Question 1

A research design is the general plan of how you will go about answering your research questions.

Accepted Answer

A research design outlines the strategy and methods for collecting and analyzing data to answer research questions effectively.

Question 2

Research design is different to research tactics because ________.
A) It deals with details of your method
B) It takes an overview of all the research activities
C) It comes after tactics have been decided
D) It is grounded in the literature

Accepted Answer

Research design takes an overview of all the research activities, providing a framework for the entire study, while research tactics focus on the specific details and methods used within that framework.

Question 3

Which of these is NOT an element of research design.
A) Objectives
B) Sources of data
C) Ethics
D) Conclusions

Accepted Answer

Conclusions are not part of the research design; they are derived from the research findings after the study is conducted. Research design involves planning how to collect and analyze data, not the outcomes of the research.

Question 4

One of the most important elements of research design is having valid reasons for the choices you have made.

Accepted Answer

Having valid reasons for research design choices ensures the study's credibility, reliability, and relevance, guiding the research process effectively.

Question 5

Justification of your research design should take account of ________.
A) Your sample size
B) Your method
C) Your philosophy
D) Your supervisor

Accepted Answer

Justification of your research design should take account of your philosophy, as this will determine the methods you use and the way you interpret your results.

Question 6

"Tomas is researching the effect of firms' web-based corporate responsibility disclosures on societal perceptions. He is taking an inductive approach and has decided to survey managers responsible for community affairs in five large organisations." What is wrong with this research design?
A) Inductive research cannot use surveys
B) The sample is unlikely to be able to answer the research question
C) Interviewing managers is not an inductive method
D) Five large organisations will not be enough data

Accepted Answer

The sample of managers responsible for community affairs may not provide insights into societal perceptions, as they are not the general public or the society whose perceptions are being studied.

Question 7

"Alisha wants to investigate patterns of stealing among housekeeping staff in a hotel chain. She plans to install hidden cameras in the staff room to record video for later analysis. The findings from the video will then help to structure subsequent interviews." What is wrong with this research design?
A) Ethics have not been considered
B) It will be too costly to install cameras
C) She is incorrectly taking a deductive approach
D) Her method and objectives do not match

Accepted Answer

Installing hidden cameras without the staff's knowledge is unethical as it violates their privacy and consent.

Question 8

Which of these is NOT a type of research design?
A) Exploratory
B) Restrictive
C) Explanatory
D) Descriptive

Accepted Answer

Restrictive is not a type of research design.

Question 9

"Research that aims to find out the occurrence or significance of a new issue." What type of research does this describe?
A) Exploratory
B) Explanatory
C) Descriptive
D) Deductive

Accepted Answer

Exploratory research is conducted to investigate a problem or situation that is not clearly defined, often to gain insights and understanding of a new issue.

Question 10

"James' project will investigate why female bar workers take less time off sick than male bar workers." Is this research ________.
A) Descriptive
B) Exploratory
C) Explanatory
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The research is explanatory because it seeks to explain the reasons behind the observed phenomenon of female bar workers taking less time off sick than male bar workers.

Question 11

"Sunitha wants to find out what percentage of overseas students in the UK open UK bank accounts." What is the purpose of her research?
A) To explain the relationship between variables
B) To describe the characteristics of a situation
C) To assess the impact of a new social phenomenon
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

The purpose of Sunitha's research is to describe the characteristics of a situation, specifically the percentage of overseas students in the UK who open UK bank accounts.

Question 12

No research strategy is inherently superior to another.

Accepted Answer

There is no one-size-fits-all research strategy that is superior to all others. The best research strategy for a particular study will depend on the specific research question, the population being studied, and the resources available.

Question 13

"Mark has been asked by his manager at work to test whether a new brand of washing powder is perceived by customers as superior to the old one." What research strategy would be most appropriate for Mark to use?
A) Experiment
B) Archival research
C) Case Study
D) Ethnography

Accepted Answer

An experiment would be most appropriate as it allows Mark to control variables and directly compare customer perceptions of the new versus the old washing powder, providing clear evidence of any perceived superiority.

Question 14

Which of these is NOT a research strategy?
A) Survey
B) Action research
C) Interviews
D) Grounded Theory

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of these is NOT a research...

Question 15

What is a 'control' group in the context of an experimental research strategy?
A) People who are told the reasons for the study
B) People who will be experimented on
C) People who do not know they are in the research
D) People who do not receive the research intervention

Accepted Answer

A control group is a group of participants in an experiment who do not receive the experimental treatment or intervention, allowing researchers to compare outcomes against those who do receive the treatment.

Question 16

What must you ensure when selecting participants for the control group and experimental group in an experiment?
A) That they all share common characteristics
B) That they are all unaware of the purpose of the research
C) You choose a range of different types of people
D) You must not choose too many people

Accepted Answer

To ensure the validity of an experiment, participants in both the control and experimental groups should share common characteristics to minimize variability and isolate the effect of the independent variable.

Question 17

What type of validity is difficult to achieve with experiments?
A) Internal validity
B) External validity
C) Both
D) None

Accepted Answer

External validity is difficult to achieve with experiments because they often take place in controlled settings that may not reflect real-world conditions, making it challenging to generalize the findings to broader contexts.

Question 18

Which research strategy is described here? "The collection of data using questionnaires, structured observation and structured interviews."
A) Survey
B) Grounded theory
C) Ethnography
D) Action research

Accepted Answer

Surveys involve the collection of data through questionnaires, structured observations, and structured interviews, making it a systematic method for gathering information from a large number of respondents.

Question 19

Which of these is a benefit of a survey strategy?
A) Greater control over data collection process
B) You can collect a large amount of data easily
C) Produces standardised, comparable data
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

All of the above. Surveys provide greater control over the data collection process, allow for the collection of a large amount of data easily, and produce standardized, comparable data.

Question 20

Which research strategy is described here? "The empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, using multiple sources of evidence."
A) Experiment
B) Survey
C) Case study
D) Grounded theory

Accepted Answer

A case study involves an in-depth, contextual analysis of a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, often using multiple sources of evidence.

Quiz 5: Formulating the Research Design

A research design is the general plan of how you will go about answering your research questions.

Research design is different to research tactics because ________.

Which of these is NOT an element of research design.

One of the most important elements of research design is having valid reasons for the choices you have made.

Justification of your research design should take account of ________.

"Tomas is researching the effect of firms' web-based corporate responsibility disclosures on societal perceptions. He is taking an inductive approach and has decided to survey managers responsible for community affairs in five large organisations." What is wrong with this research design?

Which of these is NOT a type of research design?

"Research that aims to find out the occurrence or significance of a new issue." What type of research does this describe?

"James' project will investigate why female bar workers take less time off sick than male bar workers." Is this research ________.

"Sunitha wants to find out what percentage of overseas students in the UK open UK bank accounts." What is the purpose of her research?

No research strategy is inherently superior to another.

"Mark has been asked by his manager at work to test whether a new brand of washing powder is perceived by customers as superior to the old one." What research strategy would be most appropriate for Mark to use?

Which of these is NOT a research strategy?

What is a 'control' group in the context of an experimental research strategy?

What must you ensure when selecting participants for the control group and experimental group in an experiment?

What type of validity is difficult to achieve with experiments?

Which research strategy is described here? "The collection of data using questionnaires, structured observation and structured interviews."

Which of these is a benefit of a survey strategy?

Which research strategy is described here? "The empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, using multiple sources of evidence."