GTP Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sampling method is most appropriate when a travel researcher needs to study rare traveler segments, such as extreme adventure tourists?
- Simple random sampling
- Systematic sampling
- Purposive sampling (Correct answer)
- Cluster sampling
Correct answer: Purposive sampling
Purposive sampling deliberately selects participants with specific characteristics, making it ideal for studying rare or hard-to-reach populations like extreme adventure tourists.
Question 2: In travel industry research, what does a high Cronbach's alpha coefficient (above 0.80) indicate?
- The survey has strong external validity
- The measurement scale has high internal consistency reliability (Correct answer)
- The sample size is sufficient for the study
- The findings can be generalized to all travelers
Correct answer: The measurement scale has high internal consistency reliability
Cronbach's alpha measures internal consistency reliability; values above 0.80 indicate that items in a scale are consistently measuring the same construct.
Question 3: A GTP professional reviewing a study on hotel guest satisfaction notices the researchers only surveyed guests who completed online feedback forms. Which bias does this represent?
- Confirmation bias
- Self-selection bias (Correct answer)
- Interviewer bias
- Recall bias
Correct answer: Self-selection bias
Self-selection bias occurs when study participants choose to participate on their own, causing the sample to differ systematically from the general population.
Question 4: When a travel research study reports a p-value of 0.03, what does this mean?
- There is a 3% probability the null hypothesis is true
- There is a 97% chance the findings are practically significant
- There is only a 3% probability of obtaining these results if the null hypothesis were true (Correct answer)
- The effect size is 0.03, indicating a weak relationship
Correct answer: There is only a 3% probability of obtaining these results if the null hypothesis were true
A p-value represents the probability of observing results as extreme as those found, assuming the null hypothesis is true—not the probability that the null hypothesis is true.
Question 5: Which research design allows a GTP researcher to determine causality between a marketing campaign and increased tour bookings?
- Cross-sectional survey
- Randomized controlled experiment (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic observation
- Secondary data analysis
Correct answer: Randomized controlled experiment
Randomized controlled experiments with random assignment to treatment and control groups are the gold standard for establishing causal relationships.
Question 6: A travel company wants to understand how destination choice decisions unfold over time for repeat travelers. Which longitudinal design is most suitable?
- Panel study (Correct answer)
- Case-control study
- Focus group
- Mystery shopping
Correct answer: Panel study
A panel study follows the same group of participants over multiple time points, allowing researchers to track changes in behavior and decision-making over time.
Question 7: In evidence-based travel practice, what is the primary purpose of a systematic review?
- To collect new primary data on a travel topic
- To synthesize all available research on a specific question using explicit, reproducible methods (Correct answer)
- To poll industry experts about emerging travel trends
- To audit a travel company's operational procedures
Correct answer: To synthesize all available research on a specific question using explicit, reproducible methods
A systematic review uses rigorous, pre-specified methods to identify, appraise, and synthesize all relevant studies on a research question.
GTP Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 2
Which sampling method is most appropriate when a travel researcher needs to study rare traveler segments, such as extreme adventure tourists?