Business Research
Which TWO of these methods are qualitative? - dolphin - depth - daphna - delphi - DEMON
-delphi - depth
Epistemology refers to? - acceptable knowledge in a field of study - a statistical test - a software package - a form of interviewing
Acceptable knowledge in a field of study
If your research philosophy reflects the principles of positivism, then you will probably: - not accept any argument about your research conclusions - want to be sure that all your answers are beyond dispute - adopt the philosophical stance of the natural scientist - reject the possibility of working with numbers
Adopt the philosophical stance of the natural scientist
Which of these will NOT help you to decide whether a publication is reputable? - audience - citation range - importance to peers - adverts inside
Adverts inside
The literature review will examine: - only opinions - only one side of the main argument - only facts - all aspects of a topic
All aspects of a topic
Management research is simply systematic research to find out things about business and management (Saunders et al) - what does this concern? - Marketing planning - HR - Production planning - All of above
All of the above
A research study was carried out to see how many people bought a product using the freephone number and how many using a paid-for phone call - this is an example of? - applied research - pure research - neither - both
Applied research
Which of these is not a way of weighting data? - Applying a formula that responds to your knowledge of the data context. - Calculating the weight for each stratum using a pre-determined formula. - Establishing which stratum had the highest percentage of the population responding. - Calculating the percentage of the population responding for each stratum.
Applying a formula that responds to your knowledge of the data context
Why is it important for a researcher to review the literature? - because it identifies like-minded researchers - because it will find if anyone has done the work before - because it is traditional - because it shows time has been spent on the subject
Because it will find if anyone has done the work before
Idea generation by two or more people thinking as freely as possible is formally known as? - gap analysis - brainstorming - learning curve - forced relationships - clap-trapping
Brainstorming
Which is the odd one out? -The Data Protection Law. -Codes of Conduct (the MRS, BPS, CIM, CMI). - The Freedom of Information Acts. - The European Convention on Human Rights.
Codes of Conduct (the MRS, BPS, CIM, CMI)
The process of gaining access to data from intended participants. This involves participants agreeing to be interviewed, within agreed limits. This is the definition for: -cognitive access - continuing access - physical access - informed consent
Cognitive access
What is the least expensive and least time-consuming of all sampling techniques? - judgemental sampling - stratified sampling - convenience sampling - snowball sampling - simple random sampling
Convenience sampling
When you cite internet resources, you do not need to find: - date of birth of the author - date last updated - date created - date of access
Date of birth of the author
Which method will allow the interviewer to use items from the environment as stimulus materials? - groups - depths - delphi - observations
Depths
The way in which this significance is tested using both non parametric and parametric statistics can be thought of as answering one from a series of questions. Which one of the questions below is the odd one out? - Does it look statistically significant on the face of it? - What is the strength of the relationship, and is it statistically significant? - Are the differences statistically significant? - Are the predicted values statistically significant?
Does it look statistically significant on the face of it?
A supermarket manager wants to know whether employees feel comfortable working in the cold food department - this is an example of? - employee research - marketing research - management consultancy - none of these
Employee research
The timing section of a report will NOT include: - progress report dates - deadlines for submitting the final report - guidelines on ethics - deadlines for ending data collection
Guidelines on ethics
Consider the research aim - To help solve problems of absenteeism. Which management function is the closest match? - marketing - all functions - HRM - production
HRM
Which one of these is not normally used by researchers to store references? - spreadsheets - word processing software - handwritten index cards - panels
Handwritten index cards
Which word fills all the blanks? "We talk about generating....., testing......, rejecting......" - questions - objectives - hypotheses - aims
Hypotheses
Which is the major disadvantage of using peer-reviewed journals in literature reviews? - info could be as old as four years - humans control the quality - info is too recent - subscription fees are high
Information could be as old as four years
Position achieved when intended participants are fully informed about the nature, purpose and use of research to be undertaken and their role within it, and where their agreement is given. This is the definition for: - informed consent - cognitive access - physical access - continuing access
Informed consent
What is the main advantage of producing a written research proposal? - helps with credibility - helps keep people employed - helps the institution - informs all interested parties
Informs all interested parties
The likely readers (or audiences) for a journal is a useful guide to the importance of that journal to your research. Why? - It indicates the likely number of pages - it indicates the likely editor - it indicates the likely publisher - it indicates the likely content
