Question 1

How do positivism and interpretivism differ?&#10;A) Only positivism is truly science.&#10;B) Interpretivism is not confined to &#34;observable facts.&#34;&#10;C) Positivism is rarely applied to public health research.

Accepted Answer

Interpretivism focuses on understanding the meaning of social phenomena, which often involves subjective experiences and interpretations, not just observable facts.

Question 2

Developing explanatory theories is the domain of:&#10;A) qualitative research.&#10;B) quantitative research.&#10;C) integrative research.

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research focuses on understanding phenomena and developing explanatory theories through detailed descriptions and interpretations.

Question 3

Which one of the following is not an advantage of qualitative research compared to quantitative research?&#10;A) Providing context&#10;B) Exploring themes without predetermined hypotheses&#10;C) Using inferential statistics to enrich understanding

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research does not typically use inferential statistics; it focuses on understanding phenomena through detailed, non-numerical data.

Question 4

Constant comparative analysis applies to which form of qualitative research?&#10;A) Ethnography&#10;B) Grounded theory&#10;C) Neopositivism&#10;D) Case study

Accepted Answer

Grounded theory is a qualitative research method that uses constant comparative analysis to develop theory from data.

Question 5

A researcher from the United States moves to the Philippines to reside with a culture of people who live to be well over 100 years of age. This is an example of:&#10;A) ethnography.&#10;B) grounded theory.&#10;C) an etic perspective.&#10;D) a case study.

Accepted Answer

Ethnography involves the researcher immersing themselves in a culture to observe and study it from within, which aligns with the scenario described.

Question 6

After hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans, public health research was conducted to understand how people coped with loss caused by flooding. This is an example of:&#10;A) ethnography.&#10;B) grounded theory.&#10;C) a contrast study.&#10;D) a case study.

Accepted Answer

A case study is an in-depth study of a single case, such as a person, group, or event. In this case, the case study is the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The research conducted was to understand how people coped with loss caused by flooding.

Question 7

Which one of the following terms is not part of an ethnographic approach?&#10;A) Naturalistic observation&#10;B) Interviews with key informants&#10;C) Gathering of artifacts and archival data&#10;D) Reliance on stakeholders

Accepted Answer

Ethnographic research typically involves naturalistic observation, interviews, and gathering artifacts, but it does not specifically rely on stakeholders, which is more common in participatory or action research.

Question 8

The person conducting a qualitative interview must practice many skills. The most vital of these is:&#10;A) listening.&#10;B) reflective probing.&#10;C) being supportive.&#10;D) talking slowly.

Accepted Answer

Listening is the most vital skill in a qualitative interview as it allows the interviewer to understand and engage with the participant's responses effectively.

Question 9

An important aspect of a successful focus group involves the concept of having a relatively homogenous set of volunteers.

Accepted Answer

A homogenous group helps ensure that participants feel comfortable sharing their opinions and experiences, leading to more meaningful and relevant discussions.

Question 10

Which role of the investigator is the most removed from the setting in which the research is conducted?&#10;A) Participant as observer&#10;B) Complete observer&#10;C) Observer as participant&#10;D) Total removal of investigator

Accepted Answer

A complete observer is the most removed from the setting as they do not interact with the participants and only observe the situation from a distance.

Deck 5: Qualitative Research Methods for Public Health