The Daily Data Drill

Sample Drill Questions

Here are fifteen sample questions from the daily drill, so you can see the style before you start.

1. Question 1: Jordan's behavior plan targets eating too quickly. The supervisor asks the RBT to record the number of seconds from when Jordan finishes swallowing one bite until he puts the next bite in his mouth. What type of measurement is the RBT using?

   • A) Rate of responding
   • B) Latency recording
   • C) Duration recording
   • D) Interresponse time
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: D

   D is correct. Interresponse time (IRT) is the time between the end of one response and the start of the next response. Here the RBT times from the end of one bite to the start of the next bite. A is wrong. Rate is a count of responses divided by time, such as bites per minute. It does not measure the seconds between two responses. B is wrong. Latency is the time from a cue or instruction to the start of a response. No instruction is being timed here, only the gap between two bites. C is wrong. Duration is how long one response lasts from start to finish, such as how long one bite takes to chew. The RBT is timing the gap between bites instead.

2. Question 2: An RBT is using 10-second partial-interval recording for hand flapping. During the third interval, Leo flaps his hands for about 2 seconds and then stops for the rest of the interval. How should the RBT score the third interval?

   • A) Score it as a nonoccurrence, since the behavior did not last for the entire interval
   • B) Write down 2 seconds for that interval so the supervisor can see how long it lasted
   • C) Score it as an occurrence, since the behavior happened at some point in the interval
   • D) Score it only if Leo is still flapping at the exact moment the interval ends
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: C

   C is correct. In partial-interval recording, an interval is scored if the behavior occurs at any time during it, even briefly. A is wrong. That is the rule for whole-interval recording, where the behavior must continue for the entire interval. B is wrong. Recording seconds is duration recording. Partial-interval data are scored only as occurred or did not occur for each interval. D is wrong. Checking only at the end of the interval is momentary time sampling, not partial-interval recording.

3. Question 3: An RBT uses 5-minute momentary time sampling to record whether Priya is on task. During one interval, Priya works for about 4 and a half minutes. At the exact moment the interval ends, she is looking out the window and not working. How should the RBT score that interval?

   • A) Off task, since only the moment the interval ends is scored
   • B) On task, because she was working for most of the 5-minute interval
   • C) Wait a few more seconds, and score on task if she goes back to work
   • D) On task, because she was working at some point during the interval
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A

   A is correct. Momentary time sampling scores only what is happening at the instant the interval ends. Priya was not working at that moment, so the interval is scored off task, even though she worked for most of it. B is wrong. How long she worked during the interval does not matter in momentary time sampling. Only the moment the interval ends is scored. C is wrong. The observation must happen at the scheduled moment. Waiting and then scoring changes the procedure and makes the data inaccurate. D is wrong. Scoring behavior that happens at any point in the interval is partial-interval recording, not momentary time sampling.

4. Question 4: The supervisor asks the RBT to use permanent product recording for Ava's goal of folding laundry. Which method fits this request?

   • A) Watch Ava the entire time and make a tally mark every time she folds an item
   • B) Check every 2 minutes whether Ava is folding at that exact moment
   • C) Use a stopwatch to time how long it takes Ava to fold the whole basket
   • D) After Ava finishes, count how many items in the basket are folded correctly
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: D

   D is correct. Permanent product recording measures the lasting result of a behavior after it is done. The folded laundry stays there to be counted later. A is wrong. Tallying each item as it happens is frequency (event) recording, which requires watching the behavior as it occurs. B is wrong. Checking at set moments is momentary time sampling, a discontinuous method. C is wrong. Timing the task is duration recording, not permanent product recording.

5. Question 5: Sam's line graph shows the percentage of correct responses. Sessions 1 to 10 were baseline, and a phase change line was drawn after session 10 because teaching started in session 11. Today is session 11, and Sam got 7 of 10 trials correct. How should the RBT graph today's data?

   • A) Plot 70% at session 11 and draw a line connecting it to the session 10 data point
   • B) Plot 7 at session 11, because Sam had 7 correct responses in today's session
   • C) Leave session 11 blank until there are three teaching sessions to average together
   • D) Plot 70% at session 11 as the first point of a new data path after the phase line
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: D

   D is correct. Seven out of 10 is 70%. Data points are not connected across a phase change line, so the teaching phase starts a new data path. A is wrong. Connecting points across a phase change line blends baseline and teaching data, which makes it harder to see the effect of the change. B is wrong. The y-axis on this graph is percentage correct, so 7 of 10 must be entered as 70%, not as a count of 7. C is wrong. Each session's data should be entered after that session. Holding data back delays information the supervisor needs.