It indicates the likely content
A student plans a research project; it is called A description of IBM. On the limited information we have (the title), which ONE of these best applies to the idea? - it has an acceptable purpose - it is narrow - it is wide - it has an acceptable method
It is wide
Literature review is not usually concerned with helping in: - research instrument design - objective setting - literary appreciation - subsequent data collection
Literary appreciation
When you discover that an author has, (1) cited another author (2) it is good practice to: - locate and read the original and then attribute it to author 2 - not to use the work - use the work and attribute it to author 1 - use the work and attribute it to author 2
Locate and read the original, then attribute it to author 2
Leading, controlling and allocating resources describes what? - graphics - banking - management - research
Management
Consider this research aim - To investigate new markets. Which management function is the closest match? - marketing - all functions - HRM - production
Marketing
A top manager of a chocolate bar manufacturer asks for a report on how a new competing chocolate bar is being advertised - this is an example of? - management consultancy - marketing research - employee research - none of these
Marketing research
What is described here? The reasons for corporate failure in the UK and France - mode I knowledge creation - mode II knowledge creation - both - neither
Mode I knowledge creation
What is described here? To investigate two possible radio adverts for the new movie. - mode I knowledge creation - mode II knowledge creation - both - neither
Mode II knowledge creation
Supporters of observation consider it to be: - negative - subjective - creative - objective
Objective
Below is a list of populations and samples. Select the sample that is most likely to be representative (rather than biased) of the population from which it is drawn. - Population: Adults from a single geographic area. Sample: Employees at a local factory. - Population: Online shoppers. Sample: List of individuals who have web-based email. - Population: Owners of luxury cars. Sample: subscribers to What Car magazine. - Population: Owners of luxury cars. Sample: BMW owners. - Population: The general population in an inner London borough. Sample: All patients registered at local GP surgeries in the same area
Population: the general population in an inner London borough. Sample: all patients registered at local GP surgeries in the same area
Which one of these is normally associated with observation? - problem solving - problem causation - problem identification - problem people
Problem identification
Consider this research question - Should a new factory procedure be used? Which management function is the closet match? - marketing - all functions - HRM - production
Production
A research study was carried out to see whether people notice web addresses on television adverts - this is an example of? - applied research - pure research - neither - both
Pure research
Which one of these studies is least associated with construct validity? - positivist - qualitative - quantitative
Qualitative
A study based on 30 people (across three focus groups). What type of study is this? - qualitative study - quantitative study - questionnaire study - structured study
Qualitative study
Citation means that a particular paper has been? - quoted in another paper by another author - sold to another publisher - reproduced elsewhere - discussed orally by another author
Quoted in another paper by another author
Which of the following is NOT part of the sampling design process? - specifying the sampling unit - selection of the sampling technique - defining the population of the study - determining the relevant sample frame - refining the research question
Refining the research question
Projects do go wrong. In one case a student could not analyse the data collected; he was not capable. Which ONE of the following would have been realistic and would have helped the most with this problem? - using a Gantt chart - asking for deadline to be changed - using SPSS - being less ambitious - regular meetings with the supervisor
Regular meetings with the supervisor
Research goes through distinct phases. Which one is in the WRONG position? - report - critically review literature - formulate your research question - determine information gathering techniques
Report
All of these may appear in a research proposal, but which one will ALWAYS appear? - research objective - marketing objective - business objective - creative objective
Research objective
Respondent selection is also known as? - coding - weighting - sampling - grossing - sifting
Sampling
Which of these is the most efficient way to locate relevant journals? - browsing in newsagents - browsing shelves of library - searching using tertiary sources - following up references in articles
Searching using tertiary sources
When a study has been conducted and is available for other to see, it becomes? - primary data - ordinal data - secondary data
Secondary data
Projects do go wrong. In one case a student was indecisive and collected anything, just in case it came in useful: web sites, photocopies, brochures. The questionnaire even included irrelevant questions, just in case the information could be useful. Which ONE of the following would have been realistic and would have helped the most with this problem? - setting a clear objective - being less ambitious - using a Gantt chart - using SPSS - regular progress reports to the supervisor
Setting a clear objective
Before searching you should define the timeframe of your search. Why? - so you don't find the library busy - so you don't incur unnecessary costs - so you find the most articles - so you work when you are most efficient
