WGU Research Foundations (C224) EXAM QUESTIONS AND
(elaborated) WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Non-Experimental Research Methods - correct answer Correlation and Casual Comparative
Correlation research method - correct answer non-experimantal research method. A process to
collect data to determine if a relationship exists between two or more quantitative variables,
and to what degree.
Correlation Coefficient - correct answer Strength and direction of a relationship between two
variables. range of +1 to -1
Positive Correlation - correct answer r=+1 (points follow along a line)
Negative Correlation - correct answer r=-1 (no correlation is a 0 and looks like a gun shot all
over)
Variable - correct answer a condition or characteristic that can take on different values or
categories (such as age, GPA, gender, etc.)
Descriptive Statistics - correct answer Goal is to describe, summarize, or make sense of a
particular set of data.
Inferential Statistics - correct answer where researchers use the laws of probability to make
inferences about populations based on sample data.
Strengths of Quantitative Research - correct answer -Testing and validating already constructed
theories
-Can generalize research findings when based on random samples
-Determining nomothetic consumption (general scientific casual relationships)
-Quick and cheap
Qualitative Research purpose - correct answer Collects text or imagery data to gain a deeper
understanding of existing phenomena, gain insight on insider perspective. Exploration,
discovery, understanding
Quantitative Research Purpose - correct answer Collect numerical data. Purpose is to describe,
predict, control, or explain. Narrow lens approach (top-down)
Linguistic-relativity hypothesis - correct answer (assumptions of qualitative research) Intuits'
local languages might allow them to see distinctions that you do not notice.
Empathetic Understanding - correct answer (assumptions of qualitative research) I can
appreciate where you're coming from. I have an interest in you
,Ontology (Qualitative Assumption) - correct answer (inherit understanding) Take on personal,
mental, subjective, personal, constructed
Epistemology (Qualitative Assumption) - correct answer (theory of knowledge) Everything is
relative, varying standards, individual/group justification, social construction. Overall
understanding of how knowledge is created.
Criterion Based aka Purposive Sampling - correct answer selecting participants because they
meet the criteria or purpose of the study.
Phenomenology - correct answer Rich narrative allowing researcher to vicariously experience
the phenomenon through the eyes of the participant.
Purpose: Describing the individuals experience of the phenomena.
Ethnography - correct answer Extensive physical description of the physical and social settings
aimed at holistic understanding.
Purpose: Describing cultural characteristics of a group of people
Narrative Inquiry - correct answer including patterns, connections, and insights uncovered and
carefully synthesized.
Purpose: Describing people's lives/stories to add to our understanding. Chronological story
Case Study - correct answer Rich, holistic narrative which triangulates data and places the case
into a meaningful context
Purpose: Addressing research questions through in-depth analysis. Environment based on a set
of circumstances.
Grounded Theory - correct answer Contains methodological description, then proposes and
discusses the theory built during the research study.
Purpose: Inductively generating a theory describing a phenomenon. Does this dynamic of
people in this environment hold true to a theory that's related to it? Not manipulating data.
Triangulation - correct answer Observations --> Interviews --> Questionnaires. Is everybody in
sync with one another?
It validates the story
Major characteristics of qualitative research analysis - correct answer Unique Case Orientation,
Inductive Analysis & Creative Synthesis,
Holistic Perspective,
Context Sensitivity,
, Voice Perspective & Reflectivity
Voice, Perspective & Reflectivity - correct answer The qualitative analyst owns and is reflective
about his or her own voice and perspective; a credible voice conveys authenticity and
trustworthiness
Context Sensitivity - correct answer Be sensitive to the environment around you. Research
places findings in a context that is: social, historical, and temporal.
Holistic Perspective - correct answer The whole phenomenon under study is understood as a
complex system that is more than the sum of its parts.
Inductive Analysis & Creative Synthesis - correct answer taking all the specific info and creating
the big story. Looking for patterns, themes, and interrelationships to get the big picture
Unique Case Orientation - correct answer Researcher assumes that each case is special and
unique. The first level of analysis is being true to, respecting, and capturing the details of the
individual cases being studies
Qualitative Research Strengths - correct answer Responsive to local situations, conditions,
stakeholders, needs and changes that occur during conduct study
Is useful for determining idiographic causation
Is useful for studying a limited number of cases in depth and describing complex phenomena
Researcher can inductively generate a tentative but explanatory theory about a phenomenon
Can conduct cross-case comparisons
Mixed Method Research - correct answer Confirmatory and exploratory according to given
situation.
Purpose: combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis elements in a
research study. Description, understanding, explanation, prediction, influence, and integration.
Mixed Method Rationales - correct answer Triangulation, Complementarity, Development,
Initiation, Expansion
Triangulation (Mixed Method Research Rational) - correct answer Seeks convergence,
correspondence, and corroboration of results from different methods
Complementarity (Mixed Method Research Rational) - correct answer Seeks elaboration,
enhancement, illustration, and clarification of the results from one method with the results
from the other method. Enhancement and clarification
(elaborated) WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Non-Experimental Research Methods - correct answer Correlation and Casual Comparative
Correlation research method - correct answer non-experimantal research method. A process to
collect data to determine if a relationship exists between two or more quantitative variables,
and to what degree.
