Research Methodology MCQs

Notes that researchers write to themselves

Reminders of what is meant by key terms or phrases

Building blocks for theorizing

All of the above

Memos can be used to assist the process of generating a grounded theory. Researchers write these notes to themselves, to remind themselves of any emerging ideas or concepts that they have observed as they read through the data. This can help the researcher to forge connections between categories of concepts, which in turn are used to formulate a theory. In “Research in focus 24.4” (on page 579), Bryman gives an example of a memo he wrote for a particular research study (Bryman et al. 1996). As can be seen, it is quite detailed, so “memos” should not be confused with “scratch notes”.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 579

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Structured observation

The key advantage of structured observation over survey research is that:

It does not rely on the researcher’s ability to take notes

The researcher is immersed as a participant in the field they are studying

It does not impose any expectations of behaviour on the respondents

It allows you to observe people’s behaviour directly

It has been observed (see the reference to LaPiere, 1934) that what people say they do and what they actually do may differ. Quite why this should be the case is outside the scope of the current question. Accepting the statement as at least having hypothetical value could suggest that surveys will elicit the truth of what people feel they are likely, or prone, to do but direct observation of their behaviour would be required to see how close their survey statements are reflected by actual behaviour. To gather quantitative data, observation needs to be structured into a standardized format in order to have measurement validity.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 268

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Ethnography and participant observation

What is one of the main disadvantages of using the covert role in ethnography?

It can be hard to gain access to the social group

It is difficult to take notes without arousing suspicion

The problem of reactivity: people may change their behaviour if they know they are being observed

It is usually too time consuming and expensive to be a realistic option

Carrying out an ethnographic study under cover creates a number of practical and ethical problems, including the difficulty of recording one’s observations without arousing suspicion. On the other hand, it does mean that the group members are not aware of being studied and so will behave fairly “naturalistically”. Although it is quite difficult, often, to gain access to a particular group, the attempt to do so is overt (open) rather than covert (secret). Many researchers try to avoid the covert role on ethical grounds because it does not provide participants with the opportunity to consent to the research.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 427, Key concept 19.2

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Getting started: reviewing the literature

A systematic literature review is:

One which starts in your own library, then goes to on-line databases and, finally, to the internet

A replicable, scientific and transparent process

One which gives equal attention to the principal contributors to the area

A responsible, professional process of time-management for research

Bryman cites Tranfield et al’s (2003) definition of systematic review as a “replicable, scientific and transparent process”. A systematic review tends to reduce researcher bias, it is argued, and the process obliges the researcher to be more comprehensive and thorough. For dissertation writing, this would mean explaining your reading choices: ‘why those and not others?’, followed by a write-up of the methodology used to access sources. This is a long way away from simply going online and accepting what pops up in a Google search.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 98, 99

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Structured observation

LaPiere conducted a study of the way restaurant owners granted or refused access to a Chinese couple. This is an example of observing behaviour in terms of:

Individuals

Incidents

Short time periods

Long time periods

This is the classical study (LaPiere, 1934, cited on page 273 and discussed in Thinking deeply 12.2 on page 268) of the discrepancy between what we do and what we say we do. In his study, LaPiere concentrated on the “incident” of acceptance by hotels and restaurants of Chinese guests. In other words, he did not attempt to find out why entry might be granted or refused. His work, therefore, is quantitative. It demonstrates a method whereby we can record the way people respond to particular events or incidents in a social setting. This may only refer to one point in time but will still allow for comparisons to be made because of high degrees of reliability. It should be pointed out that LaPiere conducted a survey as the counterpoint for his argument.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 273

Author: rikazzz Comment

Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis: using NVivo

Which file format is best for importing your project documents into NVivo?

Only .nvi

Any format, including .exe

Only .html or .htm

.doc or .docx

The NVivo version currently available is NVivo10 and it is this version which is described in chapter 25. Earlier versions had a problem with importing documents other than text files but NVivo10 can import Microsoft Word documents (.doc and .docx files) directly, as well as .rtf and .pdf files. It is safer to convert other document types to “.doc” or “.docx” formats before importing them into NVivo10, because they are easier to work on later. In addition, many other non-text file formats can be imported and worked on, including a variety of audio and video files. The best advice is to check out which version is available to you and visit the website for further assistance (www.qsrinternational.com).
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 604

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Ethics and politics in social research

Apart from the fact that it is “not a nice thing to do” (p133), what is an important ethical disadvantage of deceiving participants?

It can damage the professional reputation of the researcher and their discipline

It makes it more difficult to gain access to deviant or hidden populations

It means that records of personal data about the participants cannot be made anonymous

None of the above

It is widely regarded as unacceptable to deceive participants about the nature of the research and their involvement in it. This is mainly because it is unfair and unkind to force people to participate in a project without their being aware that they are being studied and giving informed consent. However, it can also be very damaging for the researcher’s professional reputation if they are known to have indulged in such unethical practices, and this in turn can reflect negatively upon their discipline as a whole. It is therefore each researcher’s responsibility to ensure that their research is as ethically sound as possible and to “leave the field clean” for future researchers.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 133

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Computer-assisted qualitative data analysis: using NVivo

Which of the following is not a criticism of the use of CAQDAS in social research?

It reinforces the idea that code-and-retrieve is the only way to conduct qualitative analysis

It results in the fragmentation of data and a loss of narrative flow

It may not be suitable for focus group data

It is not very fast or efficient at retrieving sections of data

Various criticisms have been levelled at CAQDAS, including the idea that it has created a new orthodoxy of “code-and-retrieve” qualitative analysis, that it fragments the data and that it is only useful for certain kinds of qualitative data. However, most researchers would agree that CAQDAS offers a faster and more efficient way of analyzing qualitative data than the alternative, which means doing the work manually. The risk of CAQDAS is that rich data can get lost in the computer and that we might come to see computer-generated output as being more “significant” somehow, than if we had performed all data processing ourselves.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 602,603

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Language in qualitative research

What do discourse analysts study?

Forms of communication other than talk

The way discourses “frame” our understanding of the social world

The rhetorical styles used in written and oral communication

All of the above

Discourse analysis (DA) has a somewhat wider focus than CA, in that it considers all forms of written and oral communication that convey certain sets of ideas or bodies of knowledge. In particular, discourse analysts tend to study the way language is used to present one version of the world as superior to another, which can be seen as an exercise of power. As in CA, the discourse is seen as constituting social reality rather than simply commenting on it. This means that these words you are now reading are creating meaning as much as they are explaining something and that your research report is an integral part of the meaning constituted for the social objects of your research.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 531

Author: rikazzz Comment

Structured interviewing

Which of the following is not a disadvantage of telephone interviewing?

Researchers do not have to spend so much time and money on travelling

Some people in the target population may not own a telephone

It can be difficult to build rapport over the telephone

Interviewers cannot use visual cues such as show cards

Telephone interviewing is recommended as a way of overcoming constraints of time and money, so answer (a) is correct. However, people without phones cannot be reached in this way, which really is a disadvantage. Indeed, even when people are accessible by phone, they may not be inclined to answer as freely as in a face-to-face setting, partly because it is more difficult for the interviewer to establish rapport. Another disadvantage is that interviewers cannot use show cards while conducting a telephone interview, although with the increasing proliferation of web-cams this may be less of a disadvantage as time goes by. It is also worth noting that the use of mobile phones for interview surveys is also becoming more common which bring additional challenges.
Reference: Bryman: Social Research Methods: 5th Edition Page(s) 202

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