So you work when you are most efficient
In terms of protecting a respondent's privacy which is the odd one out? - door-to-door interviewing - workplace interviewing - street interviewing - home interviewing
Street interviewing
These research tasks are slightly out of order. Which one should be moved? The study asked 2000 people about Christmas shopping. - cost of research were calculated - tables produced - timetable created - secondary resources consulted - questionnaire written - people interviewed
Tables produced
The starting point for a literature search is? - tertiary data - secondary data - primary data - some other data
Tertiary data
Which one of these is likely to be peer reviewed? - Women's Own - The Economist - The Guardian - The European Journal of Management
The European journal of Management
What is 'a possible explanation what we may or may not agree with'? - the hypothesis - the research question - grounded theory - the objective
The hypothesis
What helps to agree timing, agree resource allocation and also draws boundaries? - the questionnaire - the observation form - the proposal - the final report
The proposal
Researchers need to be cautious of some material, particularly material found online. Why? - It is too recent - It has been used before - The authors name often does not appear - The quality is unknown
The quality is unknown
What is the difference between research questions and research objectives? - no difference they are the same - one of these is proposed by supervisor - the wording of one is likely to be more specific than the other - the question is worded by the researcher, the objective is not
The wording of one is likely to be more specific than the other
In academic research, at Uni level, a verb best avoided in the research question is? - to establish - to determine - to describe - to identify
To describe
A symmetry of potential outcomes means that the project? - starts with a qualitative stage and ends with a qualitative stage - will be valuable whatever the outcome - starts with a quantitative stage and ends with a quantitative stage
Will be valuable whatever the outcome
Projects do go wrong. In one case a student's conclusion was not acceptable. She jumped to that conclusion because it seemed to her to be the right answer. Which ONE of the following would have been realistic and would have helped the most with this problem? - using a Gannt chart - asking for the deadline to be changed - being less ambitious - working closely with info provided - regular progress reports to the supervisor
Working closely with the information provided
Symbolic interactionism is: - a famous research methods book - a continual process of interpreting the social world around us - a way of looking at the stars - a branch of research philosophy which refers to the study of material artifacts
a continual process of interpreting the social world around us
Identify what type of question the following is. Did you use the library yesterday? - an open-ended question - a direct question - an indirect question - an indiscreet question
a direct question
"Do you think asbestos should be banned from the workplace because it causes cancer as demonstrated by the medical profession?" is an example of: - an implicit alternative - a generalisation - position bias - a leading question - vague wording
a leading question
ANOVA is: - a two-way analysis of variance. - a government body which collects social statistics. - the name of a statistical software package. - a one-way analysis of variance.
a one-way analysis of variance
The method section for ___________ includes detailed information on the sampling frame; sample size; variables selected for measurement; questionnaire, sampling procedure; response rates. - a qualitative study - a quantitative study - a desk research study - all of the above - none of the above
a quantitative study
Buchanan et al. (1988:59) argue that 'needs, interests and preferences (of the researcher) . . . are typically overlooked but are central to the progress of fieldwork'. Is this: - a realisation that we are likely to sustain or interest longer if we're conducting or research in a way that we prefer? - a possible justification for research approach decisions which are not reflective of the research question and objectives? - a license to do what you like? - a legitimisation of the opportunity to exhibit your prejudice
a realisation that we are likely to sustain or interest longer if we're conducting or research in a way that we prefer?
The report is NOT: - a basis for decision-making - future secondary data - a research proposal - tangible evidence of a research project
a research proposal
What is this? Good [] [] [] [] [] [] [] Bad - a filter question - a likert scale - a sample itemised rating scale - a semantic differential scale
a semantic differential scale
The word paradigm means: - a branch of physics - a type of sampling - being forced to do something - a theoretical framework
a theoretical framework
Which ONE of these is an example of raw data? - a report on qualitative focus groups - an annual company report - a transcript from a group - a report on a specific industrial sector
a transcripts from a group
The radical change paradigm is: - of little us in management and business research - only for those who wish to find fault with organisational life - only the concern of sociologists - a valuable way of adopting a critical stance on organisational life
a valuable way of adopting a critical stance on organisational life
Standard deviation is - a way of illustrating crime statistics. - a way of measuring the extent of spread of quantifiable data. - a way of describing those phenomena that are not the norm. - inappropriate in management and business research.
