Research Methods, Overview

What is the most important thing to think about when choosing between a qualitative or quantitative research approach?

• How much money the study has

• What the researcher likes best

• The goal of the research and the type of information needed

• How much time there is to finish the study

Why would a researcher pick a qualitative approach instead of a quantitative one?

• To look at numbers and statistics about different things

• To better understand people's experiences and opinions

• To test if a new medicine or teaching method works

• To study large amounts of data and find trends

Which of these best explains the deductive research method?

• It starts by collecting data and then creates a theory based on patterns

• It uses people’s personal experiences to make a guess about something

• It begins with an existing idea, makes a prediction, and then tests it with data

• It allows for changes and new ideas to come up during the research

What is one good thing about using a mixed methods research approach?

• It makes research easier by only using interviews

• It lets researchers skip planning and organizing their study

• It gives a better understanding by using different types of data

• It guarantees that research is completely fair and has no mistakes

When would an inductive approach be the best choice?

• A researcher wants to find out what makes online learning hard for students before coming up with a theory

• A scientist is testing a well-known theory about climate change

• A company is checking if a new medicine actually works

• A political expert is trying to predict election results using polls

What is a key difference between quantitative and qualitative research?

• Quantitative research is based on interviews, and qualitative research uses surveys

• Quantitative research focuses on numbers, while qualitative research focuses on words and ideas

• Qualitative research is always better than quantitative research

• Only qualitative research needs to be planned out before starting

Why is it important to think about personal opinions and biases in qualitative research?

• To make sure the results can be turned into numbers

• To avoid mistakes and make sure the findings are accurate

• To come up with a guess before collecting any data

• To make sure no more research is needed in the future

A researcher is studying a new way of teaching online. How could a mixed methods approach make the study better?

• By letting the researcher skip all number-based data

• By making sure the research is completely fair and has no bias

• By combining test scores with student interviews about their experiences

• By only asking students how they feel instead of looking at grades

How does choosing between a deductive and inductive approach change a study about online learning?

• A deductive approach would test an existing idea about online learning, while an inductive approach would look for new ideas based on student feedback

• An inductive approach would use numbers, while a deductive approach would only focus on personal opinions

• A deductive approach would keep the research fair, while an inductive approach would include personal opinions

• Both approaches would always lead to the same research results

A school wants to make online learning more engaging for students. How could they use both qualitative and quantitative research to help?

• They could do surveys to measure engagement and also ask students open-ended questions about their experiences

• They could ignore numbers and only listen to student opinions

• They could only look at test scores and not ask students for feedback

• They could do interviews but not use any number-based data