Research Methods - WGU
1. What is the purpose of evidence in research?: Support Theories
2. A team of educational researchers plan to conduct a local study in the community in order to resolve a
critical problem at hand.
What variety of research does this represent?: Action
3. What is the name of the process where one determines the truth of a conclusion by determining the truth of
the underlying premises?: Deductive Reasoning
4. Theories A and B provide explanations for variance in students' academic performance. Both theories
explain performance well; however, Theory A is more concise and succinct.
Which approach for evaluating quality is applied to determine that Theory A is preferred for explaining the
phenomenon?: The rule of parsimony
5. What is the primary objective of education research that studies a phenom- enon about which little is known?:
To Understand
6. What does quantitative research attempt to test through the collection of numerical data?: Hypothesis
7. Which two views are consistent with the assumptions of quantitative re- search?: Human behavior is
regular.
Predictable behavior allows for hypothesis development. Situational variables affect perceptions
and experiences.
8. What type of statistics allows quantitative researchers to draw conclusions about populations?: Inferential
9. What is a variable in educational research?: A measurable Characteristic
10.Assuming the effects of extraneous variables have been accounted for, a cause-and-effect relationship
between variables is present when what oc- curs?: Changes in the independent variable cause changes in the
dependent variable.
11.What is a main strength of quantitative research?: Approximates causal relationships through
experimental research studies
12.A researcher wants to test a specific hypothesis and applies random assignment for the study.
Which quantitative research method should be used for this study?: Experi- mental
13.The results of a study showed that as daily cholesterol consumption increases, life expectancy tends to
decrease.
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, Research Methods - WGU
What type of correlation can be seen in this result?: Negative
14.Which major research approach seeks to understand people's subjective and shared experiences through
systematic observation?: Qualitative
15.Which three views of human thought and behavior are characteristic of qualitative research?
Choose 3 answers: Fluid, Personal, Highly Situational
16.Which two characteristics of data collection and analysis are common to the theoretical frameworks of
qualitative research?
Choose 2 answers: Context Sensitive & Triangulated
17.Which of the following are theoretical frameworks of qualitative research?
Choose 3 answers: Case Study Grounded Theory
Ethnography
18.Which type of qualitative data analysis places a high priority on being true to, respecting, and capturing the
details of individual situations?: Unique Case Orientation
19.What is a main strength of qualitative research?: Leads to a complex under- standing about events or
phenomenon
20.What is purpose of a mixed method study that is conducted to extend the breadth and range of inquiry by
using different methods for different inquiry components?: Expansion
21.On which principle do mixed methods researchers base their design and research?: Pragmatism
22.When designing a mixed methods study, which two factors must a re- searcher consider when combining
qualitative and quantitative approaches?
Choose 2 answers: Sample Relationship & Time Order
23.What must a researcher determine before conducting a mixed analysis?
Choose 2 answers: Type of Analysis & Type of Data
24.What are three strengths of mixed methods research?
Choose 3 answers: It provides stronger evidence for a conclusion through conver- gence.
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6
1. What is the purpose of evidence in research?: Support Theories
2. A team of educational researchers plan to conduct a local study in the community in order to resolve a
critical problem at hand.
What variety of research does this represent?: Action
3. What is the name of the process where one determines the truth of a conclusion by determining the truth of
the underlying premises?: Deductive Reasoning
4. Theories A and B provide explanations for variance in students' academic performance. Both theories
explain performance well; however, Theory A is more concise and succinct.
Which approach for evaluating quality is applied to determine that Theory A is preferred for explaining the
phenomenon?: The rule of parsimony
5. What is the primary objective of education research that studies a phenom- enon about which little is known?:
To Understand
6. What does quantitative research attempt to test through the collection of numerical data?: Hypothesis
7. Which two views are consistent with the assumptions of quantitative re- search?: Human behavior is
regular.
Predictable behavior allows for hypothesis development. Situational variables affect perceptions
and experiences.
8. What type of statistics allows quantitative researchers to draw conclusions about populations?: Inferential
9. What is a variable in educational research?: A measurable Characteristic
10.Assuming the effects of extraneous variables have been accounted for, a cause-and-effect relationship
between variables is present when what oc- curs?: Changes in the independent variable cause changes in the
dependent variable.
11.What is a main strength of quantitative research?: Approximates causal relationships through
experimental research studies
12.A researcher wants to test a specific hypothesis and applies random assignment for the study.
Which quantitative research method should be used for this study?: Experi- mental
13.The results of a study showed that as daily cholesterol consumption increases, life expectancy tends to
decrease.
1/
6
, Research Methods - WGU
What type of correlation can be seen in this result?: Negative
14.Which major research approach seeks to understand people's subjective and shared experiences through
systematic observation?: Qualitative
15.Which three views of human thought and behavior are characteristic of qualitative research?
Choose 3 answers: Fluid, Personal, Highly Situational
16.Which two characteristics of data collection and analysis are common to the theoretical frameworks of
qualitative research?
Choose 2 answers: Context Sensitive & Triangulated
17.Which of the following are theoretical frameworks of qualitative research?
Choose 3 answers: Case Study Grounded Theory
Ethnography
18.Which type of qualitative data analysis places a high priority on being true to, respecting, and capturing the
details of individual situations?: Unique Case Orientation
19.What is a main strength of qualitative research?: Leads to a complex under- standing about events or
phenomenon
20.What is purpose of a mixed method study that is conducted to extend the breadth and range of inquiry by
using different methods for different inquiry components?: Expansion
21.On which principle do mixed methods researchers base their design and research?: Pragmatism
22.When designing a mixed methods study, which two factors must a re- searcher consider when combining
qualitative and quantitative approaches?
Choose 2 answers: Sample Relationship & Time Order
23.What must a researcher determine before conducting a mixed analysis?
Choose 2 answers: Type of Analysis & Type of Data
24.What are three strengths of mixed methods research?
Choose 3 answers: It provides stronger evidence for a conclusion through conver- gence.
2/
6