a way of measuring the extent of spread of quantifiable data
Which of these is a qualitative technique? - action learning - ANOVA - multi-variete analysis - action research
action research
Which research strategy is described here? The researcher is involved in the acts under study; s/he causes changes and monitors the outcomes - action research - survey - case study - grounded theory
action research
Which ONE is a disadvantage of secondary data? - addresses a fresh topic - fast to obtain - already exist - inexpensive
adresses a fresh topic
Examples of ambiguous words include: - regularly - adequately - often - all of the above
all of the above
For any study you should question the validity and reliability of: - the interviewing process - the sampling procedure - the questionnaire - all of the above
all of the above
In a computer search, which of these should be used? - search engines - thesaurus - dictionaries - all of the above - none of the above
all of the above
Observation is a form of: - qualitative research - quantitative research - primary research - all of above - none of the above
all of the above
Snowball sampling can help the researcher to: - theorise inductively in a qualitative study - overcome the problem of not having an accessible sampling frame - access difficult or hidden populations - collect data cost effectively - all of the above
all of the above
The target population be defined in terms of: - elements - the object about which info is desired - time - the time period under consideration - sampling units - the set of elements available for selection during the sampling process - extent - the geographical boundaries - all of the above
all of the above
What are the distinguishing features of simple random sampling? - each element in the population has a known and equal probability of selection - random numbers determine which elements are included in the sample - a sampling frame must be compiled in which each element has a unique identification number - each possible sample of a given size has a known and equal probability of being the sample actually selected - all of the above
all of the above
Select all of the following statements which you believe to be true. A truly random sample of the general population would be obtained by: - Allocating each individual a unique number and using a computer to randomly generate numbers for selection. - Closing your eyes and sticking a pin into a telephone directory. - selecting every individual with a surname beginning with the letter S. - selecting every 20th individual from a list of patients registered with a GP. - selecting an individual from every fourth house on a street.
allocating each individual a unique number and using a computer to randomly generate numbers for selection
Which ONE is an advantage of secondary data? - may be outdated - expensive - already exist - may not be accurate
already exist
Interpretivism refers to: - an epistemology that advocates that it is advisable for the researcher to understand differences between humans in our role as social actors. - the purely subjective looking at phenomena and making up your own mind about what you are seeing - an epistemology that advocates that it is necessary for the researcher to understand differences between humans in our role as social actors.
an epistemology that advocates that is is necessary for the researcher to understand differences between humans in our role as social actors
A pictogram is: - a line drawing. - a photograph. - an illustration where each bar is replaced by a picture or series of pictures chosen to represent the data. - a way of measuring the impact of data presentation techniques.
an illustration where each bar is replaced by a picture or series of pictures chosen to represent the data.
A pie chart is: - an illustration where the data are divided into proportional segments according to the share each has of the total value of the data. - any form of pictorial representation of data. - a chart demonstrating the increasing incidence of obesity in society. - only used in catering management research.
an illustration where the data are divided into proportional segments according to the share each has of the total value of the data.
The coefficient of determination (sometimes known as the regression coefficient) enables you to: - assess the strength of relationship between a quantifiable dependent variable and one or more quantifiable independent variables. - assess whether two variables measure the same phenomenon. - measure the difference between two variables. - establish whether the data is telling you what you think it should tell you.
assess the strength of relationship between a quantifiable dependent variable and one or more
A student is investigating supermarket use of shelf space. This means talking to different store managers. Our student tells each of his respondents the details of what two of the other managers have said. This is: - not a problem - a good idea to secure cooperation and interest - good practice - bad practice
bad practice
An employee has been asked to act as a researcher and talk to customers about a new product which is being tested and may be launched next year. At one office one respondent introduces the researcher to a representative from a trade magazine. In casual conversation our employee mentions the new product. Is this: - bad practice - a good idea to get early press coverage - not a problem - good practice
bad practice
Which of the following are not a type of graph? - pie - bar - box - scatter
bar box pie
It is not good practice to: - base decisions on early interviews - attend the groups - examine progress during fieldwork - see videos of groups
base decisions on early interviews
Qualitative analysis software cannot: - re-analyse data easily - make report writing easier - be done without training - find concealed data
be done without training
Visual stimulus material can be used in: - both groups and depths - focus groups only - depths only - neither groups nor depths
both groups and depths
What is the advantage of open-ended questions? - can be analysed slowly - can be misinterpreted - can explore new areas - can be asked slowly
can explore new areas
Which of the following is NOT a type of non-profitability sampling? - convenience sampling - judgemental sampling - cluster sampling - quota sampling - snowball sampling
cluster sampling
What is described here? The creation of text, charts, flow diagrams, matrices. - grounded theory - data display - template analysis - analytical induction
data display
The Data Protection Act has eight principles to make sure that personal info is handled properly. Which of these is not one of the eight? - data must be adequate - data must be kept for five years - data must be fairly processed - data must be processed for limited purposes
data must be kept for five years
Carefully study the stages below. Do they refer to Induction or Deduction? Theory developed Hypothesis worded Observations made Hypothesis tested on data Theory revised - induction? - deduction?
