Technical And Operational Definition Quiz

A hypothesis is a prediction or an educated guess made by researchers about the possible outcomes of a study. It is based on prior knowledge and observations and serves as a starting point for further investigation. Unlike a hunch or a wild guess, a hypothesis is supported by evidence and is testable through research methods. While researchers may use hypotheses to secure funding for their research, it is not the primary purpose of a hypothesis.

The correct answer is "the value one places on oneself." This is a conceptual definition of self-esteem because it focuses on the subjective evaluation and perception of an individual's own worth. It does not rely on external measures or perceptions, such as scores on an inventory or parental perceptions. Instead, it emphasizes the personal judgment and evaluation of one's own value and self-worth.

The term "causal variable" would not be an appropriate synonym for the dependent variable because the dependent variable is the variable that is being affected or influenced by the independent variable(s), whereas a causal variable refers to a variable that is believed to cause or have a causal effect on other variables. The dependent variable is the one that is being measured or observed in a study, while a causal variable is more focused on exploring cause-and-effect relationships.

The question "Does the phonics or the whole-language approach to reading lead to higher achievement?" is a good research question because it is specific and can be tested through research. It focuses on comparing two different approaches to reading and their impact on achievement, which allows for a clear investigation and analysis of the results. This question also has the potential to contribute to the existing knowledge in the field of education and inform decision-making regarding reading instruction methods.

The example of a categorical variable is teacher hair color because it represents a characteristic or attribute that can be divided into distinct categories or groups. Hair color is not a continuous measure but rather falls into categories such as blonde, brunette, red, etc. In contrast, the other options mentioned in the question (time to grade an essay, length of walk, time to drive to work) are quantitative variables that can be measured on a continuous scale.

The statement is false because stating a directional hypothesis involves predicting the nature of the relationship between variables, not just the existence of a relationship. A directional hypothesis specifies whether the relationship will be positive or negative.

The question "Will the use of peer critiques improve college students' compositions?" meets the criteria of a well-formulated research question because it is specific, measurable, and focused on a single variable (the use of peer critiques) and its potential impact on a specific outcome (improvement in college students' compositions). This question can be answered through empirical research and data analysis, making it suitable for a research study.

The given correct answer is operational definition. An operational definition defines a concept or term by specifying the operations or procedures used to measure or identify it. In this case, the concept of a "humanistic classroom" is defined as any classroom that experts identify as an example of a humanistic classroom. This definition focuses on the observable and measurable characteristics of a humanistic classroom, rather than providing a conceptual or dictionary definition.

In this experiment, the researcher is investigating whether increasing water consumption lessens the visible effects of rosacea. The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or observed in response to the manipulation of the independent variable, which in this case is the amount of water consumed. The researcher is interested in how the visible condition of the skin changes as a result of increasing water consumption. Therefore, the visible condition of the skin is the dependent variable in this experiment.

The correct answer is "Group instruction is more effective than lectures in the elementary classroom." This is an example of a directional hypothesis because it predicts the direction of the expected difference. It suggests that group instruction will be more effective than lectures, implying that there will be a positive effect of group instruction on student learning outcomes.

The development process for a research question involves taking a broad question and refining it to be more specific by clearly defining the terms used. This is important because a specific research question allows for a focused investigation and helps ensure that the study is relevant and meaningful. By narrowing down the question through clear definitions, researchers can identify the specific variables or concepts they want to study and design a research methodology accordingly.

The question "How do children with a learning disorder cope with the demands of school?" is amenable for qualitative research because it focuses on understanding the experiences, perspectives, and coping mechanisms of children with a learning disorder. Qualitative research allows for in-depth exploration of complex phenomena and the gathering of rich, descriptive data through methods such as interviews, observations, and analysis of texts. This research question seeks to uncover the subjective experiences and behaviors of children with learning disorders, which aligns with the goals and methods of qualitative research.

The question "Is it good to include civics courses in the high school curriculum?" is not a good research question because it is subjective and does not lend itself to objective analysis. A good research question should be specific, measurable, and answerable through empirical evidence. In contrast, this question asks for an opinion on whether including civics courses is good, which can vary depending on individual perspectives and values.

A research agenda refers to a written document that outlines the priority areas for research. It helps to identify and prioritize the key research questions and topics that need to be addressed. A research agenda provides a roadmap for researchers to focus their efforts and resources on specific areas of study. It helps to guide the research process and ensures that the research is aligned with the goals and objectives of the organization or institution funding the research. Therefore, the correct answer is research agenda.

Research questions do not always suggest a relationship to be investigated. Research questions can be open-ended and exploratory, aiming to gather information or understand a phenomenon without assuming a specific relationship. They can also be descriptive, seeking to describe a situation or population without investigating a relationship. Therefore, the statement that research questions always suggest a relationship to be investigated is false.