EDUC Y520: Strategies for Educational Inquiry



Causal-Comparative (Ex post facto) Research




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  1. A characteristic of causal-comparative research that distinguishes it from experimental research is that in causal-comparative research

      The researcher manipulates the independent variable.
      One variable can be isolated as the cause for changes in other variables.
      Extraneous variables are statistically controlled.
      Existing groups are studied.

  2. Which of the following reseach questions would almost certainly be studied with causal-comparative research?

      Do instructor provided notes lead to higher achievement than student constructed notes?.
      Are three-year-old boys more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviors than three-year-old girls?.
      Is mathematics achievement related to spatial reasoning aptitude?.
      What proportion of school district superintendents support school choice?.

  3. In causal-comparative research, investigators attempt to determine

      The changes in behavior an individual exhibits after exposure to an intervention or treatment of some sort.
      Our understanding of important phenomena through the identification of relationships.
      The cause or consequences of differences that already exist between or among groups of individuals.
      Hypotheses concerning relationships or trends.

  4. Which of the following is the best example of a causal-comparative research topic?

      Are there gender differences in kindergartners' fine motor skill proficiency?
      What are the characteristics of fine motor skills in kindergartners?
      Is there a relationship between fine motor skills and academic skills in kindergartners?
      What strategies do kindergarten and first-grade teachers use to develop fine motor skills?

  5. A characteristic of causal-comparative research that distinguishes it from experimental research is that in causal-comparative research existing groups are studied.

      True.
      False.

  6. The most commonly used method of statistical inference in causal-comparative studies is

      The t-test.
      Pearson's correlation.
      The z-test.
      Coefficient of linearity.

  7. Which of the following is not an organismic variable?

      Blood type.
      Age.
      Cohlesterol level.
      Intelligence.

  8. The use of the term "independent" variable is appropriate in a causal-comparative study.

      True.
      False.

  9. What is one weakness of causal-comparative research?

      It cannot provide guidane for subsequent experimental studies.
      It allwos for the exploration of effects caused by membership in a given group.
      It allows for exploration of causes of group membership.
      Its inability to enable manipulation of the independent variable.

  10. Which of the following is a method for controlling the subject characteristics threat in causal-comparative research?

      Matching subjects in the groups.
      Randomizing subjects to conditions.
      Varying the baseline interval for each group.
      Counterbalancing the groups.

  11. Which of the following is NOT one of the ways that researchers can control for an extraneous variable in causal comparative research?

      Mechanical matching of subjects.
      Finding or creating homogeneous subgroups.
      Use a counterbalanced design.
      Statistical matching.

  12. Which of the following is a prospective causal-comparative study? For each consider that Susan is interested in differences between groups tht use cooperative learning?

      At the beginning of the year, Susan groups her science classes into one that will use cooperatative learning and peer tutoring, and one that will not. At the end of the year she compares the class grades.
      Susan compares the class grades between one teacher that used cooperative learning in her science classes and one who did not.
      Susan randomly assigns students to one study session that will learn new science concepts with coopertive learning and peer tutoring and one group that will be taught the science concepts by the science teacher. At the end of the session she assesses how much they have learned.
      Susan observes two different science classes for several months. One of the classes uses cooperative learning and peer tutoring and the other class does not. At the end of the year she reports her finds comparing the cases in a narrative form.

  13. Joel is studying the use of mnemonics on second language acquisition. Which of the following is the best illustration of a causal-comparative study?

      Is there a relationship between mnemonics and vocabulary acquisition?
      Are there differences in vocabulary acquisition between students who use mnemonics and those who do not?
      What types of spontaneous mnemonic strategies do students use for vocabulary acquisition?
      How many different mnemonic strategies does the average teacher suggest to students to help vocabulary acquisition?


    Questions 14-16: Debbie plans to compare interest in music and end-of-year course grades between three of her fourth-grade music classes. In one of her classes she will use primarily instrumental music as a vehicle for instruction, in another she will use primarily vocal music. In the third she will use both.
  14. What is the exogenouse variable in Debbie's study?

      Interest.
      Fourth graders.
      Course grades.
      Type of instruction.

  15. The exogenous variable has how many levels?

      None.
      One level.
      Two levels.
      Three levels.

  16. Debbie's study is best described as

      Projective causal-comparative.
      Retrospective causal-comparative.
      Prospective causal_comparative.
      Retrojective causal-comparative.

  17. One reason that causal-comparative studies are useful in school research, when compared to correlational studies, is that causal-comparative studies

      Can identify causes for outcomes.
      Allow for random assignment.
      Require fewer participants.
      Allow for group comparison.

  18. One strategy than can greatly reduce the threat to external validity in causal comparative research is

      Statistical matching.
      Replicating the causal-comparative study.
      Matching subjects.
      Finding or creating homogeneous subgroups.

  19. Ruth studies the benefits of review on test taking. Which of the following is a possible causal-comparative study?

      Is the number of hours of review prior to an exam a predictor of exam performance?
      Do students who attend an instructor-led review session do better on exams than students who do not attend?
      What happens in a typical review session for a large enrollment university course?
      How many instructors in higher education hold review sessions for entry level courses?

  20. Perez is interested in language disfluencies and birth order. Of the following, which best represents a causal-comparative research topic?

      What are the typical social characteristics of first-born children with language disfluencies?
      Is there a relationship between number of children in the home and fequency of disfluencies?
      Do first-born children have more disfluencies than later-born children?
      Does birth order predict type of identified language disfluencies in primary grade children?

  21. The primary threat to internal validity in causal-comparative studies is

      Subject characteristics.
      Implementation.
      Testing.
      Mortality.

  22. The selection of appropriate comparion groups is crucial in ex post facto research because

      The groups must be equal in all respects except the independent variable.
      The groups must be about the same with respect to the dependent variable.
      If the groups are incorrectly chosen, rival hypotheses may be more plausible.

  23. Two characteristics of causal-comparative research are

      Randomization and comparison groups.
      Nonmanipulation and nonrandomization.
      Nonrandomization and manipulation of the independent variable.
      Nonmanipulation and randomization.

  24. The main strength of causal-comparative research is in demonstrating cause and effect.

      True.
      False.

  25. A characteristic of ex post facto research that distinguishes it from correlational research is that in ex post facto research existing groups are compared.

      True.
      False.

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