6. Question 6: Before data collection starts, the RBT reads four descriptions of Liam's aggression. Which description is written in observable and measurable terms?

   • A) Any time Liam hits, kicks, or pushes another person with his hand or foot
   • B) Any time Liam acts aggressively toward peers or staff during the session
   • C) Any time Liam becomes angry and tries to hurt others when he feels frustrated
   • D) Any time Liam has a meltdown that includes aggressive behavior toward others
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A

   A is correct. This names actions that anyone watching can see and count, so two observers would likely agree on what to record. B is wrong. Acts aggressively is a label, not a description of specific actions. Two observers might count very different things. C is wrong. Anger and frustration are feelings that cannot be directly observed. A good description says what Liam does. D is wrong. Meltdown is a vague, general term. It does not say which actions should be counted.

7. Question 7: Ethan raised his hand 12 times during a 30-minute session on Monday and 18 times during a 45-minute session on Tuesday. Which statement about his rate of hand raising is accurate?

   • A) The rates cannot be compared, since the sessions had different lengths
   • B) The rate was the same on both days, 0.4 times per minute
   • C) The rate was higher on Monday, because that session was shorter
   • D) The rate was higher on Tuesday, since he raised his hand more times
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: B

   B is correct. Rate is count divided by time. 12 divided by 30 is 0.4 per minute, and 18 divided by 45 is also 0.4 per minute. A is wrong. Rate is useful exactly because it lets you compare sessions of different lengths. C is wrong. A shorter session does not automatically mean a higher rate. Dividing count by time gives 0.4 per minute on both days. D is wrong. A higher count does not mean a higher rate when sessions are different lengths. Tuesday's session was also longer.

8. Question 8: Mason's graph shows the number of times he threw objects each session. The last six data points are 14, 12, 11, 9, 7, and 6. How should the RBT describe the trend?

   • A) A flat trend, because the change from one session to the next is small
   • B) No trend yet, because at least 10 data points are needed to see one
   • C) A decreasing trend, which is the desired direction for this behavior
   • D) An increasing trend, because the behavior plan is clearly working
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: C

   C is correct. The values go down over time, so the trend is decreasing. Throwing is a behavior to reduce, so down is the desired direction. A is wrong. A flat (zero) trend means the data stay at about the same level. Here the values drop steadily from 14 to 6. B is wrong. There is no rule that 10 points are needed. A clear direction across six points is a trend. D is wrong. Trend describes the direction the data move, not whether things are going well. These data are going down, not up.

9. Question 9: An RBT has been writing trial data from memory at the end of each session instead of during trials. The graph shows steady progress, and the supervisor plans to mark the target as mastered. What is the biggest risk?

   • A) A progress decision may rest on numbers that do not reflect real performance
   • B) The main risk is that the graph will look less organized during supervision
   • C) The only risk is a billing problem, since note times may not match the data
   • D) There is little risk, since end-of-session recording is fine if the RBT remembers well
   Answer and explanation

   Correct answer: A

   A is correct. Data written from memory are often inaccurate. The supervisor may make decisions, like calling a target mastered, that the client is not ready for. B is wrong. The problem is not how the graph looks. The problem is that the numbers may be wrong. C is wrong. Billing and documentation accuracy matter, but the biggest risk here is a wrong clinical decision for the client. D is wrong. Memory is not reliable across many trials. Data should be recorded as trials happen so they are accurate.

10. Question 10: During a preference assessment, the RBT places 5 items in a row in front of Kaylee. Kaylee picks the bubbles and plays with them briefly. The RBT then takes the bubbles out of the array, rearranges the other 4 items, and presents them again. What type of preference assessment is this?

    • A) Multiple stimulus with replacement
    • B) Multiple stimulus without replacement
    • C) Free operant preference assessment
    • D) Paired stimulus, also called forced choice
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    B is correct. Several items are presented at once, and the chosen item is not put back into the array for the next trial. A is wrong. In this version, the chosen item is put back into the array. Here the bubbles were removed. C is wrong. A free-operant assessment gives free access to all items and records how long the client engages with each. Items are not removed after a choice. D is wrong. A paired-stimulus assessment presents only two items at a time, not five.

11. Question 11: A multiple-stimulus preference assessment last week showed that toy cars were Ben's top choice. Today, Ben keeps pushing the cars away and reaching for the blocks instead. What should the RBT do?

