The data preparation process involves several distinct tasks to transform raw participant responses into a format ready for analysis. Match each task to the scenario that best illustrates it.

Dr. Kim has collected raw data from 50 participants for a study on exercise and mood. In her spreadsheet, she notices that one participant reported exercising 200 hours per week (an impossible amount) and several others left the 'age' question blank. Which of the following actions should Dr. Kim take as part of the data preparation process?

A researcher has just finished collecting paper surveys measuring 'Need for Cognition.' Arrange the following steps of the data preparation process in the logical sequence they must be performed to transform the raw responses into a valid composite variable ready for statistical testing.

True or False: During the data preparation process, it is more scientifically sound to retain logically impossible responses (such as a participant reporting an age of $150$ years) to preserve the integrity of the 'raw' data than it is to exclude or adjust those responses before beginning statistical analysis.

You are the lead researcher for a study investigating 'Commuter Stress.' You have collected raw data in three formats: 1) GPS logs of travel duration in minutes, 2) heart-rate readings (BPM) from wearable sensors, and 3) categorical 'Mood Surveys' with responses ranging from 'Very Happy' to 'Very Stressed.'

Which of the following protocols represents the most effective way to create an integrated, analysis-ready dataset from these raw sources?

During the data preparation process, researchers focus exclusively on organizing the independent and dependent variables, while demographic data and manipulation checks are left unorganized until the statistical analysis phase.

Arrange the general stages of the data preparation process in the correct order, starting from the collection of raw responses and ending with the final dataset ready for statistical software.

In psychology research, the critical step of transforming raw, unanalyzed data into an organized format ready for statistical analysis—which includes coding variables, combining participant information, and identifying missing or suspicious responses—is known as _____.

A researcher is reviewing a raw dataset from a psychology study. Analyze each data situation below and match it to the specific data preparation challenge it represents.

A researcher preparing online survey data notices that one participant completed a 60-item questionnaire in 45 seconds—a task that normally takes 8–12 minutes. After weighing the evidence, she concludes that this participant's responses are _____, because the implausibly short completion time makes it virtually impossible that the participant read and genuinely considered each item, and including the data would threaten the validity of any subsequent statistical analysis.

Define the data preparation process and list the three main categories of participant variables that must be coded and combined, as well as the types of problematic responses that need to be identified and handled before statistical analysis.

Using your understanding of the data preparation process, explain what categories of variables the researcher must code and combine, and diagnose what types of problematic responses are present in this dataset.

Imagine you have collected raw survey sheets from a psychology experiment that measure age, gender, levels of stress, and a question testing if participants read the prompt. Write a brief response of one to three sentences describing the specific actions you would take to complete the data preparation process for this dataset.