Question 1

A manager is interested in studying if there is a relationship between the gender of the order-taker and the amount of food ordered. In an experimental setting, the researcher gathers data in store A for two consecutives days (Monday and Tuesday), between 12:00 and 1:00 PM. On day 1, the order-taker is a female and on day 2, the order-taker is a male. In this situation, the dependent variable is:

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable in this study is the total dollar amount of orders taken on each day, as this is the variable that is being measured and analyzed in relation to the independent variable of the gender of the order-taker. The gender of the order-taker, the time period during which the orders were recorded, the store at which the experiment was done, and the day of the week when the data was collected are all independent variables that could potentially have an effect on the dependent variable.

Question 2

When CATI abilities are added to wireless web surveys, the result is called CAMI.

Accepted Answer

CAMI (Computer-Assisted Mobile Interviewing) is a method of data collection that combines the features of CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) with wireless web surveys.

Question 3

A disadvantage of the random digit dialing is that it cannot be used to select a random sample (as many people have unlisted numbers).

Accepted Answer

The answer of A disadvantage of the random digit dialing...

Question 4

Collecting more data lowers response rates.

Accepted Answer

As survey length or data requests increase, participants may become fatigued or overwhelmed and therefore less likely to complete the survey or respond to future surveys. This is known as survey fatigue.

Question 5

A retailer is interested in studying the effect of in-store promotions on the amount of money people spend during a store visit. Which of the following will NOT be considered an extraneous variable for this study?

Accepted Answer

The average amount of money spent by shoppers in the store is actually the main variable of interest in this study and not an extraneous variable. It is what the study is trying to measure and therefore cannot be considered extraneous. The other variables listed (mood, number of kids, day/month of study, and air temperature) could potentially impact the amount of money spent by shoppers and will need to be controlled for in the analysis.

Question 6

In-home interviewing may be completed through door-to-door canvassing of geographic areas.

Accepted Answer

In-home interviewing can be completed through door-to-door canvassing, where interviewers go to individual homes and conduct interviews with residents.

Question 7

In low incidence situations, personal interview surveys should be adopted.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In low incidence situations, personal interview surveys...

Question 8

When respondents provide wrong answers due to impaired memory then it is known as faulty recall.

Accepted Answer

Faulty recall occurs when individuals provide incorrect responses due to difficulties with their memory, such as forgetting information or experiencing distortions in their recollection of past events.

Question 9

If the research objective is to determine whether differences exist between groups, it is appropriate to use descriptive research designs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If the research objective is to determine...

Question 10

A marketing researcher is interested in examining the cause and effect relationship between advertising and sales increase. Which of the following is the most appropriate to address this research objective?

Accepted Answer

An experiment is the most appropriate research method for examining cause-and-effect relationships. In this case, the researcher can manipulate the advertising variable and measure the resulting sales increase. Other methods such as personal interviews, focus groups, and surveys do not provide the control needed to establish a causal relationship.

Question 11

Online surveys eliminate the effects of question order on responses on account of the ability to randomize the order of questions.

Accepted Answer

Online surveys allow for the randomization of question order, which eliminates the impact of question order on responses. This is not possible with paper surveys.

Question 12

Sampling error can be reduced by decreasing the sample size.

Accepted Answer

Decreasing the sample size may actually increase the sampling error as it reduces the representativeness of the sample. To reduce sampling error, larger sample sizes are typically used.

Question 13

External validity:

Accepted Answer

External validity refers to the extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized or applied to the broader population beyond the sample used in the study.

Question 14

The budget is usually the sole determinant of the survey method.

Accepted Answer

While budget is an important factor in determining the survey method, other factors such as the target population, sampling method, and data collection requirements also play a role in determining the most appropriate survey method.

Question 15

Direct mail surveys make it easy to handle problems of vagueness in question / answer setups.

Accepted Answer

Direct mail surveys can still suffer from vagueness in questions and answers, as respondents may interpret questions differently without the opportunity for clarification.

Question 16

Wireless panels provide relatively large sample sizes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Wireless panels provide relatively large sample sizes....

Question 17

In person-administered surveys, the possibility of the interviewer recording incorrect responses is very low.

Accepted Answer

The possibility of the interviewer recording incorrect responses cannot be ruled out completely in person-administered surveys, as human error is always a possibility. The interviewer may accidentally mishear or mistype the respondent's answers or may intentionally record false responses. However, the rate of such errors can be minimized through proper interviewer training and quality control measures.

Question 18

Sugging is the practice of selling under the guise of research.

Accepted Answer

Sugging refers to the unethical practice of using a survey or research as a guise to sell a product or service to the person being surveyed. It violates the principles of informed consent and transparency in research and sales practices.

Question 19

Errors that occur in survey research design are called nonresponse errors.

Accepted Answer

Nonresponse errors refer to errors that occur when participants do not respond to survey questions or refuse to participate in the survey. Other types of errors in survey research design include sampling errors, measurement errors, and coverage errors.

Question 20

Compared to lab experiments, field experiments are characterized by all of the following, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Field experiments are less controllable compared to lab experiments, as there are more variables to account for in a real-world setting. However, they are more realistic, take longer to complete, and can be more expensive due to the need for real-world resources. Another potential disadvantage is that competitors may learn about your initiatives being field-tested.

Quiz 5: Descriptive and Causal Research Designs