Question 1

Which of the following is an objective of research?

Accepted Answer

All three options, gaining background information and developing hypotheses, measuring the state of a variable of interest, and testing hypotheses that specify the relationships between two or more variables, are objectives of research. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 2

At Momentum Market Intelligence (MMI)a client experiences a 12% decline in market share.Since MMI knows "they don't know what the problem is," the research design they should use is:

Accepted Answer

Since MMI does not know what the problem is, they need to conduct exploratory research to explore potential causes of the decline in market share. Thus, the best choice is E. Causal, explanatory, and experimental research designs are used when the problem is already known and the goal is to determine the cause-effect relationship between variables. Cross-longitudinal research is used to analyze trends over a long period of time, which may not be relevant in this case.

Question 3

The process of searching for and interpreting EXISTING information relevant to the research problem can be described as:

Accepted Answer

The process of searching for and interpreting EXISTING information relevant to the research problem is best described as secondary data analysis. It involves examining published or unpublished sources of data that are already available to gain insights and deeper understanding of the research problem. This is different from experience survey, causal analysis, exploitive research, and exhaustive research, which involve collecting new data through observation, experimentation, or surveys.

Question 4

Which of the following is a type of exploratory research that refers to a review of available information about a former situation that has some similarities to the present research problem?

Accepted Answer

Case analysis involves reviewing past cases or situations that are similar to the current research problem to gain insights and understanding.

Question 5

Which of the following is most true about research designs?

Accepted Answer

None of the statements are completely true. Research designs may not always follow a step-by-step process, exploitive designs may not always be appropriate, they do not always have to follow competitive designs, and exhaustive research may not always be necessary. The appropriateness of a research design depends on the specific research question and context.

Question 6

Which of the following is the best description of research design?

Accepted Answer

Research design refers to the overall plan or strategy used to answer a research question or hypothesis. This includes decisions about the research methods, sample size, data collection, and analysis techniques. It is a master plan that governs the entire research process.

Question 7

Small groups of people brought together and guided by a moderator through an unstructured,spontaneous discussion for the purpose of gaining information relevant to the research problem can be categorized under which type of research design?

Accepted Answer

This type of research is known as exploratory research, which is used when a researcher is unsure about the problem or topic they want to investigate. Focus groups are a common method used in exploratory research to gather information and insights from a small group of people.

Question 8

Experience surveys are used in which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

Experience surveys are used to gather information from people who are thought to be knowledgeable about the research problem. It is a qualitative research technique that involves collecting information about past experiences and knowledge related to the problem at hand. It is not used to search for existing information, review available information, explore hidden consumer motives, or use past surveys conducted by the researchers.

Question 9

Ray Kroc,a milk shake machine salesman,noticed that one restaurant in California burned up many milk shake machines.He inferred that the restaurant was meeting the needs of the market better than other restaurants.His observation illustrates the use of:

Accepted Answer

Ray Kroc's observation of the restaurant's high usage of milkshake machines led him to explore why this was happening, which is characteristic of exploratory research. This type of research is used to investigate a problem or situation when there are few or no earlier studies to refer to.

Question 10

Which of the following best describes the significance of research design?

Accepted Answer

The significance of research design lies in the fact that it can be matched to different types of research problems, which serve as a blueprint for the researcher. It can help structure the research process and ensure that all aspects of the study are well-thought-out and systematic. A well-designed study can also enhance the credibility of the research findings.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a situation in which exploratory research should be used?

Accepted Answer

Exploratory research is meant to help researchers gain a better understanding of a topic or problem, and is not typically used to measure relationships among variables. Option A describes a situation that would be better suited for descriptive or causal research.

Question 12

If the research objective is to gain background information,it is likely that the most appropriate research design would be:

Accepted Answer

Exploratory research design is used to gain background information or to explore a new topic. It helps to formulate research questions and hypotheses for further research.

Question 13

What type of research is unstructured and informal?

Accepted Answer

Unstructured and informal research is typically exploratory in nature, meaning the researcher is trying to gain a deeper understanding of a phenomenon or problem without a preconceived hypothesis or set research design.

Question 14

Which of the following is true about research design?

Accepted Answer

Research design should be selected after thoroughly considering the problem and research objectives. This is because the research design is meant to answer the research questions in the most efficient and effective way. Thus, it requires a clear understanding of the problem being researched, the specific objectives of the research, and the most appropriate methods to use.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT an area of ethical sensitivity in planning research design?

Accepted Answer

All the options listed are areas of ethical sensitivity in planning research design, as they involve ethical considerations related to cost, data collection, and representation.

Question 16

Researchers should inform clients as to how the proposed sample plan will result in a representative sample in order to avoid:

Accepted Answer

By informing clients on how the proposed sample plan will result in a representative sample, researchers can prevent misrepresenting their sampling methods and avoid recommending a more costly design than is actually necessary. This also prevents designing a study in which data is collected for multiple clients, which may not be feasible or ethical. Therefore, options A and C are the best choices. Option E is incorrect as it overgeneralizes the effectiveness of sharing this information with clients.

Question 17

In which of the following situations should exploratory research be used?

Accepted Answer

Exploratory research should be used to define terms and understand the basic nature of a problem or phenomenon. It is not intended to measure relationships among variables or determine causality, as those are the objectives of descriptive and causal research, respectively. Experimentation is not a factor in exploratory research.

Question 18

The various types of research design include:

Accepted Answer

The best choice is E because it correctly identifies the three main types of research design: exploratory, descriptive, and causal. Exploratory research is conducted when the researcher is unsure about the problem or phenomenon being studied and needs to gather more information to formulate hypotheses. Descriptive research is conducted when the researcher wants to describe a phenomenon or population (e.g., demographics, behaviors, attitudes). Causal research is conducted when the researcher wants to determine causality between variables (e.g., does X cause Y?). While other types of research design may exist, they can often be classified under one of these three categories.

Question 19

A researcher presenting secondary data as if it were primary data collected by the researcher is an egregious example of an ethical lapse in what area of sensitivity in planning research design?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A researcher presenting secondary data as if...

Question 20

Appropriate methods for conducting exploratory research would include:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Appropriate methods for conducting exploratory research would...

Quiz 4: Research Design