Question 1

Which of the following is a key goal of qualitative research?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research focuses on understanding individuals' thoughts, experiences, and behaviors within their specific social, cultural, or operational context, rather than on generalizability or statistical validity.

Question 2

What is triangulation?

Accepted Answer

Triangulation is a research strategy that involves using multiple methods or data sources in an investigation to enhance the credibility and validity of the results. This approach helps to confirm the reliability of the information and ensures that the findings are not a result of a single method or source bias.

Question 3

All of the following are identified key aspects of qualitative research EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research typically emphasizes studying participants in their natural settings rather than in well-controlled laboratory environments. This approach allows researchers to observe and interpret behaviors and phenomena as they occur in real-life contexts, contrasting with the controlled conditions often preferred in quantitative research.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a concern for qualitative research?

Accepted Answer

Generalizability of results to a broader population is more of a concern for quantitative research, which aims for broader applicability through statistical analysis. Qualitative research focuses on depth and detail of specific contexts or groups, not on generalizing findings to a larger population.

Question 5

In a multi-phase study Sue begins by conducting a focus group. She then uses that information to develop a written measure that is administered to a new group of participants. By using different measures to assess the same topic of interest, Sue is using:

Accepted Answer

Triangulation involves using multiple methods or data sources in research to develop a comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon. By starting with a focus group and then developing a written measure based on that information, Sue is integrating different types of data collection to enrich her research findings.

Question 6

Muriel is examining whether increased educational opportunity leads to greater levels of positivity among prisoners by conducting in-depth interviews with several inmates. Muriel is engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Muriel's method of conducting in-depth interviews to explore the experiences and perspectives of inmates is characteristic of qualitative research, which focuses on understanding concepts, thoughts, or experiences rather than quantifying them.

Question 7

Research that focuses on gaining in-depth information about a few individuals with the goal of developing a more thorough understanding of their perspectives and experiences is called:

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research aims to gain a deep understanding of individual experiences, behaviors, or phenomena through methods like interviews, observations, and textual analysis. It focuses on exploring concepts and insights rather than quantifying data.

Question 8

_____ is a middle ground that includes the strengths, but omits the weaknesses, of both qualitative and quantitative research.

Accepted Answer

Mixed methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches, leveraging the strengths of both while minimizing their individual weaknesses.

Question 9

Where do qualitative research studies generally take place?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research studies often take place in their natural setting to understand phenomena in context without the artificiality of a lab or overly structured environment. This approach allows researchers to gather in-depth insights into participants' behaviors, attitudes, and experiences as they occur naturally.

Question 10

Mixed methods research is:

Accepted Answer

Mixed methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches, leveraging the strengths of each to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the research question.

Question 11

Which type of study provides little guidance or structure and is unconcerned with keeping participants' experiences as similar as possible?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research often involves open-ended, exploratory studies that do not seek to control variables tightly but rather aim to understand phenomena from the perspectives of participants. This approach provides little guidance or structure compared to quantitative methods, which are more structured and seek to quantify variables and relationships between them.

Question 12

Upon completion of data collection, Julian will use statistics to look for meaningful relationships between the variables under investigation. In this study Julian is using:

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research involves the collection and analysis of numerical data to identify patterns, relationships, or trends among variables. Julian's use of statistics to examine relationships between variables aligns with the methodologies of quantitative research.

Question 13

Louise can increase the reliability of her qualitative research results by using:

Accepted Answer

Triangulation involves using multiple data sources, researchers, theories, or methodological approaches to cross-check data and interpretations, thereby increasing the reliability and validity of research findings.

Question 14

Luna has developed a research question that requires her to interview participants regarding their childhood experiences as well as complete surveys that ask participants questions about their current level of functioning. What approach is Luna using for her research question?

Accepted Answer

Luna is using a mixed-methods approach because she combines interviews (qualitative data) with surveys (quantitative data) to gather information for her research question.

Question 15

As a result of qualitative researchers having the opportunity to ask participants to clarify their responses or provide a chance to correct any misunderstanding, there is limited concern about:

Accepted Answer

The ability of qualitative researchers to ask participants for clarifications or to correct misunderstandings directly impacts the validity of the research. This interaction helps ensure that the data collected accurately represents the participants' perspectives and experiences, thus enhancing the study's validity.

Question 16

Quantitative research is well-suited for each of the following, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research focuses on quantifying relationships between variables, predicting outcomes, and making comparisons through statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques. It is not well-suited for gaining detailed descriptions of experience and perspective, which is a strength of qualitative research.

Question 17

Olivia is conducting a longitudinal study on adolescence. During the first wave she interviewed each participant about their familial relationships. She used the information she obtained to develop a measure of familial relationships that she administered during the second wave of the study. In the first wave, Olivia used _____, in the second wave she used _____.

Accepted Answer

In the first wave, Olivia conducted interviews, which is a method used in qualitative research to gather in-depth insights into participants' experiences and perspectives. In the second wave, she developed and administered a measure (likely a questionnaire or survey) based on the interviews, which is a method used in quantitative research to collect numerical data that can be used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or other defined variables.

Question 18

Which of the following is a key feature of qualitative research?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research often involves studying participants in their natural settings to understand their experiences and perspectives in context.

Question 19

Quantitative research is:

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research is characterized by the use of numbers and statistics to objectively examine relationships between variables, predict outcomes, and make comparisons, distinguishing it from qualitative research, mixed methods, and triangulation, which are described in the other options.

Question 20

Which of the following is a key feature of quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research often involves experiments and surveys where conditions can be controlled and manipulated to ensure reliability and objectivity, making well-controlled laboratory settings a common feature.

Quiz 5: Qualitative Research: Getting Into the Mind of a Serial Killer