BCA Research Methods 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The Hawthorne effect refers to changes in participant behavior that occur because:
- They are randomly assigned to groups
- They know they are being observed (Correct answer)
- The study uses a double-blind design
- The researcher uses deception
Correct answer: They know they are being observed
The Hawthorne effect occurs when participants alter their behavior simply because they are aware of being watched or studied.
Question 2: Which type of research design is best suited for establishing cause-and-effect relationships?
- Case study
- Survey research
- True experiment (Correct answer)
- Ethnography
Correct answer: True experiment
True experiments with random assignment and controlled conditions are the gold standard for establishing causal relationships.
Question 3: In qualitative research, 'saturation' refers to the point at which:
- The sample size reaches 100 participants
- New data no longer yields new themes (Correct answer)
- All quantitative measures have been exhausted
- Statistical significance has been achieved
Correct answer: New data no longer yields new themes
Saturation occurs when additional data collection produces no new information or themes, signaling sufficient depth.
Question 4: A researcher systematically selects every 10th person from a list of 500 names. This is an example of:
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified sampling
- Systematic sampling (Correct answer)
- Purposive sampling
Correct answer: Systematic sampling
Systematic sampling involves selecting every nth element from an ordered list after a random starting point.
Question 5: Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme outliers?
- Mode
- Median
- Mean (Correct answer)
- Range
Correct answer: Mean
The mean is calculated using all values, so a single extreme outlier can substantially shift it in one direction.
Question 6: Informed consent in research primarily protects participants' right to:
- Anonymity in all studies
- Know the purpose and voluntarily agree to participate (Correct answer)
- Receive payment for participation
- Access the researcher's raw data
Correct answer: Know the purpose and voluntarily agree to participate
Informed consent ensures participants understand what the study involves and freely choose to participate without coercion.
Question 7: A variable that is measured or observed as an outcome in an experiment is the:
- Independent variable
- Control variable
- Dependent variable (Correct answer)
- Extraneous variable
Correct answer: Dependent variable
The dependent variable is the outcome that the researcher measures to determine the effect of the independent variable.
BCA Research Methods 3
The Hawthorne effect refers to changes in participant behavior that occur because: