Qualitative studies
1. use no hypotheses in their operation
2. develop hypotheses during the first step of the research process and prove or disprove them during the study
3. develop hypotheses at the end of the study
4. none of the above statements is correct
Miles and Huberman are reported in the text to suggest that conceptual frameworks
1. are simply the current version of the researcher’s map of the territory being investigated
2. are not blinkers or straitjackets but emerge and are revised and adjusted during the research
3. are important and without them research becomes a fruitless research anarchy
4. demonstrate all the criteria listed above
Which of the following factors is NOT one of those reported by Berger as influencing the choice of a research methodology?
1. the appropriateness of the method for the theoretical goals
2. the adequacy of the method for the research object
3. the ideological orientation of the researcher (for example, feminist, Marxist, structuralist)
4. prerequisites and conditions of research
Which of the following does NOT belong to the process of formulating the research question?
1. definition of the topic
2. sampling
3. exploration
4. operationalisation
Which of the following is one of the reasons for undertaking exploration?
1. to test feasibility of the study
2. to familiarise the researcher with the context of the issue in question
3. to assist with the formulation of hypotheses
4. all of the above
Which of the following is NOT one of the types of exploratory studies?
1. review of literature
2. pre-tests and pilot studies
3. expert surveys
4. analysis of case studies
Which of the following is NOT one of the rules of operationalisation referred to in the text?
1. the rule of selectivity
2. the rule of empirical relevance
3. the rule of empirical relevance
4. the rule of quantification
Which of the following is NOT one of the criticisms levelled by qualitative researchers against operationalisation?
1. operationalisation often does not link concepts with reality but concepts with other concepts
2. operationalisation is completed after the research has begun and is therefore irrelevant
3. operationalisation cannot possibly cover all aspects of the concept
4. operationalisation is subjective: it relies very much on the personal views of the researcher
Which of the following is NOT one of the criteria of hypothesis construction referred to in the text?
1. hypotheses must predict accurately the outcome of the study
2. hypotheses must contain statements that are not contradictory
3. hypotheses must describe variables or relationships between variables
4. hypotheses must describe one variable at a time
Which of the following is one of the functions of hypotheses mentioned in the text?
1. to guide social research
2. to enable the researcher to concentrate on an issue of particular importance
3. to facilitate statistical analysis in the context of hypothesis testing
4. all of the above
Triangulation refers to the research technique that
1. applies mathematical techniques (trigonometric) of analysis
2. employs three samples of respondents (stratified or multi-stage sampling)
3. employs several methods of data collection to answer the research question
4. b and c above
Exploration, triangulation and stepwise conversion are research designs which demonstrate
1. how qualitative research can handle a variety of methods within the same project
2. how quantitative research can employed a variety of methods within the same project
3. how research designs can employ quantitative and qualitative methods within the same project
4. none of those stated above
Triangulation refers to the research technique that employs
1. research at several points in time
2. a variety of perspectives
3. several researchers and/or diverse samples
4. all of the above
Which of the following is NOT one of the criticisms levelled against triangulation?
1. there is no evidence to suggest that triangulation produces more valid results
2. single- and multiple-measure procedures can be equally useless
3. triangulation is difficult to replicate
4. it is more likely to cause researcher bias due to dealing with different methods
Which of the following is a part of exploratory studies?
1. review of available literature
2. review of available literature
3. analysis of case studies
4. all of the above