ▢ Agree ▢ Strongly Agree
4. I would attend the wedding of a close friend or family member marrying someone of the same gender.
▢ Definitely No ▢ Probably No ▢ Unsure ▢ Probably Yes ▢ Definitely Yes
5. Number of same-sex couples known personally: __________
6. Political affiliation: ▢ Democrat ▢ Republican ▢ Independent ▢ Other
7. Level of religiousness:
▢ Not religious at all ▢ Slightly religious ▢ Moderately religious ▢ Very religious
8. Hours spent consuming media supporting same-sex marriage: __________
9. Check all sources used to shape your opinion on same-sex marriage:
▢ Religious teachings ▢ News media ▢ Social media
▢ Friends/family ▢ Personal experiences ▢ Other _________
10. On a scale of 1-10, how supportive are you of legalizing same-sex marriage?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

TASK 2:
a) Categorize the following sources of error as trait or method errors.
1. Jenny did not sleep well the night before the math test. She felt tired and unfocused during the exam.
2. The directions given for Sam's group project were vague. He was unsure what was expected for the final
presentation.
3. Anna's score on the science quiz was likely impacted because she worries about tests and often makes careless
mistakes when anxious.
4. There was loud construction noise right outside the room during Ryan's English midterm. He found it very
distracting.
5. Jacob arrived late to class due to traffic and missed hearing the instructions for the pop quiz that was being handed
out as he walked in. He felt rushed and confused trying to complete it.
6. The computer program Lexi used to take her accounting exam suddenly crashed near the end. She lost her work
and had less time to finish the test once she logged back in.
7. A fire drill went off during Chris' psychology test. Though it only lasted 10 minutes, he felt it disrupted his
concentration and train of thought.
8. Maya tried studying all night before her huge calculus final but she has chronic insomnia issues that make adequate
sleep very difficult during stressful times.
9. Dr. Khan's English literature final contained ambiguous questions that students repeatedly asked for clarification
on. Many felt the wording was confusing.
10. Oliver's medication makes him very drowsy in the mornings so he struggled to stay energized and focus during his
8 AM Spanish oral exam.

b) Identify the methods for establishing validity of the instruments used in the following research scenarios.
1. Dr. Adams created an original 50-item Health Knowledge Inventory exam to assess 8th graders’ understanding of
nutrition, exercise, mental health, and safety practices. To evaluate its validity, she asked a panel of 10 health
education experts to review the test questions in relation to the domain being measured. The experts provide ratings
on each item’s relevance which Dr. Adams uses to modify or replace questions.
2. To assess the validity of his medical school admissions Test, Dr. Reynolds examines whether scores correlate with
academic success outcomes. He administers the test to entering students, then statistically analyzes if their 1st
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY – 001330
vucongdanh@tdtu.edu.vn

semester GPAs positively relate to admissions test performance 2 years later when the same cohort completes
degree studies.
3. Dr. Schaefer designed a Psychological Resilience Questionnaire to measure people’s ability coping with challenges.
She administers it to 100 adults along with an established depression scale hypothesizing resilience is negatively
associated with depression. Finding a strong negative correlation between higher resilience scores and lower
depression provides evidence for supporting validity of the questionnaire.

TASK 3
Dr. Peterson developed a 10-item Nursing Competency Exam to be administered to new nursing graduates applying for
jobs at a hospital. He wants to provide evidence that it is a reliable test. Dr. Peterson selected a random sample of 30
candidates to take the test twice with a one month time period between test administrations. The table below shows Dr.
Peterson's analysis of test reliability using SPSS. Review the output and evaluate if his exam scores reflect satisfactory
reliability.

Reliability Statistics
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
0.887 10

Summary Item Statistics

Statistic Mean Min Max Range Max/Min Variance N of items
Item Means 4.426 3.733 5.067 1.333 1.357 0.105 10
Item Variances 1.396 1.140 2.091 0.951 1.836 0.162 10
Inter-item Correlations 0.419 0.316 0.583 0.267 1.845 0.011 10

TASK 4:
a) Calculate the mean, median, mode, range, b)
and standard deviation for the final exam score
and age below.
Student ID Score Age
1 92 21
2 82 20
3 85 22
4 90 23
5 78 21
6 86 25
7 88 22
8 79 24
9 83 20
10 87 23

TASK 5: Below is the SPSS statistical output presenting Pearson correlation coefficients between several education-related
variables. Carefully examine the table of results. Then, write one paragraph summarizing key findings from the correlational
analysis.

Learning Gender Year of Family GPA

Motivation Study Background
Learning Motivation 1 -.063 .127* .041 .302**
Gender -.063 1 -.035 -.021 -.172**
Year of Study .127* -.035 1 -.013 .081
Family Background .041 -.021 -.013 1 .091
GPA .302** -.172** .081 .091 1
Note: *Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY – 001330
vucongdanh@tdtu.edu.vn

TASK 6: Identify the data collection instruments used in the following study:

Extract from Study 1:

An investigation examined the effects of high school students' extracurricular activities on academic performance.
Researchers surveyed a random sample of 100 11th and 12th graders from City High School. The 30-item questionnaire
gathered information on hours spent per week in sports, clubs, and jobs. Consent was also obtained to access participants'
official transcripts. Grade point averages (GPAs) were calculated using semester course grades. Transcripts provided
evidence of extracurricular participation. Researchers performed correlation analysis between activities and GPAs.

➔ The study collected data through two instruments:

Extract from Study 2:

A group of elementary school teachers implemented a new inquiry-based science curriculum over a semester. Students were
given pre- and post-tests consisting of 30 multiple choice questions to assess science knowledge at the beginning and end.
Teachers also completed weekly journals reflecting on curriculum effectiveness and documenting student learning
observations. Test scores were analyzed to compare student achievement across teachers using the new curriculum versus
traditional textbook approaches.

➔ The study collected data through two instruments:

TASK 7: Identify which qualitative data source (documentation, archival records, physical artifacts, direct observation,
participant observation, focus group, case study, etc.) would be most appropriate for gathering insightful information needed
to carry out the research effectively described in each scenario. Justify your answers.

a. Dr. Hernandez is exploring the impacts of social media use on teen mental health from the perspectives of high school
counselors who support struggling students.
b. A team of sociologists aims to understand the emotional challenges faced by families experiencing long-term
unemployment through in-depth first-hand accounts.
c. In preparing a biography documenting the artistic process of acclaimed painter Pablo Ruiz, the author strives to capture
the inspiration behind his unique style.
d. To identify potential curriculum improvements, Mr. Carson's 11th grade English students will be invited to share open
feedback on their impressions of assigned readings.

*Suggested answers will be sent to your mailbox on this Christmas Eve.