THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE
DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

SOCI 1005 INTRODUCTORY STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES

TUTORIAL QUESTIONS
SEMESTER I
2017/2018
Guidelines for tutorial presentations:
Tutorial presentations should be between 10 and 15 minutes
At the end of their presentation, students should indicate the references used
Students may receive a maximum of 10 marks for their presentation. This will be worth
5% of their overall coursework mark.

Tutorial 1
1. What is research? Give an example of a phenomenon that can be studied using the research
process. Why do think this phenomenon should be researched? (2 marks)
2. What is the difference between the independent variable and the dependent variable? (2
marks)
3. Describe the main features of the experimental research design, the quasi-experimental
research design and the survey research design. (6 marks)

Tutorial 2

1. What is the role of measurement in statistics? (2 marks)

2. Refer to the questionnaire (on page 8). For each question on the questionnaire:
a) identify the level of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio) (4 marks)
b) indicate the chart or graph that would be most appropriate to display the data collected (4

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Tutorial 3

1. What is the difference between central tendency and variability as concepts in descriptive
statistics? (2 marks)
2. For the scores below, determine the mean, variance and standard deviation. (4 marks)
Assume the scores come from a sample of students
Scores: 35, 48, 53, 69, 72, 81, 56, 78, 23, 31
3. Determine the range, median and sample standard deviation for the following scores: (4
marks) 23, 45, 21, 25, 16, 89

Tutorial 4
1. Discuss any three (3) features of the normal curve. (3 marks)
2. What are three (3) characteristics of z-scores? Why are standardized scores useful for
researchers? (3 marks)
3. For a sample of 80 persons, with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 16, determine the
z-scores for the following raw scores: (2 marks)
a) X = 120
b) X = 76
4. For a sample of 80 persons, with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 16, convert the
following z-scores into raw scores. (2 marks)
a) z = 1.95
b) z = -1.95

Tutorial 5
1. For a sample with a mean of 34 and a standard deviation of 5: (3 marks)
a) What proportion of the sample has a score less than 25?
b) What percentage of the sample has a score more than 50?
c) What is the probability of having a score more than 25?

2. A criminologist at The Centre for Crime Prevention is assigned to investigate the incidence of
burglaries in different communities across Trinidad and Tobago. In the initial stage of his

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 study, he collects data from a sample of ten (10) police stations in selected communities in
North Trinidad. The mean number of burglaries reported over a three-month period was 36.8,
with a standard deviation of 22.
a) What proportion of the sample has between 30 and 55 burglaries reported? (3 marks)
b) How many burglaries have to be reported in order for a community to be placed in 95th
percentile? (4 marks)

Tutorial 6
1. What are the test statistic and critical value? How are these used in determining if to reject or
not reject the null hypothesis? (3 marks)
2. A researcher at The UWI conducted a study of 200 university students to determine the
association between the sex of the student and the desire to get married within the next 5
years. Using the data in the table below and the steps in hypothesis testing, determine if there
is a significant association between these variables. (7 marks)

Table 2: Cross tabulation of gender and desire to get married within the next 5 years

Desire to Get Married within the next 5 years

Yes No Total

Sex of Male 18 87 105

Student
Female 76 19 95

Total 94 106 200

Tutorial 7
1. Distinguish between a Type I error and Type II error. Please provide an example of each.(3
marks)
2. Researchers at the Pew Centre found that social media usage is related to feelings of loneliness
among teenagers. Based on this finding, a psychologist at The UWI conducted a pilot study of
10 teenagers in Barbados to determine if there is a correlation between the number of hours
spent using social media per week and feelings of loneliness. Using the data in the table

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 below, and the steps in hypothesis testing, determine if there is a significant correlation
between social media usage and feelings of loneliness. Assume alpha = 0.05 (7 marks)

Table 3: Number of hours spent using social media and feelings of loneliness experienced by
participants
Participant Number of hours spent Feelings of loneliness
using social media
1 10 11
2 15 23
3 5 8
4 3 6
5 12 19
6 20 38
7 25 43
8 4 5
9 5 8
10 11 15

