MArch Master of Architecture Master of Architecture: Research Methods for Architecture 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a mixed-methods architectural study, the QUAL → quan notation indicates:
- Qualitative data is collected after quantitative analysis
- Qualitative work is dominant and precedes a smaller quantitative strand (Correct answer)
- Both methods are weighted equally and run simultaneously
- Quantitative methods are used to verify qualitative coding
Correct answer: Qualitative work is dominant and precedes a smaller quantitative strand
In mixed-methods notation, uppercase letters signal the dominant strand, and the arrow shows sequence — here, qualitative leads and is primary.
Question 2: Which sampling strategy is most appropriate when a researcher wants every member of a population to have an equal chance of selection?
- Purposive sampling
- Snowball sampling
- Simple random sampling (Correct answer)
- Theoretical sampling
Correct answer: Simple random sampling
Simple random sampling gives every population member an equal probability of inclusion, supporting statistical generalizability.
Question 3: The concept of 'thick description,' introduced by Clifford Geertz and applied in architectural ethnography, means:
- Using high-resolution photographs in field documentation
- Providing richly contextualized accounts that explain behaviors within their cultural setting (Correct answer)
- Writing lengthy building specifications
- Measuring wall thickness across historic structures
Correct answer: Providing richly contextualized accounts that explain behaviors within their cultural setting
Thick description goes beyond surface observation to interpret the layers of meaning, context, and significance behind cultural practices and spaces.
Question 4: An architect studying how staircase design affects social interaction in a university building would most likely use which primary research method?
- Finite element analysis
- Behavioral mapping (Correct answer)
- Acoustic modeling
- Cost-benefit analysis
Correct answer: Behavioral mapping
Behavioral mapping records where and how people move and interact in a space, revealing relationships between design features and social activity.
Question 5: Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is required in architectural research primarily when:
- Submitting designs to local planning authorities
- Conducting studies involving human subjects (Correct answer)
- Filing for building permits
- Publishing technical drawings in journals
Correct answer: Conducting studies involving human subjects
IRB oversight protects human research participants by ensuring informed consent, privacy, and minimal risk procedures are followed.
Question 6: Which analytic technique involves breaking qualitative data into segments and assigning descriptive labels to identify patterns?
- Regression analysis
- Coding (Correct answer)
- Factor analysis
- Spectral analysis
Correct answer: Coding
Coding is the foundational qualitative analysis step where data segments are tagged with labels that capture their meaning, enabling pattern identification.
Question 7: A researcher who acknowledges how their personal background and position as an architect shapes their interpretation of data is practicing:
- Plagiarism avoidance
- Reflexivity (Correct answer)
- Peer debriefing
- Member checking
Correct answer: Reflexivity
Reflexivity requires researchers to critically examine how their identity, values, and experiences influence the research process and its findings.
MArch Master of Architecture Master of Architecture: Research Methods for Architecture 3
In a mixed-methods architectural study, the QUAL → quan notation indicates: