HMEMS80 (RESEARCH METHODOLOGY)
ASSIGNMENT 1, SEMESTER 2, COMPLETE WITH
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
HMEMS80 Assignment 1: Semester 2
Total Questions: 150
Instructions: Select the best answer for each multiple-choice question. Each question
has one correct answer.
Section A: The Scientific Approach and Theory
1. What is the primary goal of scientific research?
a) To prove a personal opinion
b) To generate new questions without seeking answers
c) To systematically investigate and explain phenomena
d) To rely solely on intuition and common sense
Rationale: Scientific research is a systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical
investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among natural
phenomena. Its goal is to describe, explain, predict, and understand phenomena, not just
to confirm pre-existing beliefs.
2. Which of the following is a key characteristic of the scientific method?
a) Subjectivity
b) Anecdotal evidence
c) Replicability
d) Reliance on authority
Rationale: Replicability means that a study can be repeated by other researchers to verify
the findings. This is a cornerstone of science, ensuring reliability and allowing for
cumulative knowledge. Subjectivity, anecdotal evidence, and reliance on authority are
non-scientific ways of knowing.
3. A researcher who believes that reality is objective and exists independently of
human consciousness is adopting a(n) __________ ontological position.
,a) Relativist
b) Subjectivist
c) Realist
d) Constructivist
Rationale: Ontology concerns the nature of reality. Realism (or objectivism) is the view that
reality exists independently of our perceptions or beliefs about it. Relativism and
constructivism argue that reality is socially constructed or mind-dependent.
4. The epistemological stance that knowledge is best gained through observable,
measurable facts is known as:
a) Interpretivism
b) Positivism
c) Critical theory
d) Constructivism
Rationale: Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. Positivism holds that the only
authentic knowledge is that which is based on actual sense experience, often favouring
quantitative methods to uncover universal laws.
5. A researcher conducting in-depth interviews to understand the lived
experiences of cancer survivors is most likely operating from a(n) __________
paradigm.
a) Positivist
b) Interpretivist/Constructivist
c) Post-positivist
d) Behaviourist
Rationale: Interpretivism/Constructivism focuses on understanding the subjective
meanings and experiences individuals attach to their world. In-depth interviews are a key
method for accessing this subjective reality, contrasting with positivism’s focus on objective
measurement.
6. A hypothesis is best described as:
a) A proven fact
b) A testable statement about the relationship between variables
c) A broad, overarching explanation
d) The final conclusion of a study
Rationale: A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen
in your study. It proposes a tentative relationship between two or more variables that can
be empirically tested.
7. Which of the following is an example of a null hypothesis?
a) Students who study in groups perform better on exams than those who study alone.
,b) There is a positive correlation between exercise and mental well-being.
c) There is no significant difference in exam performance between students who study in
groups and those who study alone.
d) The new teaching method is more effective than the traditional method.
Rationale: The null hypothesis (H0) states that there is no relationship or no difference
between groups. It is the hypothesis that researchers aim to test against the alternative
hypothesis. Option C is a classic statement of no difference.
8. A theory in scientific research serves to:
a) Provide a definitive answer to a research question
b) Organize and explain a set of related phenomena
c) Eliminate the need for empirical testing
d) Confirm the researcher’s personal biases
Rationale: A theory is a systematic set of interrelated constructs and propositions that are
intended to explain a phenomenon. It organizes existing knowledge and provides a
framework for generating new hypotheses and guiding research.
9. The process of moving from a broad theory to specific hypotheses that are then
tested is called:
a) Induction
b) Abduction
c) Deduction
d) Reduction
Rationale: Deduction is a "top-down" approach. It starts with a general theory, derives
specific hypotheses from it, and then collects data to test those hypotheses. Induction is the
opposite, moving from specific observations to broader generalizations.
10. Which reasoning process is most closely associated with qualitative research?
a) Deductive reasoning
b) Inductive reasoning
c) Hypothetico-deductive reasoning
d) Mathematical reasoning
Rationale: Inductive reasoning is a "bottom-up" approach. Qualitative researchers often
start with observations, interviews, or texts and then work to identify patterns, themes, and
build theories from the ground up.
11. A post-positivist researcher acknowledges that:
a) Complete objectivity is impossible, but it should still be strived for.
b) Only subjective experience can provide true knowledge.
c) Research findings are purely a matter of personal opinion.
d) Experiments are the only valid form of research.
, Rationale: Post-positivism is a refinement of positivism. It critiques the idea of absolute
certainty and acknowledges that all observation is theory-laden and fallible. However, it
maintains that objectivity is a crucial goal and that knowledge is built by critically
examining and falsifying theories.
12. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good scientific theory?
a) Falsifiability
b) Parsimony
c) Inability to be tested
d) Explanatory power
Rationale: A good theory must be testable, i.e., falsifiable. It must be possible to conceive of
an observation that could contradict it. Parsimony (simplicity) and explanatory power are
also key characteristics. An untestable theory is not scientific.
13. A critical realist perspective would argue that:
a) There is no real world, only our perceptions of it.
b) There is a real world, but our knowledge of it is always fallible and mediated by our
senses and social context.
c) The only way to gain knowledge is through large-scale statistical surveys.
d) Research must always aim to emancipate oppressed groups.
Rationale: Critical realism, associated with Roy Bhaskar, strikes a middle ground. It asserts
that a real world exists independently of our knowledge (ontological realism) but that our
understanding of it is socially constructed and imperfect (epistemological relativism).
14. The "Hawthorne effect" refers to:
a) The tendency for participants to drop out of a study
b) The bias introduced by the researcher's own expectations
c) A change in behaviour when participants know they are being observed
d) The influence of a third variable on the relationship between two others
Rationale: The Hawthorne effect is a classic example of reactivity, where participants
modify their behaviour simply because they are aware they are part of a study, not
necessarily because of the treatment or intervention itself.
15. Which of the following is a key element of the hypothetico-deductive model?
a) Starting with detailed observations
b) Formulating a hypothesis from a theory and then testing it
c) Using only qualitative data
d) Avoiding any prior theoretical assumptions
Rationale: The hypothetico-deductive method is the classic model of scientific inquiry. It
involves forming a hypothesis derived from a theory, deducing testable consequences
(predictions), and then subjecting those predictions to empirical test.
ASSIGNMENT 1, SEMESTER 2, COMPLETE WITH
ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
HMEMS80 Assignment 1: Semester 2
Total Questions: 150
Instructions: Select the best answer for each multiple-choice question. Each question
has one correct answer.
Section A: The Scientific Approach and Theory
1. What is the primary goal of scientific research?
a) To prove a personal opinion
b) To generate new questions without seeking answers
c) To systematically investigate and explain phenomena
d) To rely solely on intuition and common sense
Rationale: Scientific research is a systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical
investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among natural
phenomena. Its goal is to describe, explain, predict, and understand phenomena, not just
to confirm pre-existing beliefs.
2. Which of the following is a key characteristic of the scientific method?
a) Subjectivity
b) Anecdotal evidence
c) Replicability
d) Reliance on authority
Rationale: Replicability means that a study can be repeated by other researchers to verify
the findings. This is a cornerstone of science, ensuring reliability and allowing for
cumulative knowledge. Subjectivity, anecdotal evidence, and reliance on authority are
non-scientific ways of knowing.
3. A researcher who believes that reality is objective and exists independently of
human consciousness is adopting a(n) __________ ontological position.
,a) Relativist
b) Subjectivist
c) Realist
d) Constructivist
Rationale: Ontology concerns the nature of reality. Realism (or objectivism) is the view that
reality exists independently of our perceptions or beliefs about it. Relativism and
constructivism argue that reality is socially constructed or mind-dependent.
4. The epistemological stance that knowledge is best gained through observable,
measurable facts is known as:
a) Interpretivism
b) Positivism
c) Critical theory
d) Constructivism
Rationale: Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. Positivism holds that the only
authentic knowledge is that which is based on actual sense experience, often favouring
quantitative methods to uncover universal laws.
5. A researcher conducting in-depth interviews to understand the lived
experiences of cancer survivors is most likely operating from a(n) __________
paradigm.
a) Positivist
b) Interpretivist/Constructivist
c) Post-positivist
d) Behaviourist
Rationale: Interpretivism/Constructivism focuses on understanding the subjective
meanings and experiences individuals attach to their world. In-depth interviews are a key
method for accessing this subjective reality, contrasting with positivism’s focus on objective
measurement.
