Deck 18: The Nature of Qualitative Research

Question 1

A basic difference between positivism and its critics pertains to:

A) the importance of valid information
B) the role of religion
C) the nature of reality
D) the importance of value

Answer 1

the nature of reality

Question 2

In qualitative research, the role of the researcher is to:

A) reduce information to numerical form
B) become highly familiar with the context of the study
C) develop instruments for data collection
D) carry out statistical analyses

Answer 2

become highly familiar with the context of the study

Question 3

Which of the following is more likely to be found in a qualitative study compared to other methods?

A) A description of the patterns of interaction among the members of a group
B) A description of the skills of the members of a group
C) An analysis of group productivity
D) A description of group attitudes toward various issues

Answer 3

A description of the patterns of interaction among the members of a group

Question 4

Hypotheses in qualitative research usually:

A) emerge as the study progresses
B) are stated at the outset
C) are irrelevant
D) are nondirectional

Question 5

In qualitative research, "propositions may be used:

A) as flexible tools
B) to help guide data collection
C) to help with data analysis
D) all of the above

Question 6

The unique perceptions of individuals are most likely to be viewed by qualitative researchers as:

A) undesirable and unreliable sources of data
B) useful for illustrating the results of a study
C) irrelevant to the purposes of the study
D) an essential part of an investigation

Question 7

Data analysis in qualitative studies, compared to quantitative studies, is:

A) inductive rather than deductive
B) deductive rather than inductive
C) theoretical rather than applied
D) applied rather than theoretical

Question 8

Which is not a reason a biographical study is hard to do?

A) the researcher must understand the historical period
B) the researcher must remain outside the account
C) the researcher must deal with a lot of information
D) the researcher must identify special life events

Question 9

A phenomenological study makes the assumption that:

A) there is an objective reality
B) individual perceptions vary greatly
C) unique phenomena are especially enlightening
D) important agreements exist among individual perceptions

Question 10

Which is not an important characteristic of a grounded theory study?

A) use of the inductive method
B) use of interview data only
C) constant checking of interpretations against data
D) production of an emergent theory

Question 11

In qualitative research differences among types of purposive sample are based on differences in:

A) individual variability
B) timing during the study
C) representativeness
D) all of the above

Question 12

Qualitative researchers prefer natural settings because:

A) they believe context is crucial
B) they are easier to arrange
C) they lead to more reliable data
D) they require less training

Question 13

Qualitative data are least likely to be collected by:

A) photographs
B) diaries
C) questionnaires
D) official records

Question 14

Qualitative researchers are more interested in which question?

A) Who
B) When
C) What
D) How

Question 15

Qualitative researchers view ongoing changes in procedures as:

A) a result of poor planning
B) desirable
C) a necessary evil
D) unacceptable

Question 16

Sampling of participants in qualitative studies is typically:

A) random
B) cluster random
C) purposive
D) convenience

Question 17

Which of the following procedures is not typical of school applications of the case study method?

A) Interviews with parents
B) Interviews with the individual being studied
C) Observations of the individual in a variety of situations
D) Collecting data from a large number of subjects

Question 18

Generalization in qualitative research is:

A) impossible
B) different from quantitative research
C) dependent upon type of sample
D) of little interest

Question 19

Conclusions from qualitative research are:

A) seldom justified
B) of descriptive value only
C) of little practical value
D) less certain than from quantitative research

Question 20

Which is not a criticism of quantitative research made by qualitative researchers?

A) Treats people as objects
B) Can't see the forest for the trees
C) Is not creative
D) Oversimplifies

Question 21

Matching

-Flexibility

A) Quantitative methods
B) Qualitative methods
C) Quantitative methods.
D) Qualitative methods.

Question 22

Matching

-Hypothesis generation

A) Quantitative methods
B) Qualitative methods
C) Quantitative methods.
D) Qualitative methods.

Question 23

Matching

-Manipulation

A) Quantitative methods
B) Qualitative methods
C) Quantitative methods.
D) Qualitative methods.

Question 24

Matching

-Hypothesis verification

A) Quantitative methods
B) Qualitative methods
C) Quantitative methods.
D) Qualitative methods.

Question 25

Qualitative researchers attempt to obtain some form of random sample.

Question 26

Qualitative researchers rely on logical analysis to handle extraneous variables.

Question 27

Generalization is not possible in qualitative resear