Basics of Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology 4th Edition by Michael G. Maxfield - Test Bank

Basics of Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology 4th Edition by Michael G. Maxfield – Test Bank

 

Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers

 

 

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

 

CHAPTER 5 TEST BANK

Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs

 

TRUE/FALSE

 

1. Experimentation is best suited for descriptive studies.

 

ANS: F                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

2. The defining feature of an experiment lies in the control of the independent variable by the experimenter.

 

ANS: T                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

3. In a classical experiment, the independent variable must be a ratio level variable.

 

ANS: F                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

4. In a classical experiment, subjects are measured on the independent variable before the experiment begins and again after the dependent variable has been manipulated by the researcher.

 

ANS: F                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

5. Construct validity refers to generalizing from our experimental observations to causal processes in the real world.

 

ANS: T                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

6. Experiments in criminal justice typically require only one experimental and one control group for each study.

 

ANS: F                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

7. The threat of statistical regression is a concern any time the researcher begins with subjects who exhibit extreme values on the dependent variable.

 

ANS: T                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

8. Construct validity is concerned with the ability to generalize from the results of the experimental group to the control group.

 

ANS: F                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

9. Random assignment cannot be used in some criminal justice research for legal and ethical reasons.

 

ANS: T                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

10. In case-oriented research, a great number of cases are examined in order to understand a small number of variables.

 

ANS: T                    REF: Variable-Oriented Research, Case Studies and Scientific Realism

 

 

MULTIPLE CHOICE

 

1. Which statement is most accurate?

a.	Experiments are only useful in the physical sciences such as chemistry and physics.
b.	Experiments involve observing phenomena but do not try to produce them.
c.	Experiments can be used in scientific as well as nonscientific human inquiry.
d.	Experiments in the classical form require at least three groups of subjects..

 

 

ANS: C                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

2. Which statement is most accurate?

a.	Experimentation are rarely appropriate for hypothesis testing.
b.	Experiments are well suited to research involving poorly-defined concepts.
c.	There is no need to generate a hypothesis for a classical experiment.
d.	Experiments are appropriate for evaluation research.

 

 

ANS: D                   REF: The Classical Experiment

 

3. An experiment examines the effects of a(n) ____ variable.

a.	dependent
b.	control
c.	independent
d.	masking

 

 

ANS: C                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

 

4. Which statement is true?

a.	A variable can be an independent in one experiment and dependent in another.
b.	The dependent variable is manipulated by the experimenter.
c.	A classical experiment examines the effects of the dependent variable.
d.	In a classical experiment, the independent variable is viewed as the outcome.

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: The Classical Experiment

 

5. Which statement is most accurate?

a.	Neither the independent nor the dependent variable need be operationally defined.
b.	Only the dependent variable needs to be operationally defined.
c.	Only the independent variable needs to be operationally defined.
d.	Both the independent and dependent variables must be operationally defined.

 

 

ANS: D                   REF: The Classical Experiment

 

6. In most cases, the methods used to select subjects must meet the scientific norm of ____.

a.	generalizability
b.	informed consent
c.	equivalence
d.	neutrality

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: The Classical Experiment

 

7. Which procedure is suitable for random assignment to groups?

a.	Assigning subjects in the order they arrive, so that one group is filled before the next is started
b.	Letting subjects express a preference and then assigning them to a non-preferred group
c.	Flipping a coin assigning subjects to the control group and to the experimental group.
d.	Asking each subject to secretly decide which group they want to be in

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

 

8. Which statement best fits randomization as it is used in experiments?

a.	“all other things being equal”
b.	“use your best guess”
c.	“it is close enough for government work”
d.	“you are never 100% sure, so don’t worry about it”

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: The Classical Experiment

 

9. Which statement is a potential threat to internal validity in an experimental design?

a.	generalization
b.	instrumentation
c.	randomization
d.	correlation

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

10. Which situation presents a threat to internal validity?

a.	subjects dropping out of an experiment
b.	selecting a random sample
c.	randomization of group assignments
d.	very high reliability of outcome measures

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

11. Shortening the time between pretest and posttest or perhaps even offering cash payments to participants in an experiment are techniques that may be used to ____.

a.	limit diffusion
b.	decrease experimental mortality
c.	decrease the effects of instrumentation
d.	control threats to testing

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

12. _______________ validity is the correspondence between the empirical test of a hypothesis and the underlying causal process that the experiment is intended to represent.

a.	Construct
b.	Compensatory
c.	Correlational
d.	Criterion

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

13. Which statement is accurate?

a.	Threats to external validity are decreased by carefully controlling conditions.
b.	Threats to internal validity are decreased by carefully controlling conditions.
c.	Threats to generalizability are inherent in research and cannot be changed.
d.	Threats to internal and external validity covary, and if one is high, the other will also be high.

