Question 1

Which description BEST defines a simple random sample?
A) Selecting random participants from specific groups in the population
B) Picking every tenth employee that arrives in work
C) Random selections from a complete list of employees
D) Asking each participant to nominate another person to take part

Accepted Answer

A simple random sample is defined by selecting participants randomly from a complete list of the population without any specific criteria, ensuring each member has an equal chance of being chosen.

Question 2

Why might a researcher make use of a sample rather than try to collect information about the whole population?
A) To save time and costs
B) To improve the accuracy of her study
C) To eliminate the possibility of bias
D) To protect the anonymity of respondents

Accepted Answer

Sampling allows researchers to gather data more quickly and at a lower cost than studying the entire population.

Question 3

A researcher needs data that reflects what households choose to spend their money on. Which source of data is likely to provide the most suitable information?
A) "UK Balance of Payments"
B) A survey of 500 households (primary data)
C) "Regional Trends"
D) "NatWest Bank Quarterly Review"

Accepted Answer

C

Question 4

A researcher collects data on the length of time callers have to wait to have their phone call to an advice centre answered. He visits every Thursday for 6 weeks. What type of bias is he most likely to encounter?
A) Structural bias
B) Recording bias
C) Selection bias
D) Interviewer bias

Accepted Answer

The researcher is likely to encounter selection bias because he is only collecting data on one day of the week (Thursday), which may not be representative of the entire week. This could lead to skewed results that do not accurately reflect the average wait time for callers on other days.

Question 5

A software company wishes to improve training for its sales staff. It requires all members of the sales team to complete a survey to determine their needs. What term is used to describe this approach?
A) Quasi-random sampling
B) Stratified sampling
C) Non-random sampling
D) Census

Accepted Answer

A census is the term used to describe the approach of collecting data from every member of a population or group, which in this case is the sales team of the software company. By requiring all members of the sales team to complete a survey, the company is conducting a census of its sales staff to determine their training needs.

Question 6

When deciding on the size of a sample, which is NOT an important consideration?
A) How much money and time you have
B) The degree of precision required
C) The method used to run the survey (online or post)
D) The number of sub-samples needed

Accepted Answer

The method used to run the survey (online or post) does not directly impact the decision on the size of a sample. The size is more influenced by factors such as budget, precision needed, and the number of sub-groups to be analyzed.

Question 7

What advantage does the use of a stratified sample have in comparison to a simple random sample?
A) It requires less information about potential participants
B) It is less complicated to put into practice
C) The use of strata eliminates subjectivity from the research process
D) It helps to eliminate an important source of bias

Accepted Answer

Stratified sampling ensures that subgroups (strata) of a population are adequately represented within the sample, which helps to eliminate sampling bias related to those subgroups. This approach can lead to more accurate and generalizable results compared to a simple random sample where these subgroups might be underrepresented or overrepresented by chance.

Question 8

A large supermarket chain in Nigeria is conducting research into consumer purchasing behaviour. It has 12 regions with 30 stores on average in each region. In order to save travel time, they decide to conduct the research in 10 randomly selected stores in each of 4 regions. What type of sampling approach is this an example of?
A) Multi-stage sampling
B) Stratified sampling
C) Cluster sampling
D) Simple random sampling

Accepted Answer

This is an example of multi-stage sampling because the supermarket chain is using multiple stages to select its sample: first selecting regions, then selecting stores within those regions.

Question 9

What term is used to describe data specifically collected to be used in a particular research study?
A) Census data
B) Primary data
C) Sample data
D) Secondary data

Accepted Answer

Primary data refers to data that is collected specifically for the research study at hand, directly from the primary source.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of using secondary data?
A) It can be used when collecting your own data is impractical
B) The quality of the data may sometimes be uncertain
C) Some key terms may have been used in a different way
D) Geographical coverage may not fit your study exactly

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because it describes an advantage of using secondary data, not a disadvantage. Secondary data can be very useful when primary data collection is impractical due to constraints like time, budget, or scope.

Quiz 2: Sampling and Data Collection

Which description BEST defines a simple random sample?

Why might a researcher make use of a sample rather than try to collect information about the whole population?

A researcher needs data that reflects what households choose to spend their money on. Which source of data is likely to provide the most suitable information?

A researcher collects data on the length of time callers have to wait to have their phone call to an advice centre answered. He visits every Thursday for 6 weeks. What type of bias is he most likely to encounter?

A software company wishes to improve training for its sales staff. It requires all members of the sales team to complete a survey to determine their needs. What term is used to describe this approach?

When deciding on the size of a sample, which is NOT an important consideration?

What advantage does the use of a stratified sample have in comparison to a simple random sample?

What term is used to describe data specifically collected to be used in a particular research study?

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of using secondary data?