Confidence intervals are two-tailed. This is due to the fact that the normal curve has two sides, or halves, that are split by the mean. The result of this is the rather pessimistic reality that the two-halves of the curve bring with it the result that there are two ways to be wrong with a confidence interval. The interval might be above the mean and miss it by being too far out along the positive tail, or the interval might be below the mean, missing it by being too far out along the negative end. Either scenario is a possibility, hence the use of a two-tailed test.

What will be an ideal response?


If researchers wish to achieve a greater amount of confidence in their estimate, then there is a price they must pay in the form of reduced precision. Ultimately what this means is that the amount of useful information they would obtain is severely diminished.
For example, take the question posed by the author of your book regarding the guess about another person’s hometown. If the researcher was able to correctly identify another person’s hometown on the first guess that would be an extraordinary feat. Say, for instance, someone hails from Pensacola, FL. This has a low probability of actually being correct but has the benefit of being a very precise estimate because it is just one single city.
If the researcher were to guess the other individual was from the State of Florida, the confidence that could be placed in this guess is more than a guess of one single city due to the larger area covered by the guess. Now, say the researcher broadened the guess to encompass the Southern United States. Now this guess would be even less precise, but a good deal more confidence could be placed in it. The probability of this guess being correct would be greater than for a single city or even a single state. However, the precision would not be very good at all. The only actual way for the researcher to have complete confidence in his or her guessing would be to broaden the guessing to encompass the entire continent or even the whole planet. This would actually be a terrible estimate due to its lack of precision.

Criminal Justice

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______ is known as one of the largest data collectors.

a. Google b. Instagram c. Amazon d. Snapcha

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What term applies to the act of having lawful access to property, but then remaining until such lawful access no longer exists with the intent to commit a crime?

a. Superstitious remaining b. Surreptitious remaining c. Surreptitious restraining d. None of the above

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A criminal conviction may be based on what type of evidence?

a. Direct evidence b. Circumstantial evidence c. A combination of direct and circumstantial evidence d. A criminal conviction may be based on all of the above.

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A witness is allowed to bring and to refer to personal notes on the stand.

Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)

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