Research Methodology Quiz

Which scenario best demonstrates the importance of informed consent in a research setting?

• A participant willingly agrees to be part of a study after understanding the risks.

• A researcher collects data from anonymous participants without permission.

• Participants are asked to sign forms, but no explanation is given.

• The researcher does not inform participants about the purpose of the study.

How does qualitative research offer insights that differ from quantitative research?

• It explains numerical trends through calculations.

• It explores the lived experiences and perspectives of participants.

• It tests hypotheses under controlled conditions.

• It ensures all data is statistically validated.

Why is defining a research question critical to the overall research process?

• It guides the researcher in collecting relevant data.

• It allows the researcher to skip the data analysis phase.

• It ensures participants understand the study's findings.

• It eliminates the need for a literature review.

If a researcher fails to maintain participant confidentiality, what ethical principle is violated, and what are the possible consequences?

• Violation of transparency; leads to biased results.

• Violation of respect for persons; harms participants’ trust and safety.

• Violation of beneficence; increases the researcher’s workload.

• Violation of justice; delays publication.

How does ethnographic research contribute to understanding a specific community?

• It collects statistical data about the community's demographics.

• It analyzes cultural behaviors and interactions in natural settings.

• It experiments with interventions to change community behavior.

• It compares historical data across communities.

Why might an emergent design be advantageous in qualitative research?

• It allows the researcher to adapt methods as new insights emerge.

• It ensures the research design remains fixed throughout the study.

• It provides definitive answers to all research questions.

• It simplifies the process of analyzing statistical data.

How can a poorly defined research scope affect the validity of a study?

• It ensures all variables are controlled effectively.

• It makes the study overly broad, leading to unfocused findings.

• It clarifies the research boundaries for the participants.

• It guarantees the researcher’s bias is minimized.

A researcher is unable to include certain variables due to limited resources. How should this limitation be addressed in the study?

• Ignore the limitation and focus on the data collected.

• Acknowledge it in the study to inform future researchers.

• Expand the scope to cover the missing variables.

• Exclude participants affected by the limitation.

How does reviewing related literature strengthen a research study?

• It prevents the researcher from forming a unique hypothesis.

• It helps identify gaps in knowledge and build on prior research.

• It reduces the need for further investigation.

• It ensures findings can be generalized to all contexts.

Why is grounded theory particularly effective for exploratory research?

• It relies on existing theoretical frameworks.

• It generates new theories based on observed data.

• It requires minimal participant interaction.

• It focuses on testing pre-existing hypotheses.