FINAL EXAM – PM SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS
Faculty of Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
COURSE: PM_SRM_2017_1 (PM Social Research Methods)
DATE: Friday 22 December 2017
TIME: 08:45 – 11:30
LOCATION: Emergo 1, 2, 5, 6
1. The exam consists of 34 multiple choice questions.
2. Read the multiple choice questions slowly and carefully, and always choose the BEST
alternative. There is only one correct answer.
3. Please place your student card on the desk in front of you.
4. Asking the invigilators to clarify test questions serves no purpose.
5. You have up to 2 hours and 45 minutes to answer the questions.
6. The use of external resources is PROHIBITED. Mobile telephones must be switched off
(not on silent mode, but off!) and stowed in a bag. Bags must be closed and may not be
opened during the examination. If it is found that you have broken this rule, you will
immediately be disqualified from the examination. The only external material allowed is
an English-Dutch dictionary.
7. When the result of the examination is known, you will have the opportunity to inspect the
graded examination. The date, time and location for this inspection will be announced on
Canvas.
Student number
First name
Between letters
Last name
GOOD LUCK!
1
, Question 1. Which of the following is typically associated with a positivist position?
a. Phenomenalism: only knowledge that comes through the senses is valid.
b. Deductive theorizing to generate hypotheses that can be tested.
c. Scientific knowledge is presumed to be objective and value-free.
d. All of the above.
Question 2. What are the central ontological concerns for social science researchers?
I. Whether social entities should be considered objective and independent entities or whether
they should be considered social constructions.
II. Whether social sciences should be considered pre-paradigmatic or paradigmatic.
a. Statement I is correct, statement II is correct.
b. Statement I is correct, statement II is incorrect.
c. Statements II is correct, statement I is incorrect.
d. Statement I is incorrect, statement II is incorrect.
Question 3. What does the term ‘quasi-quantification’ refer to?
a. The use of words such as ‘much’, ‘a little’, and ‘almost never’ without reference to
exact figures.
b. The use of a semi-structured interviews instead of structured interviews.
c. The use of a measurement instrument that has not (yet) been tested for reliability.
d. The formulation of preliminary conclusions, when data collection has not yet been
completed.
Question 4. Some people have claimed that the distinction between quantitative and qualitative
research is based on emphasizing behaviour versus emphasizing the social meaning of
behaviour.
Which argument could we use to refute this (i.e. to prove this distinction to be false)?
Quantitative researchers also investigate the significance of behaviour, because they ...
a. often take an ontological approach rather than an epistemological approach.
b. often use surveys in order to explore attitudes and opinions.
c. often take a positivistic approach, whereby it is important to interpret the data in the right
way.
d. often formulate several hypotheses, which means that they do not adopt one position, but
rather propose several explanations.
2
Faculty of Social Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
COURSE: PM_SRM_2017_1 (PM Social Research Methods)
DATE: Friday 22 December 2017
TIME: 08:45 – 11:30
LOCATION: Emergo 1, 2, 5, 6
1. The exam consists of 34 multiple choice questions.
2. Read the multiple choice questions slowly and carefully, and always choose the BEST
alternative. There is only one correct answer.
3. Please place your student card on the desk in front of you.
4. Asking the invigilators to clarify test questions serves no purpose.
5. You have up to 2 hours and 45 minutes to answer the questions.
6. The use of external resources is PROHIBITED. Mobile telephones must be switched off
(not on silent mode, but off!) and stowed in a bag. Bags must be closed and may not be
opened during the examination. If it is found that you have broken this rule, you will
immediately be disqualified from the examination. The only external material allowed is
an English-Dutch dictionary.
7. When the result of the examination is known, you will have the opportunity to inspect the
graded examination. The date, time and location for this inspection will be announced on
Canvas.
Student number
First name
Between letters
Last name
GOOD LUCK!
1
, Question 1. Which of the following is typically associated with a positivist position?
a. Phenomenalism: only knowledge that comes through the senses is valid.
b. Deductive theorizing to generate hypotheses that can be tested.
c. Scientific knowledge is presumed to be objective and value-free.
d. All of the above.
Question 2. What are the central ontological concerns for social science researchers?
I. Whether social entities should be considered objective and independent entities or whether
they should be considered social constructions.
II. Whether social sciences should be considered pre-paradigmatic or paradigmatic.
a. Statement I is correct, statement II is correct.
b. Statement I is correct, statement II is incorrect.
c. Statements II is correct, statement I is incorrect.
d. Statement I is incorrect, statement II is incorrect.
Question 3. What does the term ‘quasi-quantification’ refer to?
a. The use of words such as ‘much’, ‘a little’, and ‘almost never’ without reference to
exact figures.
b. The use of a semi-structured interviews instead of structured interviews.
c. The use of a measurement instrument that has not (yet) been tested for reliability.
d. The formulation of preliminary conclusions, when data collection has not yet been
completed.
Question 4. Some people have claimed that the distinction between quantitative and qualitative
research is based on emphasizing behaviour versus emphasizing the social meaning of
behaviour.
Which argument could we use to refute this (i.e. to prove this distinction to be false)?
Quantitative researchers also investigate the significance of behaviour, because they ...
a. often take an ontological approach rather than an epistemological approach.
b. often use surveys in order to explore attitudes and opinions.
c. often take a positivistic approach, whereby it is important to interpret the data in the right
way.
d. often formulate several hypotheses, which means that they do not adopt one position, but
rather propose several explanations.
2
