Question 1

Which research paradigm is most concerned about generalizing its findings?
A) Quantitative research
B) Qualitative research
C) Mixed-methods research
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research is most concerned with generalizing its findings because it relies on statistical methods to analyze numerical data, which can be applied to larger populations.

Question 2

A variable that is presumed to cause a change in another variable is called:
A) An intervening variable
B) A dependent variable
C) An independent variable
D) A numerical variable

Accepted Answer

An independent variable is the variable that is presumed to cause a change in another variable, which is known as the dependent variable.

Question 3

Researchers posit that performance-related pay increases employee motivation which in turn leads to an increase in job satisfaction. What kind of variable is 'motivation"' in this study?
A) Extraneous
B) Confounding
C) Intervening
D) Manipulated

Accepted Answer

Motivation acts as an intervening variable in this context because it mediates the relationship between performance-related pay (the independent variable) and job satisfaction (the dependent variable), explaining how or why the independent variable influences the dependent variable.

Question 4

Which correlation is the strongest?
A) -1.00
B) +80
C) -60
D) +05

Accepted Answer

A correlation of -1.00 is the strongest as it indicates a perfect negative linear relationship between two variables.

Question 5

When interpreting a correlation coefficient expressing the relationship between two variables, it is important not to:
A) Assume causality
B) Measure the values for X and Y independently
C) Choose X and Y values that are normally distributed
D) Check the direction of the relationship

Accepted Answer

Assuming causality from a correlation coefficient is incorrect because correlation does not imply causation. The correlation coefficient merely indicates the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables, not that one variable causes changes in the other.

Question 6

Which of the following can be described as a nominal variable?
A) Annual income
B) Age
C) Annual sales
D) Geographical location of a firm

Accepted Answer

Nominal variables are categorical and do not have a natural order or ranking. Geographical location of a firm is a nominal variable because it categorizes firms without implying any order or hierarchy.

Question 7

A positive correlation occurs when:
A) Two variables remain constant
B) Two variables move in the same direction
C) One variable goes up and the other goes down
D) Two variables move in opposite directions

Accepted Answer

A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases, or as one decreases, the other also decreases, indicating that they move in the same direction.

Question 8

The key defining characteristic of experimental research is that:
A) The independent variable is manipulated
B) Hypotheses are proved
C) A positive correlation exists
D) Samples are large

Accepted Answer

Experimental research is characterized by the manipulation of the independent variable to observe its effect on the dependent variable, distinguishing it from other research methods that do not involve such manipulation.

Question 9

Qualitative research is used in all the following circumstances, EXCEPT:
A) It is based on a collection of non-numerical data such as words and pictures
B) It often uses small samples
C) It uses the inductive method
D) It is typically used when a great deal is already known about the topic of interest

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research is often used when not much is known about the topic of interest, as it helps to explore ideas, understand perceptions, and gain deeper insights. It is not typically used when a great deal is already known about the topic.

Question 10

In an experiment, the group that does not receive the intervention is called:
A) The experimental group
B) The participant group
C) The control group
D) The treatment group

Accepted Answer

The control group in an experiment is the group that does not receive the intervention or treatment being tested, serving as a baseline to compare the effects of the intervention on the experimental group.

Question 11

Which generally cannot be guaranteed in conducting qualitative studies in the field?
A) Keeping participants from physical and emotional harm
B) Gaining informed consent
C) Assuring anonymity rather than just confidentiality
D) Maintaining consent forms

Accepted Answer

Assuring anonymity is often more challenging than ensuring confidentiality in qualitative studies due to the nature of the data collected, which can sometimes make participants identifiable even when their names are not disclosed.

Question 12

Which of the following is not ethical practice in research with humans?
A) Maintaining participants' anonymity
B) Gaining informed consent
C) Informing participants that they are free to withdraw at any time
D) Requiring participants to continue until the study has been completed

Accepted Answer

Requiring participants to continue until the study has been completed is not ethical because it violates the principle of voluntary participation, where participants should feel free to withdraw from the study at any point without penalty or consequence.