6. A hypothesis is best described as:
a) A proven fact
b) A testable statement about the relationship between variables
c) A broad, overarching explanation
d) The final conclusion of a study
Rationale: A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen
in your study. It proposes a tentative relationship between two or more variables that can
be empirically tested.
7. Which of the following is an example of a null hypothesis?
a) Students who study in groups perform better on exams than those who study alone.
,b) There is a positive correlation between exercise and mental well-being.
c) There is no significant difference in exam performance between students who study in
groups and those who study alone.
d) The new teaching method is more effective than the traditional method.
Rationale: The null hypothesis (H0) states that there is no relationship or no difference
between groups. It is the hypothesis that researchers aim to test against the alternative
hypothesis. Option C is a classic statement of no difference.
8. A theory in scientific research serves to:
a) Provide a definitive answer to a research question
b) Organize and explain a set of related phenomena
c) Eliminate the need for empirical testing
d) Confirm the researcher’s personal biases
Rationale: A theory is a systematic set of interrelated constructs and propositions that are
intended to explain a phenomenon. It organizes existing knowledge and provides a
framework for generating new hypotheses and guiding research.
9. The process of moving from a broad theory to specific hypotheses that are then
tested is called:
a) Induction
b) Abduction
c) Deduction
d) Reduction
Rationale: Deduction is a "top-down" approach. It starts with a general theory, derives
specific hypotheses from it, and then collects data to test those hypotheses. Induction is the
opposite, moving from specific observations to broader generalizations.
10. Which reasoning process is most closely associated with qualitative research?
a) Deductive reasoning
b) Inductive reasoning
c) Hypothetico-deductive reasoning
d) Mathematical reasoning
Rationale: Inductive reasoning is a "bottom-up" approach. Qualitative researchers often
start with observations, interviews, or texts and then work to identify patterns, themes, and
build theories from the ground up.
11. A post-positivist researcher acknowledges that:
a) Complete objectivity is impossible, but it should still be strived for.
b) Only subjective experience can provide true knowledge.
c) Research findings are purely a matter of personal opinion.
d) Experiments are the only valid form of research.
, Rationale: Post-positivism is a refinement of positivism. It critiques the idea of absolute
certainty and acknowledges that all observation is theory-laden and fallible. However, it
maintains that objectivity is a crucial goal and that knowledge is built by critically
examining and falsifying theories.
12. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good scientific theory?
a) Falsifiability
b) Parsimony
c) Inability to be tested
d) Explanatory power
Rationale: A good theory must be testable, i.e., falsifiable. It must be possible to conceive of
an observation that could contradict it. Parsimony (simplicity) and explanatory power are
also key characteristics. An untestable theory is not scientific.
13. A critical realist perspective would argue that:
a) There is no real world, only our perceptions of it.
b) There is a real world, but our knowledge of it is always fallible and mediated by our
senses and social context.
c) The only way to gain knowledge is through large-scale statistical surveys.
d) Research must always aim to emancipate oppressed groups.
Rationale: Critical realism, associated with Roy Bhaskar, strikes a middle ground. It asserts
that a real world exists independently of our knowledge (ontological realism) but that our
understanding of it is socially constructed and imperfect (epistemological relativism).
14. The "Hawthorne effect" refers to:
a) The tendency for participants to drop out of a study
b) The bias introduced by the researcher's own expectations
c) A change in behaviour when participants know they are being observed
d) The influence of a third variable on the relationship between two others
Rationale: The Hawthorne effect is a classic example of reactivity, where participants
modify their behaviour simply because they are aware they are part of a study, not
necessarily because of the treatment or intervention itself.
15. Which of the following is a key element of the hypothetico-deductive model?
a) Starting with detailed observations
b) Formulating a hypothesis from a theory and then testing it
c) Using only qualitative data
d) Avoiding any prior theoretical assumptions
Rationale: The hypothetico-deductive method is the classic model of scientific inquiry. It
involves forming a hypothesis derived from a theory, deducing testable consequences
(predictions), and then subjecting those predictions to empirical test.
