Exam 16: Combining Methods in Social Science Research

Professor Bertha Bettina conducted a research project exploring adolescent girl peer group pressure.She used closed-ended questionnaires and focus groups.Of the 221 girls that fit the criteria for inclusion,90 girls agreed to complete the self-administered questionnaire; of those,50 girls agreed to participate in focus groups.During analysis,descriptive statistics about behaviours reported by the girls were joined with major themes that came out of the focus group interviews. Which one of the following types of sampling designs did Professor Bettina use?

Which of the following statements most closely describes the term triangulation?

What is one of the major advantages of using qualitative interviews compared to other qualitative forms of data collection?

What is one of the major disadvantages of using experimental research compared to other quantitative forms of data collection?

Which of the following best exemplifies the practice of epistemic prioritization?

Define the following: -multi-method research

What distinguishes multi-method research from mixed-methods research?

What are the strengths and limitations of mixed methods research incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches? Do you think a researcher should strive to use mixed methods research? Why or why not?

What is one of the major disadvantages of using qualitative interviews compared to other qualitative forms of data collection?

________ approaches assume that facts are objective,that they can be collected by value-free researchers,and that the pursuit of truth can be achieved through the testing of causal hypotheses.

Despite a general agreement among social scientists that mixed methods research is an ideal way to approach research questions,very few researchers engage in this type of research.Why is this the case?

Which of the following is considered a strength of mixed methods research?

Discuss the kinds of decisions a researcher must make in terms of sequential and concurrent data collection and analysis when designing a mixed methods study.What procedures must be followed?

What is one of the major advantages of survey research compared to other quantitative approaches?

What are the major advantages and disadvantages common to all qualitative approaches?

Define the following: -sequential data analysis

Identify two of the five major qualitative approaches treated in your text and discuss their advantages.

Define the following: -sequence

What is one of the major advantages of using focus groups compared to other qualitative forms of data collection?

What is one of the major advantages of experimental research compared to other quantitative approaches?