CRA Research Design & Methodology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher wants to establish causality between a marketing campaign and sales lift. Which design is most appropriate?
- Cross-sectional survey
- Randomized controlled experiment (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic observation
- Secondary data analysis
Correct answer: Randomized controlled experiment
A randomized controlled experiment allows the researcher to isolate the causal effect of the campaign by controlling for confounding variables.
Question 2: In a between-subjects design, each participant is exposed to:
- All experimental conditions
- Only one experimental condition (Correct answer)
- A placebo and a treatment condition
- Repeated measures over time
Correct answer: Only one experimental condition
In a between-subjects design, different groups of participants are assigned to different conditions rather than experiencing all conditions.
Question 3: Which sampling method divides the population into mutually exclusive groups and randomly samples from each?
- Cluster sampling
- Systematic sampling
- Stratified sampling (Correct answer)
- Convenience sampling
Correct answer: Stratified sampling
Stratified sampling segments the population into strata (e.g., age groups) and draws random samples from each to ensure representation.
Question 4: A study collects data from the same respondents at multiple time points to track attitude change. This is a:
- Cross-sectional study
- Panel study (Correct answer)
- Case study
- Trend study
Correct answer: Panel study
A panel study follows the same individuals over time, enabling researchers to measure individual-level change.
Question 5: Which of the following best defines 'internal validity'?
- The extent to which results generalize to other populations
- The degree to which an instrument measures what it claims to measure
- The confidence that observed effects are caused by the independent variable (Correct answer)
- The consistency of results across repeated measurements
Correct answer: The confidence that observed effects are caused by the independent variable
Internal validity refers to the degree to which a study's design rules out alternative explanations for the observed relationship.
Question 6: A researcher uses existing store transaction records to answer a new research question. This is an example of:
- Primary data collection
- Experimental research
- Secondary data analysis (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic research
Correct answer: Secondary data analysis
Secondary data analysis involves using data that were originally collected for a different purpose.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a pilot test in survey research?
- To publish preliminary findings
- To identify ambiguous questions and design flaws before full deployment (Correct answer)
- To train interviewers on sampling procedures
- To determine the theoretical framework of the study
Correct answer: To identify ambiguous questions and design flaws before full deployment
A pilot test is conducted on a small sample to detect problems with question wording, order, or survey length before the main study.
CRA Research Design & Methodology 2
A researcher wants to establish causality between a marketing campaign and sales lift.
Which design is most appropriate?