Academic Year 2026–2027 UNISA Assignment: IOP2601 Organisational
Research Methodology Fully Solved Assignment with Verified Answers |
Research Design, Data Collection Methods, Organisational Studies,
Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis and Academic
Research Skills
,Question 1: What is the systematic process that involves collecting, analysing, and
interpreting data to answer questions and solve problems?
A. Data analysis
B. Research
C. Descriptive statistics
D. Experimental design
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Research
Rationale: Research is broadly defined as a systematic process of inquiry that involves
collecting, analysing, and interpreting data to answer questions, solve problems, or gain
new knowledge. While the other options are components or tools within this process,
research is the overarching activity .
Question 2: Within the context of IOP2601, which subfield of Industrial Psychology
is most directly concerned with the relationship between employees and trade
unions, as well as collective bargaining?
A. Personnel psychology
B. Career psychology
C. Labour relations
D. Consumer psychology
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Labour relations
Rationale: Labour relations is the subfield that focuses on the relationship between
management, employees, and their representative unions. It covers topics such as
collective bargaining, conflict resolution, and workplace disputes. The other options
focus on different aspects like recruitment (Personnel), career development (Career),
and consumer behaviour (Consumer) .
Question 3: In the research process, what is the correct sequence of steps from
starting to ending?
A. Collect data, identify a problem, analyse data, draw conclusions
B. Identify a problem, collect data, analyse data, draw conclusions
C. Identify a problem, analyse data, collect data, draw conclusions
D. Draw conclusions, identify a problem, collect data, analyse data
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Identify a problem, collect data, analyse data, draw
conclusions
Rationale: The research process is a logical sequence. It begins with identifying a
research problem, followed by collecting data to address the problem, then analysing
the collected data, and finally drawing conclusions based on the analysis. The other
options present incorrect orders, for instance, collecting data before identifying a
problem is not logically sound .
,Question 4: Which of the following is the primary advantage of using a sample
instead of the entire population in a research study?
A. It provides a more accurate representation of the population.
B. It is often more practical, cost-effective, and time-efficient.
C. It completely eliminates the possibility of sampling errors.
D. It allows for the study of every member of the population.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. It is often more practical, cost-effective, and time-efficient.
Rationale: A sample is a subset of the population selected for study. While it introduces
some margin of error, it is usually far more practical, quicker, and cheaper to study a
sample than the entire population, especially when the population is large. It does not
provide a more accurate representation than a census, nor does it eliminate sampling
errors .
Question 5: A researcher wants to know how IOP2601 students feel about the
ongoing strike at Unisa. This research interest falls within which subfield of
Industrial Psychology?
A. Consumer psychology
B. Personnel psychology
C. Labour relations
D. Career psychology
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Labour relations
Rationale: Investigating the feelings of students about a strike—a key event in the
employer-employee relationship—is a topic relevant to labour relations. This subfield
deals with issues concerning unions, collective bargaining, and conflict management.
This question is a direct example from past course materials .
Question 6: What is the final step in the research process?
A. Collecting data
B. Formulating a hypothesis
C. Drawing conclusions
D. Analysing data
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Drawing conclusions
Rationale: The research process follows a structured sequence. After identifying a
problem, reviewing literature, formulating hypotheses, collecting, and then analysing
data, the final step is to interpret the results and draw conclusions about the research
question and hypotheses. The other options are earlier steps in the process .
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of inferential statistics?
A. To organise and summarise data in a meaningful way.
B. To describe the characteristics of a sample.
, C. To make inferences and draw conclusions about a population based on a sample.
D. To present data visually using graphs and charts.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. To make inferences and draw conclusions about a
population based on a sample.
Rationale: The core purpose of inferential statistics is to use data collected from a
sample to make generalisations, predictions, or inferences about the larger population
from which the sample was drawn. In contrast, the other options describe the functions
of descriptive statistics .
Question 8: Which of the following best describes descriptive statistics?
A. Techniques used to test hypotheses and make predictions.
B. Procedures for organising, summarising, and describing data.
C. Methods for selecting a sample from a population.
D. A process for collecting raw data from participants.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Procedures for organising, summarising, and describing
data.
Rationale: Descriptive statistics are used to summarise and organise data so that it can
be easily understood. This includes measures of central tendency (mean, median,
mode) and measures of variability (range, variance, standard deviation). Inferential
statistics, on the other hand, are used for testing hypotheses and making predictions .
Question 9: If you are calculating the average score of your class on an exam, which
branch of statistics are you primarily using?
A. Inferential statistics
B. Predictive analysis
C. Descriptive statistics
D. Prescriptive analysis
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Descriptive statistics
Rationale: Calculating an average (mean) is a classic example of descriptive statistics.
It is a method used to summarise and describe the main features of a dataset. Unlike
inferential statistics, it does not aim to make predictions or inferences about a larger
population .
Question 10: When a researcher selects 250 postgraduate students from a total of
500 for a study, what is the group of 250 students called?
