Practice Quizzes

1. Autoethnography is which of the following?

  1. research in which an author uses self-reflection and writing to explore their personal experience
  2. where the focus of the research relates to an issue connected to cars
  3. where the field notes on data collection happen automatically
  4. where video is used to complement participant observation

Ans: A

2. There are a number of characteristics which define action research methods. Identify the most important.

  1. Action research is all about how the researcher advising the organization what to do.
  2. Action research demands the involvement of the researcher in an organization change.
  3. Action research begins pragmatically with appropriate theory emerging only as the action unfolds.
  4. History and context play no part in the process of analysis.

Ans: B

3. With the advent of new technologies, information collected by the public can now often be used to support research data collected by researchers. Which of the following is NOT one of these?

  1. pictures taken with mobile phone cameras by people taking part in activities or events
  2. reasons for decisions made by managers speaking into recording devices
  3. covert surveillance from cameras in the workplace
  4. electronic devices given to respondents which give information on the frequency of specific activities

Ans: C

4. Below are tips given to students for writing field notes. Which would never be given?

  1. Just write, don’t worry about style or grammar.
  2. Avoid evaluation or judgmental language.
  3. Don’t worry about the detail – focus on the essentials.
  4. Capture direct quotations for use later.

Ans: C

5. Which of the statements best characterizes ethnography rather than participant observation?

  1. where the researcher is in the field and able to observe the phenomena under investigation
  2. where entire social systems or cultures are under investigation
  3. where the researcher observers for relatively short periods of time
  4. where the researcher moves in and out of an organization

Ans: B

6. When researchers co-create data with research participants there are a set of general rules. From the list below identify the statement that appears out of place.

  1. Listen to the views of your collaborator.
  2. Make yourself familiar with the context and background of your research participants.
  3. Ensure that the academic research aims and objectives that are derived from the literature survey have primacy.
  4. Allow your research collaborator to have an equal claim on how problems and issues might be understood..

Ans: C

7. Photo-elicitation involves ______.

  1. the researcher taking pictures of important observations
  2. the researcher retrieving images from specialist databases which are analysed in a certain way
  3. the research participant taking pictures of whatever is important to them
  4. the researcher using visual images (such as photographs, videos or paintings) in an interview to invite comments by research participants

Ans: D

8. Reflexivity is about ______.

  1. acknowledging that in social science it is difficult if not impossible to remain ‘outside’ our subject matter
  2. researchers becoming aware of their effect on the process and outcomes of their research
  3. researchers reflecting on their own identity
  4. all of these

Ans: D

9. How does the position of a participant observer differ from that of a complete observer?

  1. In complete observation, the observer interacts with research participants whereas in participant observation, the observer is only a part of their environment.
  2. In complete observation, participants are aware that they are being observed; in participant observation participants are unaware that they are being observed.
  3. In participant observation researchers do not conceal the intention of observation and participate in a given setting as researcher and participant.
  4. none of these

Ans: C