Question 13

What do we call data that are used for a new study but which were collected by an earlier researcher for a different set of research questions?
A) Secondary data
B) Field notes
C) Qualitative data
D) Primary data

Accepted Answer

Secondary data refers to data that were collected by someone else or for a different research purpose but are being used by a researcher for a new study. This contrasts with primary data, which are collected firsthand by the researcher for the specific study at hand.

Question 14

When each member of a population has an equal chance of being selected, this is called:
A) A snowball sample
B) A stratified sample
C) A random probability sample
D) A non-random sample

Accepted Answer

A random probability sample ensures that each member of a population has an equal chance of being selected, which is the defining characteristic of this sampling method.

Question 15

Which of the following techniques yields a simple random sample of companies?
A) Randomly selecting a district and then sampling all companies within the district
B) Numbering all the elements of a company sampling frame and then using a random number table to pick companies from the table
C) Listing companies by sector and choosing a proportion from within each sector at random
D) Choosing volunteer companies to participate

Accepted Answer

Simple random sampling involves selecting members from a larger set where each member has an equal chance of being chosen. Option B describes this process by numbering all companies and then randomly selecting from those numbers, ensuring each company has an equal chance of being selected.

Question 16

Which of the following statements are true?
A) The larger the sample size, the larger the confidence interval
B) The smaller the sample size, the greater the sampling error
C) The more categories being measured, the smaller the sample size
D) A confidence level of 95 percent is always sufficient

Accepted Answer

B) The smaller the sample size, the greater the sampling error. This is because a smaller sample is less likely to accurately represent the population, leading to higher variability or uncertainty in the estimates derived from the sample.

Question 17

Which of the following will produce the least sampling error?
A) A large sample based on convenience sampling
B) A small sample based on random sampling
C) A large snowball sample
D) A large sample based on random sampling

Accepted Answer

A large sample based on random sampling will produce the least sampling error because it is more likely to be representative of the population, reducing bias and variability in the results.

Question 18

When people are readily available, volunteer, or are easily recruited to the sample, this is called:
A) Snowball sampling
B) Convenience sampling
C) Stratified sampling
D) Random sampling

Accepted Answer

Convenience sampling involves selecting individuals who are easily accessible and willing to participate in a study, making it a cost-effective and time-efficient method for data collection.

Question 19

In qualitative research, sampling that involves selecting diverse cases is referred to as:
A) Typical-case sampling
B) Critical-case sampling
C) Intensity sampling
D) Maximum variation sampling

Accepted Answer

Maximum variation sampling is specifically designed to capture a broad range of perspectives by selecting cases that are very different from each other, thus ensuring a wide array of experiences and viewpoints are represented in the research.

Question 20

A test accurately indicates an employee's scores on a future criterion (e.g., conscientiousness). What kind of validity is this?
A) Predictive
B) Face
C) Content
D) Concurrent

Accepted Answer

Predictive validity refers to how well a test forecasts or predicts future outcomes, such as an employee's future performance based on their scores on a given criterion like conscientiousness.

Quiz 2: Part B: Research Methodology

Which research paradigm is most concerned about generalizing its findings?

A variable that is presumed to cause a change in another variable is called:

Researchers posit that performance-related pay increases employee motivation which in turn leads to an increase in job satisfaction. What kind of variable is 'motivation"' in this study?

Which correlation is the strongest?

When interpreting a correlation coefficient expressing the relationship between two variables, it is important not to:

Which of the following can be described as a nominal variable?

A positive correlation occurs when:

The key defining characteristic of experimental research is that:

Qualitative research is used in all the following circumstances, EXCEPT:

In an experiment, the group that does not receive the intervention is called:

Which generally cannot be guaranteed in conducting qualitative studies in the field?

Which of the following is not ethical practice in research with humans?

What do we call data that are used for a new study but which were collected by an earlier researcher for a different set of research questions?

When each member of a population has an equal chance of being selected, this is called:

Which of the following techniques yields a simple random sample of companies?

Which of the following statements are true?

Which of the following will produce the least sampling error?

When people are readily available, volunteer, or are easily recruited to the sample, this is called:

In qualitative research, sampling that involves selecting diverse cases is referred to as:

A test accurately indicates an employee's scores on a future criterion (e.g., conscientiousness) . What kind of validity is this?