A. Population
B. Parameter
C. Sample
D. Variable
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Sample
Research Methodology Fully Solved Assignment with Verified Answers |
Research Design, Data Collection Methods, Organisational Studies,
Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis and Academic
Research Skills
,Question 1: What is the systematic process that involves collecting, analysing, and
interpreting data to answer questions and solve problems?
A. Data analysis
B. Research
C. Descriptive statistics
D. Experimental design
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Research
Rationale: Research is broadly defined as a systematic process of inquiry that involves
collecting, analysing, and interpreting data to answer questions, solve problems, or gain
new knowledge. While the other options are components or tools within this process,
research is the overarching activity .
Question 2: Within the context of IOP2601, which subfield of Industrial Psychology
is most directly concerned with the relationship between employees and trade
unions, as well as collective bargaining?
A. Personnel psychology
B. Career psychology
C. Labour relations
D. Consumer psychology
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Labour relations
Rationale: Labour relations is the subfield that focuses on the relationship between
management, employees, and their representative unions. It covers topics such as
collective bargaining, conflict resolution, and workplace disputes. The other options
focus on different aspects like recruitment (Personnel), career development (Career),
and consumer behaviour (Consumer) .
Question 3: In the research process, what is the correct sequence of steps from
starting to ending?
A. Collect data, identify a problem, analyse data, draw conclusions
B. Identify a problem, collect data, analyse data, draw conclusions
C. Identify a problem, analyse data, collect data, draw conclusions
D. Draw conclusions, identify a problem, collect data, analyse data
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Identify a problem, collect data, analyse data, draw
conclusions
Rationale: The research process is a logical sequence. It begins with identifying a
research problem, followed by collecting data to address the problem, then analysing
the collected data, and finally drawing conclusions based on the analysis. The other
options present incorrect orders, for instance, collecting data before identifying a
problem is not logically sound .
,Question 4: Which of the following is the primary advantage of using a sample
instead of the entire population in a research study?
A. It provides a more accurate representation of the population.
B. It is often more practical, cost-effective, and time-efficient.
C. It completely eliminates the possibility of sampling errors.
D. It allows for the study of every member of the population.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. It is often more practical, cost-effective, and time-efficient.
Rationale: A sample is a subset of the population selected for study. While it introduces
some margin of error, it is usually far more practical, quicker, and cheaper to study a
sample than the entire population, especially when the population is large. It does not
provide a more accurate representation than a census, nor does it eliminate sampling
errors .
Question 5: A researcher wants to know how IOP2601 students feel about the
ongoing strike at Unisa. This research interest falls within which subfield of
Industrial Psychology?
A. Consumer psychology
B. Personnel psychology
C. Labour relations
D. Career psychology
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Labour relations
Rationale: Investigating the feelings of students about a strike—a key event in the
employer-employee relationship—is a topic relevant to labour relations. This subfield
deals with issues concerning unions, collective bargaining, and conflict management.
This question is a direct example from past course materials .
Question 6: What is the final step in the research process?
A. Collecting data
B. Formulating a hypothesis
C. Drawing conclusions
D. Analysing data
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Drawing conclusions
Rationale: The research process follows a structured sequence. After identifying a
problem, reviewing literature, formulating hypotheses, collecting, and then analysing
data, the final step is to interpret the results and draw conclusions about the research
question and hypotheses. The other options are earlier steps in the process .
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of inferential statistics?
A. To organise and summarise data in a meaningful way.
B. To describe the characteristics of a sample.
, C. To make inferences and draw conclusions about a population based on a sample.
D. To present data visually using graphs and charts.
CORRECT ANSWER: C. To make inferences and draw conclusions about a
population based on a sample.
Rationale: The core purpose of inferential statistics is to use data collected from a
sample to make generalisations, predictions, or inferences about the larger population
from which the sample was drawn. In contrast, the other options describe the functions
of descriptive statistics .
Question 8: Which of the following best describes descriptive statistics?
A. Techniques used to test hypotheses and make predictions.
B. Procedures for organising, summarising, and describing data.
C. Methods for selecting a sample from a population.
D. A process for collecting raw data from participants.
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Procedures for organising, summarising, and describing
data.
Rationale: Descriptive statistics are used to summarise and organise data so that it can
be easily understood. This includes measures of central tendency (mean, median,
mode) and measures of variability (range, variance, standard deviation). Inferential
statistics, on the other hand, are used for testing hypotheses and making predictions .
Question 9: If you are calculating the average score of your class on an exam, which
branch of statistics are you primarily using?
A. Inferential statistics
B. Predictive analysis
C. Descriptive statistics
D. Prescriptive analysis
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Descriptive statistics
Rationale: Calculating an average (mean) is a classic example of descriptive statistics.
It is a method used to summarise and describe the main features of a dataset. Unlike
inferential statistics, it does not aim to make predictions or inferences about a larger
population .
Question 10: When a researcher selects 250 postgraduate students from a total of
500 for a study, what is the group of 250 students called?
A. Population
B. Parameter
C. Sample
D. Variable
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Sample
