Research methodology MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Research methodology - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is - Transferability

Key Points

• Transferability
  • Transferability in qualitative research refers to the extent to which the findings of a study can be transferred to other contexts or settings.
  • This concept is parallel to generalizability in quantitative research and focuses on providing sufficient descriptive data to allow others to apply the findings appropriately.
  • It is the responsibility of the researcher to provide detailed descriptions of the research context, participants, and findings to facilitate transferability.
  • Readers and other researchers determine if the findings are applicable to their own contexts based on the provided descriptions.

Additional Information

• Credibility
  • Credibility refers to the confidence in the truth of the findings, achieved through techniques like member checking and triangulation.
• Internal Validity
  • Internal validity relates to the degree to which the research design and methods accurately measure the intended variables, primarily a concept in quantitative research.
• Confirmability
  • Confirmability ensures that the findings of the study are based on the participants' responses and not researcher bias or preferences.

The correct answer is -  Transferability.

Key Points

• Transferability:
  • Transferability refers to the extent to which qualitative research findings can be transferred to other contexts or settings.
  • It is the qualitative equivalent of external validity in quantitative research.
  • Researchers provide detailed descriptions of the context, enabling others to determine if the findings can be applied to different situations.

Additional Information

• Credibility:
  • Credibility relates to the confidence in the truth of the research findings.
  • It is achieved through techniques like member checking, triangulation, and prolonged engagement.
• Internal validity:
  • Internal validity is primarily a concern in quantitative research and refers to the extent to which a study establishes a trustworthy cause-and-effect relationship.
  • It does not typically apply to qualitative research, where the focus is on understanding phenomena in-depth.
• Confirmability:
  • Confirmability refers to the degree to which the findings of a study are shaped by the participants and not researcher bias, motivation, or interest.
  • It is analogous to objectivity in quantitative research and can be achieved through practices like audit trails and reflexivity.

The correct answer is Only A, C and D .

Key PointsThe usefulness of the students' t-test:

• Comparing Two Groups
  • The t-test is used for comparing two groups to see whether their means differ. This usage addresses specific comparisons, especially with small sample sizes.
  • Typical scenario: Evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment (group 1) compared to a control (group 2).
  • Hence statement A is correct.
• Comparing Multiple Groups
  • The t-test is not designed for comparing more than two groups; ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) is more appropriate for that purpose.
  • Hence statement B is incorrect.
• Testing the Significance of Correlation Coefficient
  • The t-test can be used to test the significance of the correlation coefficient in determining the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables.
  • Hence statement C is correct.
• Testing the Significance of Regression Coefficient
  • The t-test is used to test the significance of individual regression coefficients in a regression model, to see if a predictor variable significantly predicts the outcome variable.
  • Hence statement D is correct.

Additional Information

• Other Statistical Tests
  • ANOVA (Analysis of Variance): Used for comparing the means of three or more groups.
  • Chi-Square Test: Often used for categorical data to examine the relationship between two categorical variables.
  • Z-Test: Used when sample sizes are large (n > 30).

Research is a systematic inquiry towards understanding a complex social phenomenon or a process. They are broadly categorized into qualitative and quantitative research. Based on the research problem, the selection of research methods by the researcher may vary.
Key Points

Positivistic Research Paradigm:

A research paradigm is a research model or a perceptual orientation for conducting research that has been verified by the research community.

• Emphasizes quantitative analysis over qualitative analysis
• Relies heavily on experimentation
• Subscribes to pre-existing categories
• Hypotheses are put forward about the causal relation between phenomena
• Empirical evidence is gathered and analysed that explains the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable
• Employs a deductive approach to analyse data
• Collects numerical data

Important Points

Features of Qualitative Research:

• The objective is to explore a phenomenon to gain understanding by diving deeper into the problem
• Used qualitative methods of data collection such as interviews, focus groups, observation, etc.
• The sample size is kept small
• Believes in interpretivism paradigm and disregards the positivist assumptions and statistical data analysis
• Inductive reasoning is employe where things are observed, a pattern is developed and then the theory is formed
• The conclusions are descriptive rather than predictive.

Hence, it is clear from the given points that qualitative research avoids positivist assumptions and data analysis.

the most appropriate answer is (B), (C), (D) only.

