Question

Researchers must describe the actions that will be taken to measure or control each variable in their studies. In other words, they must: A. provide operational definitions of their variables. B. decide if their studies will be experimental or correlational. C. use statistics to summarize their findings. D. decide how many subjects should participate in their studies.

Short answer

A: Provide operational definitions of variables B: Decide if studies will be experimental or correlational C: Use statistics to summarize findings D: Decide how many subjects should participate in the study Answer: None of the options provided give a complete and accurate answer. Researchers must undertake various actions, such as defining variables, selecting research designs, using statistical methods, and choosing appropriate sample sizes, to control variables effectively.

Step-by-step solution

Option A: Provide operational definitions of variables

Providing operational definitions of variables is essential for researchers to ensure a clear understanding of the concepts they are studying. It helps in standardizing the measurements and allows different investigators to collect data with consistency. However, defining variables alone is not enough to control them in the study; thus, this option is not a complete answer to the problem.

Option B: Decide if studies will be experimental or correlational

Deciding on the research design, such as whether it will be experimental or correlational, is crucial because it influences how researchers can analyze and interpret their findings. Experimental and correlational designs have different strengths and limitations regarding causal inferences. However, this choice only deals with the overall research design, not the specific actions to control variables. Therefore, this option is not the correct answer.

Option C: Use statistics to summarize findings

Using statistics is a critical aspect of summarizing and interpreting the findings of a study. Statistical methods help in drawing inferences from the gathered data, making it possible to generalize results to a larger population. However, this step comes after the data collection, and using statistics alone does not address the issue of measuring or controlling variables during the research process. So, this choice is not the right answer to the problem.

Option D: Decide how many subjects should participate in the study

Deciding the number of subjects is an important aspect of conducting research, as it affects the study's statistical power and generalizability of the results. However, selecting an appropriate sample size does not necessarily address the specific steps to control variables during the study. Consequently, this choice is not the correct answer. In conclusion, none of the options provide a complete and accurate response to the exercise question. The steps required to measure or control variables in a study are more comprehensive and involve various aspects, such as defining variables, selecting appropriate research designs and statistical methods, and choosing the right sample size.