In Class/Lab Assignment for Wednesday, February 8.

Correlation Method
Chapter 12

Please respond in complete sentences. Answers should be at least a paragraph long and
reflect your understanding of the content addressed.

1. Define the goal or purpose of the correlational research strategy and distinguish
between a correlational study and experimental and differential research.

The purpose of the correlational research strategy is to determine the association among
variables identified for the correlational study. Correlational study just finds if in two or
more variables are difference while experimental study identifies the cause-and-effect
relation amongst variables. Differential study studies the difference between groups from
which the variables are taken.

2. Explain how a correlation describes the direction, form, and strength of a relationship
and identify these characteristics for a set of data, especially data presented in a scatter
plot.
Direction of correlation means that where a variable X has large values, variable Y also
has large values in the same direction as we can see in a scatter diagram of these
variables. The form describes whether there is a relation or not and whether it is a linear
relation. The strength shows how tightly clustered the points are around the underlying
form in the scatter diagram.

3. Identify the statistical procedure used to determine a correlation for different types of
data and explain what each correlation measures.

The statistical procedure used to determine a correlation for different types of data is the
chi square test. For instance the chi square test determines the observed frequencies at
each level for two categorical variables are similar to or different from the expected
frequencies. If the frequencies are similar then the variables are correlated.

4. Describe how correlations are used for prediction, measuring reliability and validity
of measurement, and evaluating theories.

It is essential to determine the hypothesis underlying a theory for instance two or more
variables are identified related to the theory and then correlation is used to determine the
direction and strength of the variables. Depending in the outcome and how the variables
are correlated, we determine the reliability and validity of the theories as well as predict
the dependent variable.
5. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the correlational research strategy including
the third-variable problem and the directionality problem and identify these problems
when they appear in a research study.
Strengths of the correlational research strategy are that it can predict the dependent
variable based on independent variable and establish the validity and reliability if
the theories. However, the weaknesses are:
a. directionality problem which means it is possible that Variable A causes
change in Variable B or variable B causes change in Variable A.
b. Third-variable problem which means it is possible that one unmeasured
variable causes change in Variables A & B.