Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

  • How to distinguish an acceptable explanation from an unacceptable explanation
     
  • The difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable
     
  • How to write a hypothesis stating the relationship between an independent variable
     
  • and a dependent variable
     
  • How to test hypotheses using cross-tabulation analysis and mean comparison analysis
     
  • How to describe linear and nonlinear relationships between variables