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1. A researcher wants to study the effect of gender on educational attainment. I

ID: 3468274 • Letter: 1

Question

1. A researcher wants to study the effect of gender on educational attainment. In such a study, gender would be:

the dependent variable

a constant

the independent variable

a spurious variable

2. When would we say that the relationship between two variables, X and Y, is spurious?

when X increases and Y increases as a result

when the correlation between X and Y is caused by a third variable

when X increases and Y decreases as a result

when no correlation exists between X and Y

3. Data on marriage indicate that half of all marriages end in divorce. This is an example of a ____ fact.

proportional

random

simple

census

4. A survey is circulating among your friends on Facebook. 50,000 people have responded to it so far. Your sociology professor tells you that such polls do not accurately reflect the views of the American population. This is because:

it is a survey, not a census

the respondents are randomly selected

it is a survey, not an experiment

the respondents are self-selected

5. Two presidential candidates, A and B, are in a tight race. The most recent poll, with a margin of error of +/- 3%, has support for A at 51% and B at 49%. What is the best interpretation of this poll?

The race is too close to call, either could win based on this poll

Candidate A has a 95% chance of winning the election

Candidate A will win the election by 2%

Candidate B has no chance of winning

the dependent variable

a constant

the independent variable

a spurious variable

Explanation / Answer

1. A researcher wants to study the effect of gender on educational attainment. In such a study, gender would be:

the independent variable

2. When would we say that the relationship between two variables, X and Y, is spurious?

when the correlation between X and Y is caused by a third variable

3. Data on marriage indicate that half of all marriages end in divorce. This is an example of a ____ fact.

Proportional

A survey is circulating among your friends on Facebook. 50,000 people have responded to it so far. Your sociology professor tells you that such polls do not accurately reflect the views of the American population. This is because:

it is a survey, not a census (A survey is a data collection activity that involves a sample of the population. While a census collects information about every member of the population).

5. Two presidential candidates, A and B, are in a tight race. The most recent poll, with a margin of error of +/- 3%, has support for A at 51% and B at 49%. The best interpretation of this poll is;

The race is too close to call, either could win based on this poll