Research method

1. Business research facilitates managerial decision making process for aspects of
A. finance C. human resource
B. marketing D. all of the above


2. A __________ is a representation of the elements of the target population.
A. Sampling design C. Sample fraction
B. Sampling technique D. Sampling frame

3. An understanding of business research methods is important because:
A. business research draws on complex research designs.
B. it helps you to avoid the common pitfalls of research methods.
C. it helps you to avoid the common pitfalls of research methods.
D. it is imperative to understand frontline staff needs.

4. The sample fraction is associated with _________
A. Simple random sampling C. Stratified sampling
B. Systematic sampling D. Quota sampling

5. Which of the following best defines a probing question?
A. One that inquires about a sensitive or deeply personal issue.
B. One that encourages the interviewee to say more about a topic.
C. One that asks indirectly about peoples opinions.
D. One that moves the conversation on to another topic.

6. Which of the following is an example of a sample frame?
A. A telephone directory C. A map
B. A mailing list D. A customer database

7. Which of the following is the first step in starting the research process?
A. Searching sources of information to locate problem.
B. Survey of related literature
C. Identification of problem
D. Searching for solutions to the problem

8. What practical steps can you take before you actually start your research?
A. Find out exactly what your institutions requirements are for a project work.
B. Make sure you are familiar with the software you plan to use.
C. Apply for an introductory letter for your project through your Department
D. All of the above


9. A sampling frame is
A. a summary of the various stages involved in designing a survey.
B. an outline view of all the main clusters of units in a sample.
C. a list of all the units in the population from which a sample will be selected.
D. a wooden frame used to display tables of random numbers.

10. Which of the following is a general rule of thumb for designing questions?
A. Always bear in mind your research questions and objectives.
B. Never ask a closed-ended question.
C. Always use vignettes rather than open-ended questions.
D. Use ambiguous terms to put respondents at ease.

11. Quantitative research is
A. more likely to take a deductive approach.
B. more likely to take objectivist ontological position.
C. more likely to use purely descriptive statistics in its analysis.
D. more likely to take an inductive approach.

12. Which of the following refers to the particular techniques used to collect data and information and analyse data?
A. Research methodology C. Research methods
B. Research design D. Research strategies

13. It is helpful to use a multi-stage cluster sample when
A. you have limited time and money available for travelling.
B. you have to use a probability sample in order to generalize the results.
C. the population is widely dispersed geographically.
D. all of the above.

14. The term "secondary analysis" refers to the technique of
A. conducting a study using observations, interviews, oral investigations, etc.
B. analyzing data collected in two different ways.
C. analyzing existing data that have been collected by another person or organization.
D. analyzing data using descriptive statistics.

15. ______ is a list of all relevant materials consulted for your project including those not referred to directly in the text while ________ is a list of those materials referred to directly in the text.
A. References; bibliography C. Bibliography; references
B. Footnotes; references D. Literature review; references

16. Collecting and analysing data from every possible case or group member is termed as
A. survey C. census
B. counting D. sample

17. Leading questions should always be avoided because
A. they suggest ways of answering and so may bias the results.
B. they create a mismatch between the question and its possible answers.
C. they involve negative terms and unnecessary jargon.
D. they ask about several different things at the same time.

18. Which of the following is not a type of qualitative interview?
A. Unstructured interview C. Structured interview
B. Oral history interview D. Focus group interview

19. Which of the following might you include in an introductory letter to respondents?
A. An explanation of who you are and who is funding your research.
B. An overview of what the research is about and how the data will be collected.
C. A statement of their ethical rights to anonymity, confidentiality, etc.
D. All of the above.

20. What is the difference between a bar chart and a histogram?
A. A histogram does not show the entire range of scores in a distribution.
B. Bar charts are circular whereas histograms are square.
C. There are no gaps between the bars on a histogram.
D. Bar charts represent numbers whereas histograms represent percentages.

21. Which of the following must be avoided in stating research objectives?
A. To research C. To identify .
B. To establish D. To determine .

22. A well-structured literature review is characterised by ______.
A. a logical flow of ideas C. consistent and proper use of terminology
B. current and relevant references D. appropriate reference style

23. Journals, books and newspapers are sources of _____
A. primary literature C. secondary literature
B. search tools D. tertiary literature

24. In a hypothesis testing, the probability of committing a Type I error is commonly represented by
A. µ B. β C. χ D. α

25. Property of data reflecting that how patient particular facts/figures are to situation at hand is called
completeness C. relevance
data quality D. timeliness

26. The criterion that defines the region of rejection from the region of acceptance of the null hypothesis is known as
A. test statistic. C. critical value.
B. statistical significance. D. statistical test.

27. Which of the following is not an advantage of using closed ended questions in a survey?
A. It reduces the risk of variability in the way answers are recorded.
B. It makes answers easier to process and analyse.
C. They prevent respondents from giving spontaneous, unexpected answers
D. Closed ended questions are quicker and easier for respondents to complete.

28. A parameter is a measure of
A. the sample. C. neither the population nor the sample.
B. the population. D. both the sample and the population.

29. You should avoid using double-barrelled questions in a survey because
A. they rely too much on a respondents memory.
B. they make the questions too long, so respondents lose interest.
C. they are too abstract and general in scope
D. they confuse respondents by asking about two different things.

30. Why might secondary analysis be a particularly useful method for students?
A. It is relatively easy to do.
B. It saves time and money.
C. It does not require any knowledge of statistics.
D. It only requires a half-hearted effort.

