Practice Quizzes

1. Which one of these main forms of data is NOT used by qualitative researchers?

  1. collecting stories
  2. large probability samples and surveys
  3. observing activity or people
  4. conducting interviews

Ans: B

2. Which of the following would not be considered as ‘textual data’?

  1. government reports
  2. interviews conducted by the researcher with managers
  3. reports in newspapers
  4. data from blogs or chatrooms

Ans: B

3. Which of the following is NOT a good reason to use diaries?

  1. to place the responsibility for data collection onto the individual being researched
  2. to release the researcher from day-to-day involvement
  3. to provide a journal or record of events
  4. to have the potential to gain a rich qualitative picture of motives and perspectives

Ans: A

4. Which of the following statements describes snowball sampling?

  1. probabilistic selection of cases or interviews such that the sample is likely to reflect the targeted population
  2. selected participants recruit or recommend other participants from amongst their acquaintances
  3. selection of cases dependent on whether they may contain theoretical characteristics/embody specific rhetorical constructs
  4. selection of aims to include a wide range of incidents of a given phenomenon

Ans: B

5. To avoid bias, interviews often use a number of techniques. Which of the following statements does NOT serve to help prevent bias?

  1. Mirror or reflect in your own words what the interviewee has said.
  2. Agree with the interviewee and give an example of your own of what you think they mean.
  3. Pause when there is a silence and let the interviewee break the silence.
  4. Repeat the last few words the interviewee said.

Ans: A

6. The following are issues which can help the conduct and the accuracy of interviews. Which is the odd one out?

  1. the use of appropriate attitude and language
  2. the location of the interview
  3. the secret recording of the interview to ensure that the interviewee answers all questions in complete honesty
  4. the obtaining of the interviewee’s trust

Ans: C

7. Which statements below is an advantage of using a repertory grid?

  1. They can be conducted with many people all at the same time.
  2. They keep individuals’ verbiage constructs that otherwise would remain hidden.
  3. They incorporate the views of the interview ‘as an expert’.
  4. all of these

Ans: B

8. Which of the following is NOT a type of secondary data?

  1. Christmas cards
  2. cover letters
  3. newspaper articles
  4. research diaries

Ans: D

9. When preparing for a research interview, it is important to ______.

  1. ensure that one does not forget to ask the main research question
  2. present the interviewee with the consent form at the very end of the interview
  3. design questions in a way that they make it easy for the interview to respond
  4. all of these

Ans: C

10. Useful probes in interviews do NOT include ______.

  1. open questions such as ‘What did you mean by that?’
  2. remaining silent
  3. a brief summary of what you think the interviewee may feel/think
  4. repeating the same question

Ans: C