deduction
Another term for the focused interview is: - depth - funnel - delphi - chimney
depth
Combining deductive and inductive approaches to research will: - avoid making any difficult decisions - allows us to sit on the fence - ignore the question of which research approach to adopt - develop a research approach which fits the research question and objectives
develop a research approach which fits the research question and objectives
Secondary data are LEAST helpful to: - develop questionnaires - interpret tables - evaluate new products - formulate hypotheses
evaluate new products
What are secondary data? - unimportant data - ordinary data - ordinal data - existing data
existing data
Which research strategy is described here? The introduced of planned change on one or more of the variables; measurement on a small number of variables and control of other variables - survey - ethnography - case study - experiment
experiment
Consider the situation of interviewing at shopping centres on weekdays. Which people may be over-represented? - extroverts - non-co-operative people - sailors - introverts
extroverts
In situations where not all respondents are sufficiently informed to answer a question: - quota sampling should be used - double-barreled questions should be used - multiple questionnaires should be designed - filter questions should be used - open-ended questions should be used
filter questions should be used
Recommendations should be based on: - findings - assumptions
findings
What aspect of the internet is NOT used for observation? - flat screens - cookies - log files - web cams
flat screens
Good research reports will always: - provide results that may be irrelevant - focus on addressing the research objectives - provide respondent names and addresses - focus on the Harvard style
focus on addressing the research objectives
What includes full journal articles with papers? - full-text databases - online databases - offline databases - statistical databases
full-text databases
Which is the odd one out? - observation form - gannt chart - video tape - cassette
gannt chart
Open coding, axial coding and selective coding are procedures associated with: - template analysis - analytical induction - grounded theory - data display
grounded theory
What is described here? These procedures are designed to develop an explanation. They are not designed to test existing theory. - grounded theory - date display - template analysis - analytical induction
grounded theory
Which research strategy is described? Theory is developed from data generated by a series of observations or interviews principally involving an inductive approach. - ethnography - action research - experiment - grounded theory
grounded theory
Which ONE of these is best avoided in a report? - transcribed fragments - political correctness - idiomatic phrases - conclusions
idiomatic phrases
The user of research information must be aware of the ways in which visual displays can be misleading. Which ONE of these is most likely to help the user? - including sample sizes - changing scales - concealing data - removing data
including sample sizes
Computers are essential for quantitative data analysis because: - they enable easy calculation for those of us not too good with figures. - they are fun to use. - increasingly data analysis software contain algorithms that check the data for obvious errors as it is entered. - they are so powerful.
increasingly data analysis software contain algorithms that check the data for obvious errors as it is entered.
Carefully study the stages below. Do they refer to Induction or Deduction? Observations made Theory developed Hypothesis worded Hypothesis tested on data Theory revised - induction? - deduction?
induction
The participant consent given freely and based on full information. What is this? - lack of consent - implied consent - informed consent - something else
informed consent
Different factors affect the outcome of research. In a study using a self completion questionnaire, which of these would probably NOT affect the outcome? - incentive quality - interviewer training - sample size - question wording - paper colour
interviewer training
Self-observation, using a diary, is: - intrusive - insider trading - intrinsic - interpolation
intrusive
Defining hypotheses is a useful way of approaching research because: - it will impress the reader - it allows for the development of indisputable proof to be established in research findings - it looks suitably scientific - it allows the development of testable propositions
it allows the development of testable propostions
Recognising our own values in the pursuit of research is essential because: - at least we know what we can ignore - it allows us to be honest with ourselves about what may influence our research - it allows us to eliminate them - it enables us to persuade others of our values
it allows us to be honest with ourselves about what may influence our research
Here is an extract from a letter requesting participation in a research study. "We are a group of second year undergraduate students at the University of Northminster conducting research into communication between staff and students within the Business School. We are seeking your support in our research." What is wrong? - it does not explain why you want to gain access - it does not state who wants access - it is badly written - it does not explain what will happen to information collected
it does not explain what will happen to information collected
What effect does increasing the sample size have upon the sampling error? - it increases the sampling error - it reduces the sampling error - it has no effect on the sampling error - it maintains the sampling error, regardless of other variables - none of the above
it reduces sampling error