    • A) Stop giving reinforcers until the supervisor can run a new formal assessment
    • B) Do a brief preference check as the program allows, and tell the supervisor
    • C) Switch to candy for the rest of the session, since edibles always work best
    • D) Keep using the cars, since the formal assessment found them to be his top item
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    B is correct. Preferences can change from day to day. Brief, ongoing preference checks are a normal part of sessions, and the supervisor should know about the shift. A is wrong. Stopping reinforcement would hurt learning and could increase problem behavior. A brief preference check can be done in session. C is wrong. Edibles are not always the strongest reinforcer, and the RBT should not add a new type of reinforcer that is not in the plan. D is wrong. A past assessment does not guarantee an item works as a reinforcer today. An item the client is refusing is unlikely to reinforce behavior.

12. Question 12: The supervisor is doing a curriculum-based skills assessment with a new client and asks the RBT to help. Which action is appropriate for the RBT?

    • A) Give extra prompts so the client can show everything he is capable of
    • B) Skip items the client could not do last time, so the assessment goes faster
    • C) Pick which goals to add to the treatment plan based on the client's scores
    • D) Present the items as trained and record exactly how the client responded
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D

    D is correct. RBTs help with skill assessments under supervision by following the procedure and recording responses accurately. A is wrong. Extra prompts make results look better than the client's real skills. The assessment must follow the rules the supervisor set. B is wrong. Skipping items changes the assessment and can miss skills that have changed. The RBT follows the procedure as trained. C is wrong. Choosing goals and writing the plan are the supervisor's job, not the RBT's.

13. Question 13: The supervisor asks the RBT to take ABC data on Mia's screaming at home. Which entry is written correctly?

    • A) A: Mia screamed for about 10 seconds. B: Mom gave her the tablet. C: Mia calmed down.
    • B) A: Mia was having a bad day. B: Tantrum. C: Mia got what she wanted, as usual.
    • C) A: Mia felt jealous of her brother again. B: Mia screamed. C: Mom gave in to her.
    • D) A: Brother took her tablet. B: Mia screamed for 10 seconds. C: Mom gave it back.
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: D

    D is correct. Each part is observable. The antecedent is what happened right before, the behavior is what Mia did, and the consequence is what happened right after. A is wrong. The parts are in the wrong places. Mia's screaming is the behavior, not the antecedent, and Mom's action is part of the consequence. B is wrong. Bad day and tantrum are vague labels, and the consequence includes an opinion. None of this tells the supervisor what actually happened. C is wrong. Jealous is a guess about feelings, and gave in is an opinion. ABC data describe only what was seen and heard.

14. Question 14: During a functional analysis designed by the supervisor, the RBT runs the attention condition. The written procedure says to give a brief statement of concern, like 'Don't do that,' each time Owen hits the table, and otherwise to ignore him. The procedure also lists safety rules for when to stop the session. Owen starts hitting the table often. What should the RBT do?

    • A) Run the condition exactly as designed, including the steps for stopping
    • B) Give Owen extra comfort and hugs to calm him so he stops hitting the table
    • C) Ignore the hitting and tell the supervisor later that attention may reinforce it
    • D) Switch to the play condition, since attention clearly seems to cause the hitting
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A

    A is correct. In a functional analysis, each condition must be run exactly as designed so the results are valid. The RBT carries out the procedure and safety rules but does not change them. B is wrong. This gives far more attention than the procedure calls for, which changes the condition and its results. C is wrong. The attention condition tests whether attention maintains the behavior. Ignoring the behavior changes the test and makes the results useless, and telling the supervisor afterward does not undo that. D is wrong. The RBT does not change conditions or interpret results. Those decisions belong to the supervisor.

15. Question 15: During math work, each time Noah says 'Break, please,' the RBT removes the worksheet for 1 minute, as written in his plan. Over the next two weeks, Noah asks for breaks more often. What principle explains this?

    • A) Extinction
    • B) Negative reinforcement
    • C) Negative punishment
    • D) Positive reinforcement
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    B is correct. Something Noah did not want (the worksheet) was removed after he asked, and asking increased. Removing something so that a behavior increases is negative reinforcement. A is wrong. Extinction means the reinforcer is no longer given for the behavior. Here, asking was reinforced every time. C is wrong. Negative punishment removes something and makes the behavior decrease. Noah's asking increased. D is wrong. Positive reinforcement adds something after the behavior. Here, the worksheet was taken away.