Deck 6: Qualitative Research Design

Question 1

For what type of research are structured interviews likely to be preferred?

A) longitudinal studies
B) studies involving sensitive topics
C) attitudinal studies
D) studies with small subgroups

Answer 1

longitudinal studies

Question 2

The initial questions in an interview should be designed to do what?

A) establish the interviewer's credentials
B) establish rapport with the subject
C) establish the subject's suitability for the study
D) establish the boundaries for responses

Answer 2

establish rapport with the subject

Question 3

What is an advantage of semi-structured interviews over structured interviews?

A) better validity and reliability
B) questions are more easily operationalized
C) researchers can consider in advance if questions are complete or biased
D) researchers can adapt questions to pursue the most useful information

Answer 3

researchers can adapt questions to pursue the most useful information

Question 4

How many participants are typically in a focus group?

A) 3-6
B) 6-12
C) 12-24
D) >20

Question 5

Research that examines how people construct reality from their perceptions is known as what?

A) ontological
B) phenomenological
C) epistemological
D) metaphysical

Question 6

Ethnography is characterized by which of the following?

A) semi-structured interviews
B) large study cohorts
C) use of focus groups
D) immersive observation

Question 7

Grounded theory is actually a method for achieving what?

A) more systematic qualitative research
B) richer ethnographic description
C) better participant cooperation
D) quantitative analysis of qualitative data

Question 8

Grounded theory researchers use open coding for what?

A) to establish themes for further analysis
B) to share analytic tools with other researchers
C) to get feedback from study participants
D) to identify relationships between categories and themes

Question 9

Grounded theory researchers use axial coding for what?

A) to establish themes for further analysis
B) to share analytic tools with other researchers
C) to get feedback from study participants
D) to identify relationships between categories and themes

Question 10

Consensual qualitative research (CQR) is commonly found in which of the following disciplines?

A) sociology
B) cultural anthropology
C) counseling and psychology
D) education

Question 11

An external stability check of data in a CQR study includes which of the following?

A) coding interview data
B) use of an auditor
C) comparing interview data to other data
D) distinguishing between general, typical, and variant categories

Question 12

An internal stability check of data in a CQR study includes which of the following?

A) calculating the correlation coefficient between general and variant categories
B) establishing the reliability of category distinctions
C) comparing interview data to other data
D) distinguishing between general, typical, and variant categories

Question 13

In a CQR study, cross analysis includes which of the following?

A) grouping categories to establish higher-level generalizations
B) comparing data categories between participants
C) comparing interview data to other data
D) analyzing differences in coding between observers

Question 14

Which of the following is an advantage of case study research?

A) high degree of reliability
B) suitability to large study populations
C) enables "close reading" of social life
D) minimal training needed to conduct

Question 15

An idiographic approach to research entails which of the following?

A) narrow analysis of one element of a phenomenon
B) holistic description of an individual phenomenon
C) isolating factors external to an individual phenomenon
D) identifying the relationships between only a few variables

Question 16

A nomothetic study focuses on which of the following?

A) narrow analysis of one element of a phenomenon
B) holistic description of an individual phenomenon
C) isolating factors external to an individual phenomenon
D) identifying the relationships between only a few variables

Question 17

In mixed methods research, what is a strand?

A) a hypothesis independent of the methods
B) a correlation found across methods
C) the components specific to one of the methods used
D) a variable targeted for triangulation

Question 18

In addition to timing, what are the two other key dimensions in mixed method design?

A) priority and level of interaction
B) explanatory and convergent analysis
C) correlation and triangulation
D) duration and sample selection

Question 19

If a mixed methods design first collects qualitative data and then collects quantitative data, what is the name of the design type?

A) explanatory
B) exploratory
C) convergent
D) embedded