Correlation Coefficient - correct answer Strength and direction of a relationship between two
variables. range of +1 to -1
Positive Correlation - correct answer r=+1 (points follow along a line)
Negative Correlation - correct answer r=-1 (no correlation is a 0 and looks like a gun shot all
over)
Variable - correct answer a condition or characteristic that can take on different values or
categories (such as age, GPA, gender, etc.)
Descriptive Statistics - correct answer Goal is to describe, summarize, or make sense of a
particular set of data.
Inferential Statistics - correct answer where researchers use the laws of probability to make
inferences about populations based on sample data.
Strengths of Quantitative Research - correct answer -Testing and validating already constructed
theories
-Can generalize research findings when based on random samples
-Determining nomothetic consumption (general scientific casual relationships)
-Quick and cheap
Qualitative Research purpose - correct answer Collects text or imagery data to gain a deeper
understanding of existing phenomena, gain insight on insider perspective. Exploration,
discovery, understanding
Quantitative Research Purpose - correct answer Collect numerical data. Purpose is to describe,
predict, control, or explain. Narrow lens approach (top-down)
Linguistic-relativity hypothesis - correct answer (assumptions of qualitative research) Intuits'
local languages might allow them to see distinctions that you do not notice.
Empathetic Understanding - correct answer (assumptions of qualitative research) I can
appreciate where you're coming from. I have an interest in you
,Ontology (Qualitative Assumption) - correct answer (inherit understanding) Take on personal,
mental, subjective, personal, constructed
Epistemology (Qualitative Assumption) - correct answer (theory of knowledge) Everything is
relative, varying standards, individual/group justification, social construction. Overall
understanding of how knowledge is created.
Criterion Based aka Purposive Sampling - correct answer selecting participants because they
meet the criteria or purpose of the study.
Phenomenology - correct answer Rich narrative allowing researcher to vicariously experience
the phenomenon through the eyes of the participant.
Purpose: Describing the individuals experience of the phenomena.
Ethnography - correct answer Extensive physical description of the physical and social settings
aimed at holistic understanding.
Purpose: Describing cultural characteristics of a group of people
Narrative Inquiry - correct answer including patterns, connections, and insights uncovered and
carefully synthesized.
Purpose: Describing people's lives/stories to add to our understanding. Chronological story
Case Study - correct answer Rich, holistic narrative which triangulates data and places the case
into a meaningful context
Purpose: Addressing research questions through in-depth analysis. Environment based on a set
of circumstances.
Grounded Theory - correct answer Contains methodological description, then proposes and
discusses the theory built during the research study.
Purpose: Inductively generating a theory describing a phenomenon. Does this dynamic of
people in this environment hold true to a theory that's related to it? Not manipulating data.
Triangulation - correct answer Observations --> Interviews --> Questionnaires. Is everybody in
sync with one another?
It validates the story
Major characteristics of qualitative research analysis - correct answer Unique Case Orientation,
Inductive Analysis & Creative Synthesis,
Holistic Perspective,
Context Sensitivity,
, Voice Perspective & Reflectivity
Voice, Perspective & Reflectivity - correct answer The qualitative analyst owns and is reflective
about his or her own voice and perspective; a credible voice conveys authenticity and
trustworthiness
Context Sensitivity - correct answer Be sensitive to the environment around you. Research
places findings in a context that is: social, historical, and temporal.
Holistic Perspective - correct answer The whole phenomenon under study is understood as a
complex system that is more than the sum of its parts.
Inductive Analysis & Creative Synthesis - correct answer taking all the specific info and creating
the big story. Looking for patterns, themes, and interrelationships to get the big picture
Unique Case Orientation - correct answer Researcher assumes that each case is special and
unique. The first level of analysis is being true to, respecting, and capturing the details of the
individual cases being studies
Qualitative Research Strengths - correct answer Responsive to local situations, conditions,
stakeholders, needs and changes that occur during conduct study
Is useful for determining idiographic causation
Is useful for studying a limited number of cases in depth and describing complex phenomena
Researcher can inductively generate a tentative but explanatory theory about a phenomenon
Can conduct cross-case comparisons
Mixed Method Research - correct answer Confirmatory and exploratory according to given
situation.
Purpose: combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis elements in a
research study. Description, understanding, explanation, prediction, influence, and integration.
Mixed Method Rationales - correct answer Triangulation, Complementarity, Development,
Initiation, Expansion
Triangulation (Mixed Method Research Rational) - correct answer Seeks convergence,
correspondence, and corroboration of results from different methods
Complementarity (Mixed Method Research Rational) - correct answer Seeks elaboration,
enhancement, illustration, and clarification of the results from one method with the results
from the other method. Enhancement and clarification
