Research Methods
D. Interrater
. _________ reliability refers to how similar the scores of interviewers / raters are when they measure the same person or object, which has the potential to significantly affect the findings and outcome of a study. A. Observer B. Mediator C. Leveler D. Interrater
B. Establishment
A business student surveyed a sample of local coffee houses about their sales and their policies on offering wireless internet to customers. What type of survey is this? A. Panel B. Establishment C. Access survey D. Intercept interview
D. Voluntary
A city manager wanted to find out what residents think of new parking rules recently put in place. He published some survey questions in an insert in the local newspaper and directed interested individuals to drop off the form at city hall. What type of sampling strategy is this? A. Systematic B. Random C. Stratified D. Voluntary
A. Trained/ structured
A local agency plans to evaluate the quality of public parks. It assembles a team of evaluators to visit the parks and rate them using a structured form and photographic standards. This is an example of ________ observation. A. Trained/structured B. Random C. Stratified D. Unstructured
B. Case study
A manager was interested in how to make government more customer-friendly. She decided to conduct an in-depth study of two branch offices of the Department of Motor Vehicles: one with a reputation for very friendly staff, and one with notoriously poor service. Based on this description, how would you categorize the design of this research? A. Focus group B. Case study C. Content analysis D. All of the above
A. Content validity
A measure of pain which captures the full range of variation would differentiate between "no" pain, "some" pain, "moderate" pain, and so forth. Based on this description, the measure has... A. Content validity B. Criterion-related validity C. Concurrent validity D. Predictive validity
C. Secondary data
A researcher decides to download data from the General Social Survey, rather than conduct his own survey, in order to do a statistical analysis of attitudes toward work among US adults. This an example of A. Primary data B. Meta-analysis C. Secondary data D. All of the above
B. Nominal
A researcher was interested in how women's hair color affected their self-image. A focus group was conducted, and research assistants recorded the hair color of each individual from behind a two-way mirror. What type of variable is hair color in this example? A. Dummy B. Nominal C. Ordinal D. Interval
B. Intercoder reliability
A researcher was interested in how women's hair color affected their self-image. A focus group was conducted, and research assistants recorded the hair color of each individual from behind a two-way mirror. Some of the research assistants disagreed about hair color (for instance, whether someone's hair was red or brown). The researcher examined how often the research assistants agreed or disagreed about hair color. This is called... A. Parallel forms reliability B. Intercoder reliability C. Convergent validity D. Face validity
C. Cross-sectional
A study compiled tax returns filed with the Internal Revenue Service by public corporations from a single year. What type of data is this? A. Simulation B. Panel C. Cross-sectional D. Longitudinal
Stratified
A study drew separate random samples from the four regions of the US (the Northeast, South, Midwest, and West). This is called ____ sampling.
C. Grounded Theory
A study examined portrayals of the police in a sample of superhero comic books. Researchers tagged and counted the number of positive and negative references to the police in the text. Which of the following was NOT mentioned in this study? A. Content analysis B. Quantitative analysis C. Grounded theory D. Coding
A. Predictive validity
A study found that college students who score higher on a measure of "public service motivation" (which includes dimensions such as attraction to policy-making, feelings of compassion, and attitudes about civic duty) are more likely to work for a government agency or nonprofit organization rather than a for-profit business when they graduate. Based on this description, this measure has... A. Predictive validity B. Reliability C. Convergent validity D. Content validity
D. Pooled cross-sectional
A study used data from the Eurobarometer survey to analyze citizens' opinions. Although two years of data were used, the survey asked opinions of a new cross-section of people each year. What type of data is this? A. Cross-sectional B. Prospective cohort C. Panel D. Pooled cross-sectional
A. Quantative
A survey about obesity asked each respondent to record his or her exact weight in kilograms. What is the level of measurement? A. Quantitative B. Categorical C. Kilograms D. Individuals
D. Individuals
A survey about obesity asked each respondent to record his or her exact weight in kilograms. What is the unit of analysis? A. Quantitative B. Categorical C. Kilograms D. Individuals
C. Kilograms
A survey about obesity asked each respondent to record his or her exact weight in kilograms. What is the unit of measurement? A. Quantitative B. Categorical C. Kilograms D. Individuals
B. A scale Scale: A component measure composed of multiple items and thought to reflect a single latent construct Index: A composite measure composed of multiple items, which may be selected for different reasons
A survey asked several closely related questions about attitudes toward work in order to measure job satisfaction. This type of measure is... A. An index B. A scale C. A proxy D. A dimension
A. Measurement is quantitative but not qualitative
All of the following are true of the concept of measurement in research, except... A. Measurement is quantitative but not qualitative B. Measurement may occur in both qualitative and quantitative research C. Measurement works toward the systematic study of a phenomenon D. Measurement is considered in terms of conceptualization, validity, and reliability
True
All qualitative data can be coded qualitatively. True or False
C. Intercept interview
An animal rights group surveyed people as they were leaving a circus about their attitudes toward animal cruelty. This type of survey is called A. Group self-administered B. Access panel C. Intercept interview
D. All of the above
An example of an archival or official record that could be used in qualitative research would be A. Official correspondence from elected officials, government administrators, or businesses B. Legislative floor debates C. Testimonies made at hearings or trials D. All of the above
True
Case studies tend to involve larger level cases such as organizations or neighborhoods, rather than individual assessments. True or False
B. Mail self-administered survey
Demographic information on the US population comes from the decennial census and the ongoing American Community Survey (ACS). The primary mode of data collection used in both the census and ACS is A. Telephone interview survey B. Mail self-administered survey C. Household interview survey D. Group self-administered survey
A. Generalizing themes across a population
For which of the following purposes is qualitative research not well suited? A. Generalizing themes across a population B. Generating new theories or hypotheses C. Achieving a deep understanding of complex and sensitive issues D. Generating information that is very detailed
A. Double barreled
Identify the problem with the survey question. How much did you like the food and the atmosphere at the restaurant? Liked a lot Liked somewhat disliked somewhat disliked a lot A. Double barreled B. Double negative C. Categories are not mutually exclusive D. Unequal numbers of positive and negative categories
C. Categories are not mutually exclusive
Identify the problem with the survey question. How often do you visit this beach? Never 1-2 times per year 3-4 times per year Whenever you get the chance A. Double barreled B. Double negative C. Categories are not mutually exclusive D. Unequal numbers of positive and negative categories
D. Unequal numbers of positive and negative categories
Identify the problem with the survey question. How satisfied were you with this service? Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Extremely dissatisfied A. Double barreled B. Double negative C. Categories are not mutually exclusive D. Unequal numbers of positive and negative categories
B. Double negative
Identify the problem with the survey question. How unlikely is it that you will not attend this event again next year? Very unlikely Somewhat unlikely Somewhat likely Very likely A. Double barreled B. Double negative C. Categories are not mutually exclusive D. Unequal numbers of positive and negative categories
C. Participant observation
In general, which of the following methods is the most demanding qualitative method? A. Direct observation B. Analyzing existing documents C. Participant observation D. Case studies
C. Protocols
Measurement involves ______, or specified procedures for using the tools of measurement properly. A. Throughputs B. Queries C. Protocols D. Functions
True
One of the best ways to reduce the impact of measurement procedures or the presence of researchers as observers is known as unobtrusive measurement. True or False
True
Qualitative measures are any measures where the data are not recorded in numerical form. True or False
E. All of the above
Quantitative research focuses on variables. In contrast, qualitative research often focuses on A. Cases B. Emotions C. Words D. Variation E. All of the above
False
Quantitative research is better than qualitative research for generating new theories. True or False
D. Sample
Since it is often not possible to collect data from every person or unit of interest, researchers often select a subset of units called a A. Census B. Population C. Inference D. Sample
A. Interpretation
Since qualitative data are frequently spoken, written, or contain images, ___________ becomes an important part of qualitative data analysis. A. Interpretation B. Inference C. Reference D. Indication
C. Household interview survey
Some of the earliest and most established surveys in the US, such as the General Social Survey and the American National Election Studies, are examples of a A. Telephone interview survey B. Mail self-administered survey C. Household interview survey
D. All of the above
The advantage(s) of using qualitative data analysis software includes A. Storing and organizing data in electronic form B. Creating coding categories C. Using codes to retrieve or gather segments of data D. All of the above
B. Construct
The concept or trait that we seek to measure is called... A. Measure B. Construct C. Dimension D. Indicator
B. Cognitive pretesting/ interview
The kind of pretesting that is used in survey research to uncover unclear question wording is called A. Field pretesting B. Cognitive pretesting/interview C. Syntax review D. Linguistic pretesting
D. Standard error
The typical error you expect to see in the results of a sample when compared to the actual population is referred to as A. Functional error B. Type 1 error C. Type 2 error D. Standard error
B. 6 to 12
The typical number of participants in a focus group should be ____ to allow for lively and useful discussion. A. 2 to 3 B. 6 to 12 C. 15 to 20 D. 20 to 25
C. Dimensions Dimension: A facet of a multifaceted construct; also called a domain
To measure individualism, a study included survey questions based on three components of the concept: autonomy, mature self-responsibility, and uniqueness. These three components can be referred to as... A. Constructs B. Scales C. Dimensions D. None of the above
Non-identifiable/ anonymous
To protect the privacy of individuals, micro data should be ____________.
A. Grounded Theory
What qualitative approach to data collection begins with a set of generative questions, then identifies core concepts as data are gathered, with linkages developed between the core concepts and the data? A. Grounded theory B. Ethnography C. Focus groups D. Field research
C. Replication
When a researcher repeats a study with a different sample, in a different location, time period, or context, using a different study design, this is known as A. Simulation B. Codification C. Replication D. None of the above
D. All of the above will increase the confirmability of qualitative research results
When assessing the confirmability of qualitative research results, a researcher can A. Actively search for and describe negative instances that contradict prior observations B. Do a data audit after the fact, to make judgments about potential bias C. Have another researcher play "devil's advocate" with respect to the results, documenting the process D. All of the above will increase the confirmability of qualitative research results
D. All of the above
When considering the measurement process in the real world, the research should consider... A. What it will cost to measure something B. How it will affect the quality and rate of responding C. The validity-reliability trade-off D. All of the above E. None of the above
D. The annual profit of a business
Which is NOT an example of aggregate data? A. The average height of a family B. The percentage of city residents who oppose a policy C. The median IQ of a classroom D. The annual profit of a business
B. A transcript from a focus group interview
Which is NOT an example of quantitative data? A. Hourly wage of clients at a job placement agency from administrative records B. A transcript from a focus group interview C. A survey with mostly categorical variables D. Medical records including a person's height
D. Small n, purposive sampling
Which of the following best characterizes qualitative research? A. Large n, random sampling B. Small n, random sampling C. Large n, purposive sampling D. Small n, purposive sampling
B. People say what they really think, without being influenced by others
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of focus groups? A. You can interview a group of people together, rather than each one individually B. People say what they really think, without being influenced by others C. Respondents cue or prompt each other in unexpected ways D. You get to observe how people form judgments in a social setting
C. Factor analysis
Which of the following is not an approach to qualitative research? A. Field research B. Ethnography C. Factor analysis D. Grounded theory
B. Simple random sample
Which of the following is not an example of complex survey sampling? A. Cluster sampling B. Simple random sampling C. Stratified sampling
C. Participant observation
Which of the following is not an unobtrusive measure? A. Indirect measure B. Content analysis C. Participant observation D. Secondary analysis
B. Quantitative data are based on qualitative judgment.
Which of the following statements is correct? A. Qualitative data can only be coded qualitatively. B. Quantitative data are based on qualitative judgment. C. Quantitative data often collected in text format for content analysis. D. Qualitative data are the primary type of unobtrusive measure.
B. Content analysis
Which unobtrusive measure involves the systematic analysis of text? A. Indirect measure B. Content analysis C. Participant observation D. Secondary analysis
D. How would you rate the quality of the school where you teach?
Which would be the best to use as an opening question in a survey of teachers? A. How satisfied were you with your last interaction with your principal? B. What is your ethnicity? C. How many staff development days did your school offer last year? D. How would you rate the quality of the school where you teach?
D. All of the above
You should consider doing a survey on a given topic only if A. You know enough about the topic to ask good questions B. Respondents know enough about the topic to provide meaningful answers C. Respondents are willing to provide truthful answers on the topic D. All of the above
Codebook
You should consult the ______ to find out how secondary data were collected and weighted.
C. Quantitative variables, categorical variables
_____ are two broad levels of measurement that researchers distinguish between when deciding how to produce data for analysis. A. Quantitative variables, structural variables B. Distinct variables, nondistinct variables C. Quantitative variables, categorical variables D. None of the above
A. Conceptualization
______ is defining carefully and precisely what it is that will be measured. A. Conceptualization B. Primary C. Integration D. Marginalization
A. Quota
______ sampling starts by dividing the population into groups such as male or female and then obtains a desired number of interviews or observations in each group. A. Quota B. Candidate C. Signal D. Purposive
Cross-sectional
________ data contain measurements taken at a single point in time, such as student test scores for a single school year.
C. Confidence interval
_________ is a statement of statistical sampling precision. A. Segment interval B. Standard interval C. Confidence interval D. Sample interval
A. Closed-ended
__________ questions provide categories for respondents to choose or check. A. Closed-ended B. Open-ended C. Confidential D. Stratified
A. Content analysis
___________ is the process of coding and analyzing qualitative data. A. Content analysis B. Organizational analysis C. Utility analysis D. Repetition analysis
b. meta-analysis
_____________ is a method for pooling together multiple smaller studies to get a much bigger, combined study. A. Standard evaluation B. Meta-analysis C. Policy analysis D. Macro-analysis
Confidentiality
_____________ is the practice of having a participant's information known only to the researchers and not publicly associated with their responses.
A. Field pretesting/ pilot testing
_______is when the complete survey procedures, the finalized questionnaire or interview, the technology, and any follow-up procedures are tested on a small test sample of the population. A. Field pretesting/pilot testing B. Participant review C. Group nominal process D. Effectiveness testing
B. Social desirability bias
______refers to tendency of respondents to provide more socially acceptable answers in the presence of an interviewer. A. Social policy bias B. Social desirability bias C. Standard error D. Simple bias
