Chapter Objectives

The thirteen chapter objectives listed in this module are the same as those found in the opening page of Chapter 7 in the textbook. Several learning objectives have been written and listed below to help you focus on specific material that is critical to your being able to demonstrate proficiency on the broader chapter objectives. In addition, multiple choice and essay/activity self-assessment items have been written for most of the learning objectives to help assess your knowledge of this material. You can access these items through the Multiple Choice and Essay/Activity modules.

1. Briefly state the purpose of correlational research.

   1.1	Define correlational research.
   1.2	State two purposes of correlational research.
   1.3	Understand the limitation of correlational research with regard to cause and effect.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 1

2. List and briefly describe the major steps involved in basic correlational research.

   2.1	Explain the basis for problem selection in correlational research.
   2.2	Describe an acceptable sample size in correlational research.
   2.3	Explain the relationship of instrument validity and reliability with regard to sample size in correlational research.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 2

   essay/activity questions for Objective 2

3. Describe the size and direction of values associated with the correlation coefficient.

   3.1	Define the term correlation coefficient.
   3.2	Identify the possible magnitude of a correlation coefficient.
   3.3	Identify the two possible directions of a correlation coefficient and explain the meaning of each.
   3.4	Define and describe a scatterplot.
   3.5	State the range of values used to interpret low, moderate, and high correlation coefficients.
   3.6	Define common variance.
   3.7	State the formula for calculating common variance.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 3

   essay/activity questions for Objective 3

4. Describe how the size of a correlation coefficient affects its interpretation with respect to (1) statistical significance, (2) its use in prediction, and (3) its use as an index of validity and reliability.

   4.1	Define statistical significance in the context of correlation.
   4.2	Explain how sample size affects statistical significance of a correlation coefficient.
   4.3	Define significance level and identify three commonly accepted levels of significance.
   4.4	Explain how a small correlation coefficient can be statistically significant.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 4

   essay/activity questions for Objective 4

5. State two major purposes of relationship studies.

   5.1	Describe the general purpose of a relationship study and differentiate it from correlational research studies.
   5.2	Identify two major purposes of relationship studies.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 5

   essay/activity questions for Objective 5

6. Identify and briefly describe the steps involved in conducting a relationship study.

   6.1	Identify and briefly describe the steps involved in conducting a relationship study.
   6.2	Explain the problem in calculating a large number of correlation coefficients in a single study.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 6

   essay/activity questions for Objective 6

7. Briefly describe four different types of correlation and the nature of the variables they are used to correlate.

   7.1	State the type of correlation coefficient used to correlate continuous data.
   7.2	State the type(s) of correlation coefficient used to correlate rank or ordinal data.
   7.3	State the type(s) of correlation coefficient used to correlate dichotomous data.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 7

8. Describe the difference between a linear and a curvilinear relationship.

   8.1	Describe the difference between a linear and curvilinear relationship.
   8.2	Give an example of two variables that might show a curvilinear relationship.
   8.3	State the type of correlation coefficient calculated when data are expected to relate in a curvilinear manner.
   8.4	Draw scatterplots of a strong positive relationship, a strong negative relationship, no relationship, and a curvilinear relationship.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 8

   essay/activity questions for Objective 8

9. Identify and briefly describe two factors that may contribute to an inaccurate estimate of relationship.

   9.1	Describe the reason for wanting to examine correlations for subgroups and identify the major problem with not doing so.
   9.2	Define attenuation and explain how attenuation affects correlation coefficients.
   9.3	Explain how low variability in a set of scores affects correlation coefficients.

   multiple choice questions for Objective 9

10. Briefly define or describe predictor variables and criterion variables.

    10.1	Define the term predictor variable.
    10.2	Define the term criterion variable.
    10.3	Describe a situation in which there is a predictive relationship between two or more variables.

    multiple choice questions for Objective 10

11. State purposes of prediction studies.

    11.1	Identify three purposes of prediction studies.
    11.2	Differentiate between correlation, relationship, and predictive studies.
    11.3	Explain how shrinkage affects prediction equations.
    11.4	Differentiate single and multiple predictor studies.
    11.5	Identify three factors that affect the accuracy of prediction.
    11.6	Define the coefficient of determination.

    multiple choice questions for Objective 11

    essay/activity questions for Objective 11

12. State the major difference between data collection procedures in a prediction study and a relationship study.

    12.1	Explain the major difference between data collection in a relationship and predictive study.

    essay/activity questions for Objective 12

13. Identify other correlational analyses.

    13.1	Define path analysis.
    13.2	State the purpose of discriminant function analysis.
    13.3	Explain when you would use canonical correlation.
    13.4	Explain the purpose of factor analysis.

    multiple choice questions for Objective 13