NSGD 2216 Critical Inquiry Week 6-11 Final
Exam 2026 – 300 Questions with Answers &
Rationales
Section 1: Research Paradigms – Positivism vs. Constructivism (Questions 1–
40)
1. Which of the following best describes a "Constructivist paradigm"? (Select
all that apply)
A. Values multiple perspectives and interpretations of reality
B. Explores individual experiences and social interactions
C. Focuses on the subjectivity of human experience
D. Seeks to uncover universal truths that are independent of context
E. Relies on objective measurements and quantifiable data
✅ Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: The constructivist paradigm emphasizes understanding how
individuals construct meaning through their personal experiences and
interactions within their social environments. It values multiple subjective
perspectives and focuses on context-dependent human experience .
2. Which of the following descriptors apply to the positivist paradigm?
(Select all that apply)
A. Realism
B. Emic
C. Quantitative
D. Semi-structured interviews
E. Statistical analysis
F. Finding meaning
,✅ Correct Answer: A, C, E
Rationale: The positivist paradigm embraces realism (objective reality), uses
quantitative methods, and relies on statistical analysis to test hypotheses.
Emic approaches and finding meaning are associated with constructivism .
3. Which of the following best describes a "Positivist paradigm"?
A. Focuses on subjective experiences and multiple realities
B. Assumes reality is objective, measurable, and independent of human
perception
C. Prioritizes the researcher-participant relationship as co-creators of
knowledge
D. Emphasizes context-dependent understanding of phenomena
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Positivism holds that reality exists independently of human
perception and can be objectively measured and quantified. Research
findings are viewed as universal truths rather than context-dependent
interpretations .
4. Which paradigm is most closely associated with quantitative research?
A. Constructivism
B. Positivism
C. Critical theory
D. Postmodernism
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Positivism is most closely associated with quantitative research. It
emphasizes objectivity, measurement, hypothesis testing, and the discovery
of universal laws, all of which align with quantitative methods .
,5. Which paradigm is most closely associated with qualitative research?
A. Positivism
B. Post-positivism
C. Constructivism
D. Behaviorism
✅ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Constructivism is most closely associated with qualitative
research. It emphasizes subjective meaning, context, multiple realities, and
the co-construction of knowledge between researcher and participant .
6. What is the ontological assumption of those espousing a positivist
paradigm?
A. Reality is subjective and multiple
B. Reality is objective and singular
C. Reality cannot be known
D. Reality is irrelevant to research
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ontological assumption of positivism is that reality exists
independently of human perception—it is objective, external to the knower,
and singular. There is one discoverable "truth" .
7. What is the epistemological assumption of those espousing a positivist
paradigm?
A. The researcher is objective and independent of those being studied
B. Knowledge is co-constructed between researcher and participant
C. All knowledge comes from intuition
D. Knowledge is already present and only needs to be discovered
, ✅ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Positivism's epistemological assumption is that the researcher can
and should be objective, detached, and independent from those being
studied. This allows for unbiased observation .
8. What is the ontological assumption of those espousing a constructivist
paradigm?
A. Objective reality exists independently of perception
B. Reality is multiply constructed and multiply interpreted by humans
C. Reality is fixed and unchanging
D. Reality can only be understood through measurement
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The constructivist paradigm holds that reality is subjective,
multiple, and multiply constructed by individuals. There is no single
objective reality .
9. What is the epistemological assumption of the constructivist paradigm?
A. The researcher can be completely objective and independent
B. The researcher interacts with those being researched; findings are co-
created through interaction
C. All knowledge comes from sensory experience alone
D. Knowledge is discovered, not constructed
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Constructivism's epistemological assumption is that the
researcher and participant are inseparable and knowledge is co-constructed
through their interaction. The researcher's values and experiences influence
the research process .
Exam 2026 – 300 Questions with Answers &
Rationales
Section 1: Research Paradigms – Positivism vs. Constructivism (Questions 1–
40)
1. Which of the following best describes a "Constructivist paradigm"? (Select
all that apply)
A. Values multiple perspectives and interpretations of reality
B. Explores individual experiences and social interactions
C. Focuses on the subjectivity of human experience
D. Seeks to uncover universal truths that are independent of context
E. Relies on objective measurements and quantifiable data
✅ Correct Answer: A, B, C
Rationale: The constructivist paradigm emphasizes understanding how
individuals construct meaning through their personal experiences and
interactions within their social environments. It values multiple subjective
perspectives and focuses on context-dependent human experience .
2. Which of the following descriptors apply to the positivist paradigm?
(Select all that apply)
A. Realism
B. Emic
C. Quantitative
D. Semi-structured interviews
E. Statistical analysis
F. Finding meaning
,✅ Correct Answer: A, C, E
Rationale: The positivist paradigm embraces realism (objective reality), uses
quantitative methods, and relies on statistical analysis to test hypotheses.
Emic approaches and finding meaning are associated with constructivism .
3. Which of the following best describes a "Positivist paradigm"?
A. Focuses on subjective experiences and multiple realities
B. Assumes reality is objective, measurable, and independent of human
perception
C. Prioritizes the researcher-participant relationship as co-creators of
knowledge
D. Emphasizes context-dependent understanding of phenomena
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Positivism holds that reality exists independently of human
perception and can be objectively measured and quantified. Research
findings are viewed as universal truths rather than context-dependent
interpretations .
4. Which paradigm is most closely associated with quantitative research?
A. Constructivism
B. Positivism
C. Critical theory
D. Postmodernism
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Positivism is most closely associated with quantitative research. It
emphasizes objectivity, measurement, hypothesis testing, and the discovery
of universal laws, all of which align with quantitative methods .
,5. Which paradigm is most closely associated with qualitative research?
A. Positivism
B. Post-positivism
C. Constructivism
D. Behaviorism
✅ Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Constructivism is most closely associated with qualitative
research. It emphasizes subjective meaning, context, multiple realities, and
the co-construction of knowledge between researcher and participant .
6. What is the ontological assumption of those espousing a positivist
paradigm?
A. Reality is subjective and multiple
B. Reality is objective and singular
C. Reality cannot be known
D. Reality is irrelevant to research
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ontological assumption of positivism is that reality exists
independently of human perception—it is objective, external to the knower,
and singular. There is one discoverable "truth" .
7. What is the epistemological assumption of those espousing a positivist
paradigm?
A. The researcher is objective and independent of those being studied
B. Knowledge is co-constructed between researcher and participant
C. All knowledge comes from intuition
D. Knowledge is already present and only needs to be discovered
, ✅ Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Positivism's epistemological assumption is that the researcher can
and should be objective, detached, and independent from those being
studied. This allows for unbiased observation .
8. What is the ontological assumption of those espousing a constructivist
paradigm?
A. Objective reality exists independently of perception
B. Reality is multiply constructed and multiply interpreted by humans
C. Reality is fixed and unchanging
D. Reality can only be understood through measurement
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The constructivist paradigm holds that reality is subjective,
multiple, and multiply constructed by individuals. There is no single
objective reality .
9. What is the epistemological assumption of the constructivist paradigm?
A. The researcher can be completely objective and independent
B. The researcher interacts with those being researched; findings are co-
created through interaction
C. All knowledge comes from sensory experience alone
D. Knowledge is discovered, not constructed
✅ Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Constructivism's epistemological assumption is that the
researcher and participant are inseparable and knowledge is co-constructed
through their interaction. The researcher's values and experiences influence
the research process .