Tutorial 8
1. Describe the similarities and difference between Pearson correlation and simple linear
regression (you should make reference to the assumptions and usage of these tests). (4 marks)
2. What is the difference between the correlation coefficient (r) and the coefficient of
determination (R2)? Provide an example to further your explanation. (3 marks)
3. What do you see as the roles of the confidence level, significance level and the p-value in
hypothesis testing? (3 marks)

Tutorial 9
Presentation/ Group 1
1. What is the difference between a one-tailed test and a two-tailed test? (2 marks)
2. An experiment was set up to study two drugs, Lipanthyl and Befizal, based on their effect on
cholesterol level in blood. A group of 12 men with high cholesterol level were randomly

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 assigned one of the two drugs. The level of cholesterol of each group was measured over a 3
month period, and the scores recorded in the table below.
a) What type of study design was used (between-subject design or within-subject design)? (1
mark)
b) Using the steps in hypothesis testing and the data in the table below, determine if Befizal
lowered cholesterol more than Lipanthyl. Assume alpha = 0.05 (7 marks)

Table 4: Cholesterol levels of participants in drug treatment groups

Participant Lipanthyl Befizal

1 2.98 2.63
2 2.70 2.43
3 2.60 2.34
4 2.94 2.41
5 2.55 2.28
6 2.92 2.44

Presentation/ Group 2
3. Ten (10) participants underwent an assertiveness training program. Before and after
completing the program, they were asked to complete the Assertiveness Personality
Questionnaire, the scores for which are in the table below. Using the steps in hypothesis
testing, determine if the training program affected participants assertiveness. Assume alpha =
0.05 (10 marks)

Table 5: Pre-test and post-test scores of participants

Participant Before After

A 14 21
B 21 22
C 24 21
D 16 19
E 18 18
F 20 25
G 15 17
H 20 18
I 17 21
J 16 24

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Tutorial 10
1. Discuss the similarities and difference between the t-test and the ANOVA (you should make
reference to the assumptions of these tests). What is the benefit to the researcher of using the
ANOVA instead of the t-test? (3 marks)
2. A pharmaceutical company wanted to determine if there was a difference in the effect of three
(3) drugs on patients sleeping patterns. Fifteen (15) participants were randomly assigned to
three drug testing groups (Drug A, Drug B and Drug C), with five (5) participants in each
group. Each participant was asked how many hours they slept after taking the drug. Using the
steps in hypothesis testing and the data in the table below, determine if there is a significant
difference among the three drugs. Assume alpha = 0.05 (7 marks)

Table 6: Results of drug treatment

Participant Drug A
A 4
B 3
C 4
D 3
E 5
F 4
Drug B Drug C
3 6
2 4
4 3
1 4
0 7
2 6

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Questionnaire
Below is an excerpt from a questionnaire designed to investigate the influence of social factors
(age, sex, ethnic group, parental influence, peer influence and television viewing) on secondary
school students purchase of fast food.

1. Please indicate your sex?

0) Male

1) Female
2. What is your age? 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

3. With which ethnic group do you identify?

1. Afro-Trinidadian/Tobagonian 5. Indigenous/ Amerindian/ First Peoples

2. Indo-Trinidadian/ Tobagonian 6. Mixed (Afro and Indo)

3. Syrian/ Lebanese 7. Mixed (Other)

4. Chinese 8. Other

4. To what extent do you agree with the following statement:

My parents encourage me to eat fast food.
1. Strongly disagree 2. Disagree 3. Agree 4. Strongly agree

5. Do your friends buy fast food? 1. No 2. Yes

6. How many hours per week do you spend watching TV?

0)1-3 hours 1) 4-6 hours 2) 7-9 hours

7. Do you buy fast food? 1. No 2. Yes

8. How many times per week do you purchase fast food?

0 times 1time 2 times 3times 4times 5times 6times 7times