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NCE Exam Study Guide.
Experimental Research - answer✔✔Experimental Research is the process of gathering data in
order to make evaluative comparisons regarding different situations.
Experiment - answer✔✔The Experiment is the most valuable type of research it is used to
discover cause-and-effect relationships
How many individual participants do you need to conduct a "true" experiment? - answer✔✔To
conduct a "true" experiment you needs 30 individual participants.
How many individual participants do you need to conduct Correlational research? -
answer✔✔To conduct correlational research you needs 30 subjects per variable.
Quasi-experiment - answer✔✔A Quasi-experiment uses PRE-EXISTING groups, so the
independent variable (IV) cannot be altered (i.e. gender or ethnicity), & cannot state with any
statistical confidence that the IV caused the dependent variable (DV).
What type of experiment is a correlational research, and what does it tell us about cause and
effect? - answer✔✔Correlational research is a Quasi-experimental and does not yield cause-
effect data.
What do correlational studies tell us about the relationship between variables? - answer✔✔Since
correlational research is Quasi-experimental, it only shows a positive or negative relationship
between the variables, but does not yield cause-effect data.
Parsimony - answer✔✔Parsimony (aka Occam's Razor) refers to the practice of interpreting the
results in the simplest ways (Literally a tendency to be miserly and not overspend.)
Occam's Razor - answer✔✔Occam's Razor (aka Parsimony) refers to the practice of interpreting
the results in the simplest ways (Literally a tendency to be miserly and not overspend.)
Ex post facto study - answer✔✔Ex post facto study is a type of quasi-experiment (literally
means 'after the fact') connoting a correlational study in which preexisting groups are utilized
Independent variable - answer✔✔The Independent variable is the variable the researcher
manipulates, controls, alters, or wishes to experiment with. Memory Device: 'I' manipulate the
IV, or a hospital patient gets treatment form IV)
Dependent variable - answer✔✔The dependent variable expresses the outcome or the data
regarding factors one wants to measure. Memory Device: 'D' in dependent signifies 'D' in data.
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Validity - answer✔✔Validity is the extent or degree to which an idea/ conclusion/measurement/
score/ study is well-founded, measures what it claims to measure, corresponds accurately to the
real world & answers the questions it is intended to answer. 'valid' in Latin meaning strong,
equivalent.
Internal Validity - answer✔✔Internal validity 'in experiments' refers to whether the Dependent
Variables, 'DVs' , the data were truly influenced by the experimental independent variables, 'IVs',
treatment or if other factors impacted the Data.
What are some examples of "Threats to internal validity"? - answer✔✔Examples of threats to
'internal validity' or factors that reduce the impact of tx on Data are 1. maturation of subjects, the
psychological & physical changes e.g. fatigue due to time involved, 2. 'mortality' subjects
withdrawing, 3. instruments used to measure the behavior or trait, or 4. 'statistical regression' the
notion that extremely high or low scores would move toward the mean if utilized again.
External validity - answer✔✔'External validity' or outside of experiment, refers to whether the
experimental research results can be generalized to larger populations, e.g. other people, settings,
conditions. If the results of the study only apply to the population in the study then external
validity is LOW.
Causal Comparative Design - answer✔✔Causal Comparative design is a true experiment
WITHOUT random assignment. Data from the causal comparative ex post factor 'after the fact'
design can be analyzed with a test of significance, t test or ANOVA, just like any true
experiment.
Factor Analysis - answer✔✔Factor Analysis is Statistical procedure to summarize MANY
variables, e.g. A test measuring a counselor's ability, may try to describe 3 important variables
that make up an effective helper although hundreds exist.
Chi-Square - answer✔✔Chi-Square is used for 'Non-parametric' data i.g. cannot be plotted on a
x y axis, statistical measure that tests whether a distribution differs significantly from an
expected theoretical distribution of scores. (Memory: ''chi' like 'chi-a pet' that I expected more
from)
Occam's Razor - answer✔✔Occam's Razor is (also known as Lloyd Morgan's 1894 Canon)
suggests experimenters interpret the results in the simplest manner.