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

14. When using a nonequivalent-groups design, the researcher will handle subject assignment to groups by ____.

a.	random assignment to experimental and control groups
b.	allowing subjects to pick which group they want to be in
c.	matching subjects in the experimental and comparison groups
d.	using waves of cohorts

 

 

ANS:   C         REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental

Design

 

15. In Widom’s study of the effects of child abuse and its impact upon later criminal offenses, she selected a sample of children with court records of being abuse victims and gathered a comparison group that were matched on gender, race, age and socioeconomic status. The technique used in this case was ____.

a.	individual matching
b.	aggregate matching
c.	randomization
d.	probabilistic aggregation

 

 

ANS:   A         REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental

Design

 

 

 

16. Graduates majoring in criminal justice and graduates majoring in psychology from the State University were part of a study to assess employment success of those receiving their degrees in May 2002. Six months after graduation (November 2002) a questionnaire was sent out asking about their job seeking success. What type of design is this?

a.	a double-blind experiment
b.	a non-equivalent groups design
c.	a time-series design
d.	a cohort design

 

 

ANS:   D         REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental

Design

 

 

17. The history threat refers to the possibility that ____.

a.	because of their personal experiences, some subjects will be uncooperative
b.	most important research in the social sciences has already been done
c.	events external to the experiment that will impact the results
d.	the experiment will be judged to be unimportant

 

 

ANS: C                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

18. The maturation threat refers to _____.

a.	older subjects being more likely to take research participation seriously
b.	the impact of natural, developmental processes on experimental outcomes
c.	the natural development of researcher expertise as more research is completed
d.	younger subjects generally do better because they are easier to manipulate

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

19. Which action would be most likely to result in selection bias?

a.	soliciting volunteers from a college class
b.	randomly assigning experimental and control groups
c.	matching experimental and comparison groups
d.	running a double blind experiment

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

20. Experimental mortality is especially likely to be a problem when ____.

a.	subjects are paid an excessive amount to participate
b.	participation requires only one session, but it is an hour long
c.	students must participate as a course requirement
d.	participation in the experiment requires substantial effort by subjects

 

 

ANS: D                   REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

21. You have just completed the LSAT and scored 85. Your roommate, who is no smarter than you, took the LSAT with you and scored 165. You were so upset with your score that you decide to take the test again and you convince your roommate to take it with you for moral support. You both receive scores on the second exam of 120. What accounts for the differences in scores?

a.	statistical regression
b.	testing
c.	instrumentation
d.	experiment mortality

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

22. Neither the subjects nor the researcher can identify which group is the control group and which is the experimental group. Which design is being used?

a.	cross-sectional
b.	double-blind
c.	a blind experiment
d.	of no value

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: The Classical Experiment

 

23. External validity in an experimental design refers to _____.

a.	the accuracy of measurements
b.	the lack of concern with issues internal to the study
c.	the ability to apply findings to other populations
d.	whether appropriate outcome measures have been used

 

 

ANS: C                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

24. Threats to internal validity in an experimental design can be minimized by _____.

a.	proper selection and assignment of subjects to groups
b.	large sample size
c.	small sample size
d.	nothing can rule out threats to internal validity

 

 

ANS: A                   REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

25. Which technique can be used to help reduce the threat to experimental mortality?

a.	increasing the sample size
b.	decreasing the sample size
c.	shortening the time between the pretest and the posttest
d.	selecting only subjects who are female

 

 

ANS: C                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

26. Random assignment to experimental and control groups should reduce the threats to _____.

a.	instrumentation
b.	maturation
c.	reliability
d.	small sample

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

27. If randomization is not possible, the researcher would be well-advised to ____.

a.	do nothing, but mention the issue in the research report
b.	switch to a classical design
c.	switch to a quasi-experimental design
d.	use pseudorandomization