One advantage of observation is: - that data must be interpreted - it should be accurate - it takes a great deal of time to do - it can be subjective
it should be accurate
The participant lacks knowledge and the researcher uses deception to collect data. What is this? - informed consent - lack of consent - implied consent - something else
lack of consent
Which of these should be most valuable to show a gradual change in behaviour over time? - experimental studies - snapshot surveys - longitudinal studies - extrapolations
longitudinal studies
A simple video camera recording conversations has no researcher involved, this is known as? - structured observation - mechanical observation - participant observation - action research
mechanical observation
The bar code is which of these types of observation? - participant observation - action research - mechanical observation - structured observation
mechanical observation
Which ONE of these phrases is best avoided in a report? - frequently occurring - normal respondent - typical behaviour - average consumption
normal respondent
Quantitative data refers to: - any data you present in your report -graphs and tables - numerical data that could usefully be quantified to help you answer your research question(s) and to meet your objectives - statistical analysis
numerical data that could usefully be quantified to help you answer your research question(s) and to meet your objectives
Which report section is intended to describe the purpose with a full statement of the research question? - appendices - results - objectives - method
objectives
Experimentation, questioning and ...... are primary methods? - web surfing - observation - multiplication - weighting
observation
What error may occur when research subjects are affected by the researcher? - observer effect - time error - reactivity - subject error
observer effect
Researchers have hesitated to welcome software for qualitative research because: - of time needed to analyse - it finds concealed patterns - of cost of analysis - software is not available
of time needed to analyse
What is stored in computers and accessed through a network? - full-text databases - online databases - offline databases - statistical databases
online databases
Different factors affect the outcome of research. In a study using a telephone questionnaire, which of these would probably NOT affect the outcome? - interviewer voice - question wording - incentive quality - paper colour - sample size
paper colour
Trained interviewers do not: - record answers - probe - interview the correct sample - pass on respondent details
pass on respondent details
What is NOT a threat to reliability and validity in structured observation? - subject error - phenomenological error - observer effect - time error
phenomenological
The initial level of gaining access to an organisation to conduct research. This is the definition for: - informed consent - cognitive access - continuing access - physical access
physical access
Which one of these is NOT normally associated with qualitative data? - narrative - pie charts - words - images
pie charts
Respondents tend to answer with the first statement in a list, this is called: - leading question bias - hawthorne effect bias - position bias - response bias
position bias
Which one of these is a self-administered questionnaire? - face-to-face questionnaire - telephone questionnaire - postal questionnaire - personal questionnaire
postal questionnaire
It is sensible to send a return envelope with: - delivery and collection questionnaires - online questionnaires - telephone questionnaires - postal questionnaires - personal questionnaires
postal questionnaires
Which is the odd one out? - Ethnograph. - NUD*IST. - QSR NVivo1.3. - PowerPoint.
powerpoint
Which of these software packages is most commonly used in presentations? - NVivo. - NUD*IST. - MindManager. - PowerPoint
powerpoint
Which of these would NOT help your confidence in the context of a presentation? - good preparation - comfort with the situation - looking good - presentation software
presentation software
Some common ways to stimulate respondents to provide more detail are to: repeat the question, pause to motivate the respondent to speak, and repeat the respondents answer. This is called: - priming - prizing - prompting - probing
probing
When show cards are used this is called: - probing - priming - prizing - prompting
prompting
Analysis takes place during data collection in: - quantitative studies - qualitative studies
qualitative studies
A correlation coefficient enables you to: - measure the difference between two variables. - establish whether the data is telling you what you think it should tell you. - quantify the strength of the linear relationship between two ranked or quantifiable variables. - assess whether two variables measure the same phenomenon.
quantify the strength of the linear relationship between two ranked or quantifiable variables.
A study is based on 1000 people interviewed face to face in shopping centres. What type of study is this? - questionnaire study - qualitative study - self-completion study - ethnographic study
questionnaire study
Which one of these is a philosophical concern for fact or reality and a rejection of the impractical? - realism - prism - unrealism - stealthism
realism
An observation form must not: - be easy to use - cover the objectives - record irrelevant details - be self explanatory
record irrelevant details
Which one of these is not a way of measuring central tendency? - Regression analysis. - Measuring the value that occurs most frequently (mode). - Measuring the middle value or mid-point after the data have been ranked (median). - Measuring the value, often known as the average, that includes all data values in its calculation (mean).