William of Occam - answer✔✔William of Occam as in Occam's Razor" was a 14th century
philosopher and theologian. (Occam's Razor, aka 'parsimony' named for)
Bubbles in Research - answer✔✔Bubbles in research are considered flaws in research (i.e.,
rubbing a sticker on car and getting no bubbles - impossible)
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Confounded or flawed variable - answer✔✔Confounded or flawed variable are undesirable
variables that invalidate experiments. (The only experimental variable should be the independent
variable.)
Nondirective is to person-centered as parsimony is to _____________ - answer✔✔Occam's
Razor (both are synonymous)
Most counselors see themselves as practitioners, not researchers. - answer✔✔...
Confounding - answer✔✔Confounding occurs when an undesirable variable (also known as
contaminating variable) which is not controlled by the researcher is introduced in the experiment.
An experiment is confounded when - answer✔✔An experiment is confounded when undesirable
variables are not kept out of the experiment.
Basic Research - answer✔✔Basic Research is conducted to advance our understanding of
theory.
Applied Research - answer✔✔Applied Research, (aka 'action research' or experience-near
research) is conducted to advance our knowledge of how theories, skills, and techniques can be
used in terms of practical application.
In experimental terminology, IV stands for _____ ______, and DV stands for ______ _______. -
answer✔✔IV stand for the independent variable, and the DV for dependent variable
Variable - answer✔✔Variable is a behavior or circumstance that can exist on at least two levels
or conditions. (a factor that 'varies' or is capable of change)
The variable you manipulate/control in an experiment is the - answer✔✔The variable you
manipulate/control in an experiment is the IV or independent variable ("I am the researcher so I
manipulate or experiment with the IV.")
Experimental Ethics Dictate that.. - answer✔✔Experimental Ethics dictate that subjects should
be 1. informed of risk, negative after effects are removed, 2 allowed subjects to withdraw at any
time, 3 confidentiality of subjects is protected, 4 results will be presented in an accurate format
that is not misleading, and 5 will use only techniques trained in.
Research is a necessary factor for professionalism in counseling. - answer✔✔...
To conduct an experiment with a hypothesis, one needs - answer✔✔To conduct an experiment
with a hypothesis, one needs a control group and an experimental group.
The Control Group - answer✔✔The Control Group does NOT receive the IV (same
characteristics of the experimental group - the averages between the two groups should not differ
significantly)
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The Experimental Group - answer✔✔The Experimental Group received the IV (has the same
characteristics of the control group the averages between the two groups should not differ
significantly)
Surveys should include at least 100 people. - answer✔✔...
R. A. Fisher - answer✔✔R. A. Fisher pioneered hypothesis testing.
Hypothesis - answer✔✔Hypothesis is a hunch or educated guess which can be tested utilizing
the experimental model. A statement which can be tested regarding the relationship between the
independent (IV) and the dependent variables (DV).
Null hypothesis - answer✔✔The Null hypothesis suggests there WILL NOT be a significant
difference between the experimental group which received the IV and the control group which
did not. (asserts the samples will not change - will stay the same - even after the experimental
variable is applied.) *The IV DOES NOT affect the DV.*
Hunch - answer✔✔A Hunch the experimental or alternative hypothesis.
Experimental Hypothesis - answer✔✔Experimental Hypothesis states, "There will be differences
between the control group and the experimental group.
Alternative Hypothesis - answer✔✔The Alternative Hypothesis (aka 'affirmative hypothesis')
asserts the independent variable (IV) has indeed caused a change.
Directional Hypothesis - answer✔✔Directional Hypothesis is a one-tailed test, you assume that
by manipulating the independent variable there will be one specific change in the dependent
variable. You can predict if this change will be positive or negative. For example if you ask
someone to say la la la la while trying to remember a list of words (the IV) you can assume that
this will have a negative impact on their ability to recall the words (the DV).
... - answer✔✔Non-Directional hypothesis
A non-directional hypothesis is two tailed. You assume that by manipulating the independent
variable there will be a change in the dependent variable. You cannot predict if this change will
be positive or negative. For example if you ask someone to roll a ball in their hands while trying
to remember a list of words (the IV) this could either have a positive or negative impact on their
ability to recall the words (the DV).
Descriptive Statistics - answer✔✔???????????????????????
Percentile Rank - answer✔✔Percentile Rank is a descriptive statistic telling the counselor what
percentage of the cases fell below a certain level.
Percentage Score - answer✔✔Percentage score is another way of stating a RAW score.
