[ DOST 15 ] DOST SCHOLARSHIP EXAM REVIEWER XV

Research

Instructions:

Please answer each question to the best of your ability. Each question is multiple choice, and only one answer per question is correct. Select the most appropriate answer from the options provided. There are 30 questions in total.

When you have completed all questions, click the "Submit" button at the bottom of the page to see your score. Good luck!

1. What is the primary purpose of descriptive statistics?

A) To summarize and describe the main features of a dataset
B) To establish cause-and-effect relationships
C) To predict future outcomes
D) To test hypotheses

2. Which of the following measures is used to describe the central tendency of a dataset?

A) Variance
B) Mean
C) Range
D) Standard Deviation

3. What does a p-value less than 0.05 typically indicate in hypothesis testing?

A) Strong evidence against the null hypothesis
B) No evidence against the null hypothesis
C) The null hypothesis is true
D) A type II error has occurred

4. What is the purpose of inferential statistics?

A) To make predictions or inferences about a population based on sample data
B) To describe the data at hand
C) To identify patterns within a dataset
D) To calculate the mean and median

5. Which of the following is an example of a continuous variable?

A) Number of children in a family
B) Types of fruits
C) Height of individuals
D) Age categories

6. In a normal distribution, what percentage of data falls within one standard deviation of the mean?

A) 50%
B) 75%
C) Approximately 68%
D) 95%

7. Which statistical test is appropriate for comparing the means of two independent groups?

A) ANOVA
B) T-test
C) Chi-square test
D) Regression analysis

8. What does the term "confounding variable" refer to?

A) A variable that influences both the dependent and independent variable
B) A variable that is controlled in an experiment
C) A variable that is irrelevant to the research question
D) A variable that only affects the dependent variable

9. What is the purpose of using a confidence interval in statistics?

A) To estimate the range within which a population parameter lies
B) To calculate the mean of a sample
C) To determine the probability of a hypothesis being true
D) To analyze variance within a dataset

10. What type of data is typically represented in a bar chart?

A) Categorical data
B) Continuous data
C) Ordinal data
D) Nominal data

11. What does the standard deviation measure in a dataset?

A) The average distance of data points from the mean
B) The total number of observations
C) The median value of the dataset
D) The maximum value in the dataset

12. Which of the following is a characteristic of a skewed distribution?

A) Symmetrical shape
B) Asymmetrical shape
C) Mean equals median
D) Data is concentrated in the center

13. What is the main purpose of regression analysis?

A) To examine the relationship between variables
B) To summarize the characteristics of a dataset
C) To determine the frequency of responses
D) To establish causal relationships

14. In statistical terms, what does "null hypothesis" represent?

A) A statement that there is no effect or no difference
B) A statement that predicts a relationship between variables
C) A statement that confirms the research hypothesis
D) A statement that identifies outliers

15. What is the primary advantage of using a random sample in research?

A) It reduces bias and increases generalizability
B) It simplifies data analysis
C) It allows for larger sample sizes
D) It guarantees accurate results

16. Which of the following tests is used to analyze the relationship between two categorical variables?

A) T-test
B) Chi-square test
C) ANOVA
D) Regression analysis

17. In statistics, what is the meaning of "type I error"?

A) Rejecting the null hypothesis when it is actually true
B) Failing to reject the null hypothesis when it is actually false
C) A measurement error in data collection
D) Analyzing data with a biased sample

18. What is the primary function of a control group in an experiment?

A) To provide a baseline for comparison with the experimental group
B) To ensure that all variables are manipulated
C) To increase the sample size
D) To introduce additional variables into the experiment

19. What does the term "statistical significance" imply?

A) The observed effect is unlikely to have occurred by chance
B) The results are always important or meaningful
C) There is no effect in the population
D) The sample size is large enough

20. Which method is often used to visualize the distribution of a dataset?

A) Histogram
B) Pie chart
C) Line graph
D) Scatter plot

21. In a study examining the effect of study hours on exam scores, what type of analysis would you perform to understand the relationship between these two variables?

A) Correlation analysis
B) Descriptive analysis
C) ANOVA
D) Regression analysis

22. If a researcher wants to compare the mean scores of two different teaching methods, which statistical test is most appropriate?

A) T-test
B) Chi-square test
C) ANOVA
D) Regression analysis

23. What is the first step in conducting a statistical analysis?

A) Defining the research question and hypotheses
B) Collecting data
C) Analyzing the results
D) Presenting the findings

24. When analyzing survey data, which method is used to ensure that the sample is representative of the population?

A) Convenience sampling
B) Stratified sampling
C) Snowball sampling
D) Purposive sampling

25. What does the term "outlier" refer to in statistical data?

A) A data point that is significantly different from others
B) A data point that is the average of the dataset
C) A data point that falls within one standard deviation
D) A data point that has been excluded from analysis

26. Which statistical measure would be best to identify the spread of scores in a dataset?

A) Standard deviation
B) Mean
C) Median
D) Mode

27. In a regression analysis, what does the coefficient of determination (R²) represent?

A) The proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by the independent variable
B) The strength of the correlation between two variables
C) The average value of the dependent variable
D) The slope of the regression line

28. If a researcher wants to determine if a new medication is effective, which type of research design is most suitable?

A) Randomized controlled trial
B) Cross-sectional study
C) Case study
D) Longitudinal study

29. When is it appropriate to use a paired t-test?

A) When comparing the means of two related groups
B) When comparing the means of two independent groups
C) When analyzing categorical data
D) When using a one-way ANOVA

30. In hypothesis testing, what is the role of the significance level (alpha)?

A) To determine the threshold for rejecting the null hypothesis
B) To calculate the sample size needed for the study
C) To measure the power of the test
D) To assess the validity of the research findings

Result

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