Important Points

Case study method:

• The case study method is known for its particularistic approach, meaning it focuses on a specific case or situation.
• It is also descriptive in nature, providing detailed information about the case.
• The case study method is also considered to be inductive, as it involves drawing conclusions based on observations and evidence.

Case study:

• A case in a case study research could be an individual, organization, or institution.
• It is concerned with the in-depth study of a singular case (one person) from various possible angles for the sake of promoting his/her adjustment
• It is a qualitative research method that involves investigating a contemporary research problem within its real-life context by making use of multiple sources of data.
• It seeks to explore an area regarding which there is little understanding or prior knowledge.
• The data sources in a case study include data regarding the family and educational background and the primary data collection methods employed are observation and conducting interviews.     ​

Key Points

The case study method in research is a qualitative approach that involves the in-depth examination of a specific case or situation. It is used to gain a deeper understanding of a particular phenomenon. Some key points about the case study method include:

• Particularistic: The case study method focuses on a specific case or situation, rather than trying to generalize to a larger population.

• Descriptive: The case study provides a detailed description of the case, including relevant background information, context, and relevant data.

• Inductive: The case study method is inductive in nature, meaning that it involves drawing conclusions based on observations and evidence.

• Flexible: The case study method is flexible, allowing the researcher to gather a wide range of data, including interviews, observations, and documents.

• Multiple sources of evidence: The case study method often involves collecting data from multiple sources, including the subjects of the study, witnesses, and relevant documents.

• Interpretive: The case study method requires an interpretive approach, as the researcher must analyze and interpret the data collected.

Qualitative research is research using methods such as participant observation or case studies that result in a narrative, descriptive account of a setting or practice.

Important Points

• Grounded theory is a systematic methodology that has been largely applied to qualitative research conducted by social scientists.
• The methodology involves the construction of hypotheses and theories through the collecting and analysis of data.
• The grounded theory involves the application of inductive reasoning.
• The methodology contrasts with the hypothetico-deductive model used in traditional scientific research.
• A study based on grounded theory is likely, to begin with, a question, or even just with the collection of qualitative data.
• As researchers review the data collected, ideas or concepts become apparent to the researchers. These ideas/concepts are said to "emerge" from the data.

Hence Grounded theory research is an example of qualitative research.

Additional Information

• Experimental research is a study that strictly adheres to a scientific research design.
  • ​It includes a hypothesis, a variable that can be manipulated by the researcher, and variables that can be measured, calculated, and compared.
• Ex post facto study or after-the-fact research is a category of research design in which the investigation starts after the fact has occurred without interference from the researcher.
• A Descriptive Survey Research is an approach of Descriptive Research that blends quantitative and qualitative data to provide the researcher with relevant and accurate information.

An experimental method of research is a type of study in which the researcher speculates on the possible reasons for a previously observed result.

Key Points

Experimental research:

• The experimental method involves manipulating one variable to determine if changes in one variable cause changes in another variable.
• This method relies on controlled methods, random assignment, and the manipulation of variables to test a hypothesis.
• The experimental method under which the researcher can directly modify the independent variable(s) (that is, the cause) in an experimental study to see how it affects the dependent variable (that is, the effect).

Therefore, Experimental method research methods, the process of hypothesis testing optimally safeguards the role of extraneous variables. 

Additional Information

• Both experimental and ex-post facto research attempt to study links between existent variables and their conclusions are logically as well as empirically valid and accurate, but there is various difference between them.
• Ex post facto research is undertaken when a researcher wishes to investigate the cause of an event that has already occurred as an outcome of the cause.
• The phrase historical method refers to a set of strategies and rules used by historians in their investigation and writing of past histories.
• Descriptive Survey Research is a type of descriptive research that combines quantitative and qualitative data to give you reliable and relevant facts. 

A research design is a framework for the methods and approaches. 

Key Points

• Experimental research is a study that is based on scientific research design.
• The characteristic features of Experimental research are the following: 
  • A purpose statement is a declarative statement that highlights the major goal or goals of a research study.
  • The goal of a study or research endeavor is to answer research questions on the topic.
  • A hypothesis is a statement that expresses expectations for the results of research.
  • After developing a hypothesis then collect numeric data. 
• In short, developing clear, restricted, measurable, and observable purpose statements, research questions and hypotheses are characteristic features of experimental research.
• Experimental research is a study that uses two sets of variables and is conducted in a scientific manner.

Thus, creating purpose statements, research questions, and hypotheses that are narrow and measurable would mark the characteristic features of Experimental research.

Additional Information

• Grounded theory research: Grounded theory is a systematic approach to qualitative research where theories are generated through the collecting and analysis of data.
• Ethnographic research:   Ethnography is a qualitative data collection method and the researcher work in the field where they collect data through observations and interviews. 
• Narrative research:  It was defined as collecting and analyzing the accounts of respondents when they describe experiences and further interpret them. 

Research methodology refers to the techniques used to find and analyze information for a study, ensuring that the results are valid and reliable and that they address the research objective. It is the theoretical paradigm for data collection, analysis, and interpretation.

Important PointsResearch Methodology:

• Research methodology is a way of explaining how a researcher intends to carry out their research.
• It's a logical, systematic plan to resolve a research problem.
• A methodology details a researcher's approach to the research to ensure reliable, valid results that address their aims and objectives.
• It encompasses what data they're going to collect and where from, as well as how it's being collected and analyzed.

​​Therefore, the term "research methodology" refers to the methods used in data collection and analysis.

Additional Information

For example, steps involved in research methodology by the researcher.

• What data to collect (and what data to ignore)
• Who to collect it from (in research, this is called “sampling design”)
• How to collect it (this is called “data collection methods”)
• How to analyze it (this is called “data analysis methods”)

Research is a systematic way of investigation, a process of discovering new knowledge. Research is also considered as searching for and gathering information, usually to answer a particular question. Each research study has its own specific purpose.

Scientific Method Is Used In Empirical Researches.

• The word empirical describes any information gained by experience, observation, or experiment.
• One of the central tenets of the scientific method is that evidence must be empirical, i.e. based on evidence observable to the senses.
• Philosophically, empiricism defines a way of gathering knowledge by direct observation and experience rather than through logic or reason alone (in other words, by rationality).
• In the scientific paradigm, the term refers to the use of hypotheses that can be tested using observation and experiment.
• In other words, it is the practical application of experience via formalized experiments.
• Empirical data is produced by experiment and observation and can be either quantitative or qualitative.
• Science in general and empiricism specifically attempts to establish a body of knowledge about the natural world.
• The standards of empiricism exist to reduce any threats to the validity of results obtained by empirical experiments.
• For example, scientists take great care to remove bias, expectation, and opinion from the matter in question and focus only on what can be empirically supported.
• While many students of science believe that “empirical scientific methods" and “science" are basically the same thing, the truth is that empiricism is just one of many tools in a scientist’s inventory.

Thus, scientific method is the correct answer.

​

The correct answer is F-test.
Important Points

F-test:

• The F-test is commonly used in the context of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis.
• It is used to compare the variances or means of multiple groups simultaneously.
• ANOVA assesses whether there are significant differences among the means of three or more groups, while the F-test in regression analysis is used to determine if a set of independent variables has a statistically significant effect on the dependent variable.
• The F-test calculates an F-statistic, which is compared to critical values to determine statistical significance.

When researchers use designs that involve multiple groups, such as in analysis of variance (ANOVA) or regression analysis, the most commonly employed test is the F-test.

• The F-test is used to compare the variances or means of multiple groups simultaneously.
• It helps determine whether there are significant differences among the means of the groups being compared.

The Z-test is commonly used when comparing a sample mean to a known population mean, assuming the population standard deviation is known.

The t-test for the difference of means is used when comparing the means of two independent groups. The paired t-test is used when comparing the means of two related groups (e.g., before and after measurements of the same individuals).

Therefore, in the context of designs involving multiple groups, the F-test is the most commonly employed test.

Validity is one of the important characteristics of scientific research. The term ‘Validity’ implies truth or fidelity. Thus, validity refers to the degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure. The word "valid" is derived from the Latin ‘validus’. A Valid measurement is always reliable.

• For determining the validity of a test, the test should be compared to another independent construct or criteria. 
• Validity is concerned with generalizability. 
• Validity has three important properties:
  • It is a relative term.
  • It is not a fixed concept or criteria of a test because it is an unending process that requires constant validation.
  • It is just a measure concept and not an all-or-none property.

Important Points