HSA 3057
Research Methods & Issues in Health
Science
Midterms Exam Review (Qns & Ans)
2025
1. Which of the following is a primary purpose of conducting a
randomized controlled trial (RCT) in health science research?
- A. To observe the natural progression of a disease
- B. To assess the effectiveness of an intervention while
minimizing bias
- C. To analyze secondary data from existing studies
- D. To explore patient experiences qualitatively
- ANS: B. To assess the effectiveness of an intervention
while minimizing bias
©2025
, - Rationale: RCTs are designed to test the efficacy of
interventions by randomly assigning participants to treatment or
control groups, reducing bias.
2. What is the primary goal of a systematic review in health
research?
- A. To create new data through experimentation
- B. To summarize and synthesize existing research findings
- C. To conduct cross-sectional surveys
- D. To perform qualitative interviews
- ANS: B. To summarize and synthesize existing research
findings
- Rationale: Systematic reviews aim to comprehensively
analyze and synthesize evidence from multiple studies to provide
a clear overview of a specific topic.
3. Which of the following sampling methods ensures that every
member of a population has an equal chance of being selected?
- A. Convenience sampling
- B. Purposive sampling
- C. Random sampling
- D. Snowball sampling
- ANS: C. Random sampling
©2025
, - Rationale: Random sampling ensures that each individual in
the population has an equal probability of being chosen, reducing
selection bias.
4. What is the main advantage of using a double-blind design in
clinical trials?
- A. Reducing the cost of the study
- B. Preventing both participants and researchers from knowing
who receives the treatment, thus minimizing bias
- C. Simplifying the data analysis process
- D. Increasing the sample size
- ANS: B. Preventing both participants and researchers from
knowing who receives the treatment, thus minimizing bias
- Rationale: Double-blind designs prevent bias by ensuring
neither participants nor researchers know who is receiving the
treatment, thus enhancing the validity of the results.
5. Which type of research design is most suitable for studying
the prevalence of a disease at a specific point in time?
- A. Longitudinal study
- B. Experimental study
- C. Cross-sectional study
- D. Case-control study
©2025
, - ANS: C. Cross-sectional study
- Rationale: Cross-sectional studies provide a snapshot of a
population at a specific point in time, making them ideal for
assessing disease prevalence.
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
6. __________ validity refers to the extent to which the results
of a study can be generalized to other settings, populations, or
times.
- ANS: External
- Rationale: External validity assesses the generalizability of
study findings beyond the study sample.
7. __________ is a statistical method used to control for
confounding variables by comparing outcomes between matched
pairs of participants.
- ANS: Matching
- Rationale: Matching involves pairing participants with
similar characteristics to control for confounding factors in
comparative studies.
8. The __________ effect occurs when participants alter their
behavior due to their awareness of being observed in a study.
- ANS: Hawthorne
©2025
Research Methods & Issues in Health
Science
Midterms Exam Review (Qns & Ans)
2025
1. Which of the following is a primary purpose of conducting a
randomized controlled trial (RCT) in health science research?
- A. To observe the natural progression of a disease
- B. To assess the effectiveness of an intervention while
minimizing bias
- C. To analyze secondary data from existing studies
- D. To explore patient experiences qualitatively
- ANS: B. To assess the effectiveness of an intervention
while minimizing bias
©2025
, - Rationale: RCTs are designed to test the efficacy of
interventions by randomly assigning participants to treatment or
control groups, reducing bias.
2. What is the primary goal of a systematic review in health
research?
- A. To create new data through experimentation
- B. To summarize and synthesize existing research findings
- C. To conduct cross-sectional surveys
- D. To perform qualitative interviews
- ANS: B. To summarize and synthesize existing research
findings
- Rationale: Systematic reviews aim to comprehensively
analyze and synthesize evidence from multiple studies to provide
a clear overview of a specific topic.
3. Which of the following sampling methods ensures that every
member of a population has an equal chance of being selected?
- A. Convenience sampling
- B. Purposive sampling
- C. Random sampling
- D. Snowball sampling
- ANS: C. Random sampling
©2025
, - Rationale: Random sampling ensures that each individual in
the population has an equal probability of being chosen, reducing
selection bias.
4. What is the main advantage of using a double-blind design in
clinical trials?
- A. Reducing the cost of the study
- B. Preventing both participants and researchers from knowing
who receives the treatment, thus minimizing bias
- C. Simplifying the data analysis process
- D. Increasing the sample size
- ANS: B. Preventing both participants and researchers from
knowing who receives the treatment, thus minimizing bias
- Rationale: Double-blind designs prevent bias by ensuring
neither participants nor researchers know who is receiving the
treatment, thus enhancing the validity of the results.
5. Which type of research design is most suitable for studying
the prevalence of a disease at a specific point in time?
- A. Longitudinal study
- B. Experimental study
- C. Cross-sectional study
- D. Case-control study
©2025
, - ANS: C. Cross-sectional study
- Rationale: Cross-sectional studies provide a snapshot of a
population at a specific point in time, making them ideal for
assessing disease prevalence.
Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
6. __________ validity refers to the extent to which the results
of a study can be generalized to other settings, populations, or
times.
- ANS: External
- Rationale: External validity assesses the generalizability of
study findings beyond the study sample.
7. __________ is a statistical method used to control for
confounding variables by comparing outcomes between matched
pairs of participants.
- ANS: Matching
- Rationale: Matching involves pairing participants with
similar characteristics to control for confounding factors in
comparative studies.
8. The __________ effect occurs when participants alter their
behavior due to their awareness of being observed in a study.
- ANS: Hawthorne
©2025
