Introduction to Research Methods Exam
Questions With Correct Answers
The method of authority - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is believing that a
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proposition is true because someone in a position of authority says it
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Problem: |
- authorities can be wrong
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When is it reasonable to employ the method of authority? - CORRECT
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ANSWER✔✔-when the authority appealed to is an expert | | | | | | |
there is general agreement amongst authorities on the issue
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it is accepted that the authorities could be wrong
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The method of intuition - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is accepting
| | | | | | | |
unquestioningly your own spontaneous account of an event | | | | | | |
Why should we not follow the method of intuition? - CORRECT
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ANSWER✔✔-- the fact that we feel absolutely certain about a | | | | | | | | | |
proposition is no guarantee against its being false
| | | | | | |
- Numerous cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions,
| | | | | | | | |
and so we may draw wrong conclusions
| | | | | |
,The method of science - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-involves the application
| | | | | | | | |
of the best available error-detection mechanisms
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- admits that it is fallible
| | | | |
- the general feature of error-detection mechanisms is critical self
| | | | | | | | | |
monitoring
What is the ontological position held by most scientific researchers? -
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CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-realism | |
- most scientific researchers assume that:
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there is an objective (mind independent) world
| | | | | |
the observable and unobservable features of the objective world can be
| | | | | | | | | |
discovered by the appropriate use of scientific methods
| | | | | | | |
The scientific method involves - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-2 main steps:
| | | | | | | |
Conceptual (logical) analysis | |
Observational analysis (empirical) analysis | | |
Conceptual analysis - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is conducting theoretical | | | | | | |
research and applying logical tests | | | | |
- if the concept, theory or research question fails the logical tests:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
it is either not clear enough or could not possibly be true, so it must be
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
adjusted or abandoned | |
,Observational analysis - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is when you thoroughly
| | | | | | | |
sought to answer the question by:
| | | | | |
a) considering existing observations
| | |
b) make new observations through
| | | |
- quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
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Mixed methods - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-involve both qualitative and
| | | | | | | |
quantitative methods |
The scientific method - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-can be applied to any
| | | | | | | | | |
research question |
i.e., qualitative phenomena and well as quantitative phenomena, and
| | | | | | | | |
subjective phenomena |
Hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a contingent statement that serves
| | | | | | | |
as the basis for further investigation
| | | | |
How do researchers come up with research questions and hypotheses? -
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CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-- everyday observations of behaviour
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- practical problems
| | |
- applied research
| | |
- basic research
| | |
- theory
|
, - past research
| | |
- extension
| |
- literature reviews
| | |
- experimental reports
| |
- serendipity
| |
- creative thinking
| |
Practical problems - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is when research is often
| | | | | | | | |
stimulated by the need to solve problems that must be solved in order
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
to realise some practical aim
| | | |
Applied research - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-has direct and immediate
| | | | | | | |
relevance to the solution of practical problems
| | | | | |
Basic research - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-undertaken with the goal of
| | | | | | | | |
enhancing the general body of knowledge and are not intended to solve
| | | | | | | | | | |
practical problems
| |
Theory - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a systematic body of ideas about a
| | | | | | | | | |
particular phenomenon | |
1. organises existing knowledge about the phenomenon
| | | | | |
2. provides a tentative explanation of the phenomenon
| | | | | | | |
3. generates hypotheses about behaviour
| | | |
Questions With Correct Answers
The method of authority - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is believing that a
| | | | | | | | | |
proposition is true because someone in a position of authority says it
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Problem: |
- authorities can be wrong
| | | |
When is it reasonable to employ the method of authority? - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-when the authority appealed to is an expert | | | | | | |
there is general agreement amongst authorities on the issue
| | | | | | | | |
it is accepted that the authorities could be wrong
| | | | | | | |
The method of intuition - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is accepting
| | | | | | | |
unquestioningly your own spontaneous account of an event | | | | | | |
Why should we not follow the method of intuition? - CORRECT
| | | | | | | | | | |
ANSWER✔✔-- the fact that we feel absolutely certain about a | | | | | | | | | |
proposition is no guarantee against its being false
| | | | | | |
- Numerous cognitive and motivational biases affect our perceptions,
| | | | | | | | |
and so we may draw wrong conclusions
| | | | | |
,The method of science - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-involves the application
| | | | | | | | |
of the best available error-detection mechanisms
| | | | |
- admits that it is fallible
| | | | |
- the general feature of error-detection mechanisms is critical self
| | | | | | | | | |
monitoring
What is the ontological position held by most scientific researchers? -
| | | | | | | | | | |
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-realism | |
- most scientific researchers assume that:
| | | | |
there is an objective (mind independent) world
| | | | | |
the observable and unobservable features of the objective world can be
| | | | | | | | | |
discovered by the appropriate use of scientific methods
| | | | | | | |
The scientific method involves - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-2 main steps:
| | | | | | | |
Conceptual (logical) analysis | |
Observational analysis (empirical) analysis | | |
Conceptual analysis - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is conducting theoretical | | | | | | |
research and applying logical tests | | | | |
- if the concept, theory or research question fails the logical tests:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
it is either not clear enough or could not possibly be true, so it must be
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
adjusted or abandoned | |
,Observational analysis - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is when you thoroughly
| | | | | | | |
sought to answer the question by:
| | | | | |
a) considering existing observations
| | |
b) make new observations through
| | | |
- quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
| | | | |
Mixed methods - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-involve both qualitative and
| | | | | | | |
quantitative methods |
The scientific method - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-can be applied to any
| | | | | | | | | |
research question |
i.e., qualitative phenomena and well as quantitative phenomena, and
| | | | | | | | |
subjective phenomena |
Hypothesis - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a contingent statement that serves
| | | | | | | |
as the basis for further investigation
| | | | |
How do researchers come up with research questions and hypotheses? -
| | | | | | | | | |
CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-- everyday observations of behaviour
| | | | | |
- practical problems
| | |
- applied research
| | |
- basic research
| | |
- theory
|
, - past research
| | |
- extension
| |
- literature reviews
| | |
- experimental reports
| |
- serendipity
| |
- creative thinking
| |
Practical problems - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-is when research is often
| | | | | | | | |
stimulated by the need to solve problems that must be solved in order
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
to realise some practical aim
| | | |
Applied research - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-has direct and immediate
| | | | | | | |
relevance to the solution of practical problems
| | | | | |
Basic research - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-undertaken with the goal of
| | | | | | | | |
enhancing the general body of knowledge and are not intended to solve
| | | | | | | | | | |
practical problems
| |
Theory - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔-a systematic body of ideas about a
| | | | | | | | | |
particular phenomenon | |
1. organises existing knowledge about the phenomenon
| | | | | |
2. provides a tentative explanation of the phenomenon
| | | | | | | |
3. generates hypotheses about behaviour
| | | |