regression analyis
Saunders et al. have created a classification of secondary data with three elements. Which of the following is NOT one of them? - representative samples - documentary data - multiple source data - survey-based data
representative samples
The report writer should always remember that people have expectations about what information they will find and where it will be. It is unusual for final reports to have a section with: - appendices - executive summary - method - research costs - recommendation
research costs
During qualitative fieldwork, ideally, which of these should stay the same? - stimulus materials - questions - research team - quotas
research team
What does this define? A formal record of your ideas and your reflections, in a chronological format, to help you identify the development of certain ideas and the way in which your methodology developed. - summaries - researcher's diary - transcripts - self-memos
researcher's diary
Which one of these is NOT normally associated with quantitative data? - researchers views of high importance - analysis begins as data are collected - numbers - analysis guided by standardised rules
researchers views of high importance
When planning groups you must remember to: - supply a structured questionnaire to respondents before the group - pass respondent identities onto other group members - respect privacy - pass tape recordings onto anyone making the request
respect privacy
After the data has been collected, the researcher is left with most of these things. Which ONE of them will give information to which the researcher was not exposed during the group itself? - sound recordings - self-memos - respondent notes - stimulus materials
respondent notes
An advantage of open-ended questions is that: - they can also be used in topic guides - coding is a challenge - respondents can express themselves freely - potential is high for interviewer bias
respondents can express themselves freely
All of these situations are likely to have an influence on eye contact. Which one would you try to ask the meeting organiser to change to give you better eye contact? - reason for meeting - temperature - audience composition - acoustics - room layout
room layout
Consider the situation of interviewing at shopping centres on weekdays. Which people may be under-represented? - co-operative people - extroverts - school children - unemployed people
school children
What does this define? An informal record of the ideas, as you think of them, which may occur to you about any aspect of your research. These may be in the form of a few words or a few pages; they may be attached to other documents; they are dated. - summaries - researcher's diary - transcripts - self-memos
self-memos
Indirect questions are of great use for investigating: - food purchases - business issues - demographics - sensitive topics
sensitive topics
Testing the probability of a relationship between variables occurring by chance alone if there really was no difference in the population from which that sample was drawn is known as: - multiple regression analysis. - significance testing. - chi-squared tests. - correlation coefficients.
significance testing
Being able to talk to the people you need in a situation that is best suited to providing results. What is this? - lack of consent - implied consent - informed consent - something else
something else
Which of the following are NOT criteria for the selection of stratification variables in stratified sampling? - elements within a stratum should be as homogeneous as possible - stratification variables should be easy to measure and apply - across the strata, the elements should be as heterogenous as possible - the strata should be mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive so that every population element should be assigned to one and only one stratum - stratifications variables should not be closely related to the characteristic of interest
stratifications variables should not be closely related to the characteristic of interest
What error may occur when research subjects are studied in situations that are inconsistent with their normal behaviour patterns, leading to atypical responses? - observer effect - time error - reactivity - subject error
subject error
One disadvantage of observation is it's: - not affected by memory problems - objective - subjective - likely to be both valid and reliable
subjective
What does this define? The key points that have emerged so far. Includes useful comments about the informants and the setting. - summaries - researcher's diary - transcripts - self-memos
summaries
Which research strategy is described here? The collection of data using questionnaires, but it also includes other techniques (e.g. structured observation and structured interviews). - action research - survey - ethnography - grounded theory
survey
Which ONE of these is an example of processed data? - number of visitors to a store - customer comments - tables from surveys - CCTV recordings of shopper visits
tables from surveys
Which one of these is an interviewer-administered questionnaire? - delivery and collection questionnaire - telephone questionnaire - online questionnaire - postal questionnaire
telephone questionnaire
Most governments in the world have statistical departments but they are unlikely to provide: - agricultural census results. - general population census records. - housing statistics. - television programme viewing figures. - industrial output figures.
television programme viewing figures
What is described here? Creating and developing a hierarchical outline of data codes or categories representing themes revealed in the data collected and the relationships between these. This is revised throughout data collection. New codes may be added, some may be deleted or they may be switched from one level to another. - template analysis - data display - grounded theory - analytical induction
template analysis
What is described here? Indexes, citations to articles, summaries of abstracts - primary data - secondary data - ratio data - tertiary data
tertiary data
Pragmatism argues: - that you make it up as you go along - that you adopt the research philosophy that you want - that the most important determinant of the research philosophy adopted is the research question - the art of the possible
that the most important determinant of the research philosophy adopted is the research question
Which of these is not one of the four main reasons for missing data? - the respondent may have missed a question by mistake - the data was not required from the respondent, perhaps because of a skip generated by a filter question in a survey. - the analyst ignored its presence on the data form - the respondent did not know the answer or did not have an opinion
the analyst ignored its presence on the data form
What is a sampling unit? - all the individual elements of the final sample, drawn together - the population - the method used to collect the sample - the sampling frame - the basic unit containing the elements of the population to be sampled - none of the above
the basic unit containing the elements of the population to be sampled
The standard error is a statistical measure of: - the degree to which a sample has been accurately stratified. - the clustering of scores at each end of a survey scale. - the normal distribution of scores around a sample mean. - the extent to which a sample mean is likely to differ from the population. - a measure of whether the sample was randomly selected or not
the extent to which a sample mean is likely to differ from the population
Which one of the following is a data collection method? - the case study - positivism - the interview - the onion
the interview
Which one of the following is a data collection method? - the case study - the onion - the interview - positivism
the interview
Which of these situations cannot be discovered to help preparation before a presentation? - room size - audience size - acoustics - reason for meeting - the mood of the meeting
the mood of the meeting
Which of the following is NOT a quantitative factor that should be considered in determining the sample size? - the precision needed for the results - the importance of the decision - sample sizes used in similar studies - the number of variables - the nature of the analysis
the precision needed for the results
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of quota sampling? - The researcher chooses who to approach and so might bias the sample. - The sample is subdivided into groups from which the researcher must obtain a certain number of responses. - The random selection of units makes it possible to calculate the standard error. - It is a relatively fast and cheap way of finding out about public opinions. - Those who are available to be surveyed in public places are unlikely to be a representative sample.
the random selection of units makes it possible to calculate the standard error
Which of the following is NOT true of probability sampling? - the results will always be more accurate than non-probability sampling - the number of elements to be included in the sample set can be pre-specified - it is possible to specify the probability of selecting any particular sample of a given size - estimates are statistically projectable to the population - sampling units are selected by chance as opposed to the judgement of the researcher
the results will always be more accurate than non-probability sampling
Read the following definition by Gill and Johnson (1997): "A formulation regarding the cause and effect relationships between two or more variables, which may or may not have been tested." Which one of these does it define? - theory - sampling - secondary data - observation
theory
Questionnaires are delivered through the letterboxes of 100 homes. What is wrong with this research design? - the researcher must knock on the door - some people may not reply - it is against the law to deliver unsolicited questionnaires - there is no cover letter
there is no cover letter
A study interviews a representative sample of the nation's population every week to detect how many people read a particular newspaper. A prize draw is introduced for participants as an incentive to do the interview. What impact will the incentive have on the readership results for the newspaper in question? - readership will increase - readership will decrease - the may be an increase or decrease in readership figures, or they may stay the same - no impact: there will be no difference in readership figures
there may be an increase or decrease in readership figures or they may stay the same
Similar respondents are often chosen for group discussions because: - they will talk to each other - they will believe in research - they are random - they are representative
they will talk to each other
What error is associated with structured observations, where the observations are not typical of the time period in which the event being studied would normally occur? - observer effect - time error - reactivity - subject error
time error
The mistake when using secondary data effectively is: - to combine it with other data - to locate it via people - to evaluate its usefulness - to assume it is right
to assume it is right
Which of these is bad practice for a report? - to state fieldwork dates and sample sizes - to have a contents page or another form of indexing - to include names of all respondents with contact details - to use a title that is short and to the point
to include names of all respondents with contact details
Secondary data cannot help: - to create research instruments - to give direction to primary data collection - to observe retail behaviour - to decide on sampling
to observe retail behaviour
Respondent comments which are indented within quotation markets and in italic fonts are known as: - interpolations - interpretations - transcribed fragments - translations
transcribed fragments
Parametric and non-parametric are: - two main groups of statistical significance tests. - alternatives to standard deviation tests. - general tests of statistical relevance. - terms used in medical practice.
two main groups of statistical tests
Triangulation can come about from which one of the following? - doing a survey with at least three respondents - using more than one approach - using one of three sampling methods - checking results three times
using more than one approach
The results section is where you present the findings in a readable format. In a qualitative report it is likely that you will always use: - words - pie charts - tables - graphs
words
What is a mistake that researchers who write questionnaires should avoid? - writing questions respondents do not understand - writing questions respondents are able to answer - writing questions with filters and routes - writing questions respondents are willing to answer
writing questions respondents do not understand
Postal contact will be improved if: - you charge the respondent money - you give a link to a web page with more explanation of the project - you link to your privacy policy - you enclose a SAE
you enclose a SAE
Email contact will be improved if: - you use coloured paper - you enclose SAE - you give a link to a web page with more explanation of the project - you offer to call back
you give a link to a web page with more explanation of the project
Which of these is an advantage of a deductively based position? - accuracy depends on good planning - you have a clear direction - accuracy depends on a thorough examination of findings - you are prejudging
you have a clear direction
Telephone contact will be improved if: - you enclose a SAE - you give a link to a web page with more explanation of the project - you offer to call back - you link to your privacy policy
you offer to class back