31. Person responsible for client contact, making of proposals, collection of data and analysis, and reporting is called
research assistant C. forecast analyst
research analyst D. research programmer

32. Subset of information and data that has actually some explanatory power of making effective decisions is known as
business intelligence C. business costing
research D. business decisions

33. Asiedu, M.K. (2013) Trade Liberalisation and Growth: The Ghanaian Experience. Trade Research Society 41 (4), February, pp. 125 135. This is an example of
A. Textbook reference C. Edited book reference
B. Journal reference D. Official report reference

34. Which of the following makes qualitative interviewing distinct from structured interview?
A. The procedure is less standardised.
B. Rambling off the topic is not a problem.
C. The researcher seeks rich, detailed answers.
D. All of the above.

35. The normal distribution curve is
A. bell-shaped. C. convex-shaped.
B. concave-shaped. D. curve-linear.

36. Research that is conducted without having a specific decision in mind is called
basic business research C. evaluation research
applied business research D. performance monitoring research

37. Why are the references included in a research project?
A. To keep a record of everything that you have read in writing the report.
B. To impress lecturers.
C. It is courtesy to the authors of the works that you have read.
D. To fully identify the source of information and ideas discussed in the report so that others may check for themselves.

38. Which of the following is not a source of data which is appropriate for qualitative study?
A. Biographies. C. Historical records.
B. Participant observations. D. Experiments.

39. Response rate refers to
A. how confident you want to be about your results.
B. how big a population is.
C. the proportion of people who take part in a study.
D. how variable participants' responses are.

40. Usually confidence intervals are set at what figure?
A. 10% C. 55%
B. 95% D. 5%

41. The t test is usually used when the sample size is
A. greater than 30 but less than 50. C. less than 30.
B. greater than 30. D. greater than 10 but less than 30.

42. Which of the following are important to consider in contacting those that will participate in your study?
A. Ensure your communication is well written and the purpose of the interview is clear.
B. Interviewers should be prepared to work around the schedule the interview participants.
C. Make it clear that you will be happy to find a time to interview to suit the respondent.
D. All of the above.

43. What is the purpose of the conclusion in a research report?
A. It just summarizes what the article already said.
B. It summarizes the key findings in relation to the research questions.
C. It contains a useful review of the relevant literature.
D. It outlines the methodological procedures that were employed.

44. Which of the following is not a visual form of presenting statistical data?
A. Pie Chart C. Table
B. Bar Chart D. Histogram

45. A filter question is one that
A. ensures that all respondents are asked every question on the schedule and in the same order.
B. leaves a space for respondents to write long and detailed answers.
C. helps the interviewer to avoid asking irrelevant questions by directing them elsewhere on the schedule.
D. the interviewer tries to avoid asking leading questions by directing them elsewhere on the questionnaire.

46. Dissertations, conference proceedings and unpolished government reports are sources of
A. primary literature C. tertiary literature
B. secondary literature D. search tools

47. Simple random sampling is the simplest of the probability sampling techniques, but it is seldom used in practice because
A. it is an efficient method.
B. it requires extensive sampling calculations
C. it requires many questions to be asked.
D. it needs a large geographical density.

48. Some authors do not suggest you use the pilot testing to find out
A. how long the questionnaire took to complete.
B. the clarity of instructions
C. whether questions were unclear or ambiguous
D. whether the research report is suitable.

49. ______ sampling occurs when you allow a case, usually an individual, to identify their desire to take part in the research.
A. Snowball C. Convenience
B. Self-selection D. Cluster

50. _______ provide a wide range of methods that enable you to reduce the amount of data needed.
A. Sampling methods C. Data reducing methods
B. Search tools D. Data analysis techniques

51. Business research is distinctive from research in other areas because
A. it is transdisciplinary C. its findings are based on experiments
B. it is purposeful D. it is based on theories.

52. Why should double-barrelled questions be avoided in a survey?
A. They rely too much on a respondent's memory
B. They make the questions too long, so respondents lose interest
C. They are too abstract and general in scope
D. They confuse respondents by asking about two different things


53. Which of the following is not a data-collection method?
A. Postal survey questionnaires C. Participant observation
B. Unstructured interviewing D. Research questions

54. The core ingredients of a project report are
A. Introduction; Data collection; Data analysis; Conclusions and recommendations.
B. Research plan; Research data; Analysis; References.
C. Executive summary; Literature review; Data gathered; Conclusions; Bibliography.
D. Introduction; Literature review; Research methods; Results; Discussion; Conclusion.

55. Which of the following provides official statistics that could be analysed as secondary data?
A. Institute of Fiscal Studies C. Ghana Statistical Services
B. Ghana Standard Authority D. Association of Ghana Industries

56. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of using secondary analysis?
A. The researcher's lack of familiarity with the data.
B. It is a relatively expensive and time consuming process.
C. Hierarchical datasets can be very confusing
D. The researcher has no control over the quality of the data.

57. Which type of nonprobability sampling technique involves choosing participants who then refer others with similar or different characteristics?
A. Random sampling C. Convenience sampling
B. Purposive sampling D. Snowball sampling

58. Surveys delivered via the Internet reduce costs by eliminating the costs associated with
A. interviewers C. data entry
B. postage D. printing



59. Which of the following requirements for a project work or dissertation may depend on your institution?
A. Whether an abstract should be included.
B. The format for referencing.
C. The word limit
D. All of the above.

60. If a researcher is not able to obtain full cooperation of all participants in a research, it can result in
A. sampling error C. measurement error
B. data entry error D. nonresponse