Free Research Methods MCQs with Answers
103 Research Methods MCQs from Sociology, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
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103 questions · page 3 of 11
21. Which of these is not an ethical issue for researchers ?
- A. assessing the potential risks for research subjects
- B. selecting a relevant theoretical perspective
- C. protecting the anonymity of participants
- D. safe storage of the raw data collected in the process
Explanation: Choosing a theoretical perspective is a research-design decision, not an ethical requirement. Assessing risks, protecting anonymity, and securely storing data are all duties involved in protecting participants and their information.
Correct answer: selecting a relevant theoretical perspective22. According to feminists an androcentric bias in research is the direct result of______________?
- A. the funding of certain projects
- B. assuming that men and women are the same
- C. women not being objective
- D. using males as the accepted norm
- E. a lack of female researchers
Explanation: Androcentrism treats men or male experience as the standard against which human experience is understood. It therefore makes research overlook or misrepresent women rather than simply reflecting a lack of female researchers.
Correct answer: using males as the accepted norm23. In participant observation research the role of the "complete" participant forces the researcher to be_______________?
- A. with the group for months and sometimes years
- B. discreet about his/her research
- C. close to the leadership of the group that he/she is studying
- D. open and honest about his/her intentions
- E. taking copious notes
Explanation: A complete participant secretly joins or participates fully in the group, so revealing the research role could alter members’ behaviour or expose the researcher. This role therefore requires discretion about the research.
Correct answer: discreet about his/her research24. A data collection method in which the researcher does not interact with the subject(s) being studied is called_______________?
- A. an unobtrusive
- B. field research
- C. qualitative analysis
- D. content analysis
- E. ethnography
Explanation: Unobtrusive methods collect evidence without the researcher directly interacting with the people being studied, such as analysing existing records or physical traces. Content analysis is one possible unobtrusive technique, not the broader label requested here.
Correct answer: an unobtrusive25. Reading a number of books and journals regarding crime in Canada is a good example of______________?
- A. qualitative research
- B. ethnography
- C. secondary research
- D. field research
- E. non-participant observation
Explanation: Using books and journal articles that already exist is secondary research because the researcher is analysing previously collected or published material. Ethnography and field research require gathering evidence through direct engagement with a social setting.
Correct answer: secondary research26. A major disadvantage of using mail naires to collect data is____________?
- A. the cost of the stamps
- B. the response rates
- C. the inability to follow-up
- D. some respondents are paranoid
- E. the mail is slow
Explanation: Mail questionnaires commonly suffer from low response rates because recipients may ignore them, forget to return them, or be unreachable. Stamp costs and slow delivery are possible drawbacks, but the response problem is the major methodological concern.
Correct answer: the response rates27. A survey that asks the respondent to indicate their age and includes response categories of age 20-30 age 30-40 age 40 50 and age 50+ violates which important rule for constructing closed-ended items for naires ?
- A. exhaustive
- B. tangible
- C. comprehensive
- D. relevant
- E. mutually exclusive
Explanation: The categories overlap at ages 30 and 40, so one respondent may fit more than one category. Closed-ended response options should be mutually exclusive as well as collectively exhaustive.
Correct answer: mutually exclusive28. A researcher was able to prove that, on average as age increases eyesight declines In research terminology this is called a (n) ?
- A. variation
- B. correlation
- C. observation
- D. measure of central tendency
- E. spurious relationship
Explanation: When two variables change together, such as increasing age and declining eyesight, their association is called a correlation. This observation alone does not establish that age is the only cause of the decline.
Correct answer: correlation29. A mean, median and mode are all examples of_______________?
- A. measures of variation
- B. measures of central tendency
- C. measures of enumeration
- D. measures of correlation
- E. measures of coefficients
Explanation: Mean, median, and mode identify the typical or central value in a distribution, so they are measures of central tendency. Measures of variation instead show how widely scores are spread.
Correct answer: measures of central tendency30. _____________ uses multiple data collection methods on the same area of interest?
- A. Triangulation
- B. Ethnography
- C. Field research
- D. Variation
- E. Cluster samplingHealth Foundations & Medical Research
Explanation: Triangulation strengthens a study by using several methods, data sources, or researchers to examine the same issue. Ethnography is a broader fieldwork approach and does not necessarily require multiple methods.
Correct answer: Triangulation