 

 

ANS: C                    REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

28. An interrupted time-series design can be very useful in ____ research.

a.	applied
b.	basic
c.	primary
d.	double-blind

 

 

ANS:   A         REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental

Design

 

29. A questionnaire is sent to 1,000 police departments in Florida and gathers information on the number of sick days officers use after being involved in a shooting incident. This is an example of ____ research.

a.	variable-oriented
b.	case-oriented
c.	quasi-experimental
d.	cohort

 

 

ANS: B                    REF: Variable-Oriented Research, Case Studies and Scientific Realism

 

30. Experimental mortality is also known as ____.

a.	selection
b.	regression
c.	attrition
d.	relevance

 

 

ANS:   C         REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental Design

 

 

COMPLETION

 

1. In a classical experiment, the researcher uses a(n) _______________ to offset the effects of the experiment itself.

 

ANS: control group                                 REF: The Classical Experiment

 

2. A(n) _______________ experiment guards against experimenters’ tendency to prejudge results by eliminating the possibility of either the researcher or the subjects knowing which group is the control and which group is the experimental.

 

ANS: double-blind, double blind                                             REF: The Classical Experiment

 

3. The goal of _______________ is to ensure that the experimental and groups will be statistically equivalent.

 

ANS: randomization                                REF: The Classical Experiment

 

4. _______________ relates to whether results from experiments conducted in one setting would be obtained in other settings.

 

ANS: External validity                            REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

5. When random assignment to experimental and control groups is not possible, the researcher may be forced to use a(n) _______________ design.

 

ANS:   nonequivalent-group   REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental Design

 

6. Instead of making one pre-test and one post-test measure, the _______________ makes a longer series of observations before and after introducing an experimental treatment.

 

ANS:   interrupted time-series design REF: Variations on the Classical Experimental Design

 

 

7. In _______________ research, a large number of variables that are associated with a small number of cases or subjects are studied.

 

ANS:   variable-oriented                     REF: Variable-Oriented Research, Case Studies, and Scientific Realism

 

8. A(n) _______________ is a type of variable-oriented research.

 

ANS:   case study                               REF: Variable-Oriented Research, Case Studies, and Scientific Realism

 

 

9. Increasing experimental control will result in decreased _______________ validity.

 

ANS: internal                                           REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

10. _______________ refers to the extent to which findings from an experiment can be applied to the real world.

 

ANS: Generalizability                              REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

 

ESSAY

 

1. Explain why experimentation is not well suited for the purposes of description and exploration.

 

REF:  REF: The Classical Experiment

 

2. Explain the classical experiment in terms of the following:

Independent and dependent variables

Pre-testing and Post-testing

Experimental and Control groups

 

REF: The Classical Experiment

 

3. Explain the role of randomization in classical experiments.

 

REF: The Classical Experiment

 

4. Identify and discuss at least five (5) threats to internal validity in experimental designs. Include in your answer ways of controlling for each of the threats you identify.

 

REF: Experiments and Causal Inference

 

5. Give two (2) specific examples of research where a quasi-experimental design would be more appropriate than a classical experiment. Why would each of your examples not fit the classical experiment model?

 

REF: Quasi-Experimental Designs

 

6. Describe an experimental design to test the causal hypothesis that D.A.R.E. reduces drug use. Is your experimental design feasible? Why or why not?

 

REF: Quasi-Experimental Designs

 

7. Experiments are often conducted in public health research where a distinction is made between an efficacy experiment and an effectiveness experiment. Efficacy experiments focus on whether a new health program works under ideal conditions; effectiveness experiments test the program under typical conditions that health professionals encounter in their day-to-day work. Discuss how efficacy experiments and effectiveness experiments reflect concerns about internal validity threats on the one hand and generalizability on the other.

 

REF: The Classical Experiment

 

8. Crime hot spots are areas where crime reports, calls for police service, or other measures of crime are especially common. Police in departments with a good analytic capability routinely identify hot spots and launch special tactics to reduce crime in these areas. What kinds of validity threats should researchers be especially attentive to in studying the effects of police interventions on hot spots?

 

REF: Experiments and Causal Inference