Educational Research and Methods MCQs

Educational Research and Methods MCQs

Our team has conducted extensive research to compile a set of Educational Research and Methods MCQs. We encourage you to test your Educational Research and Methods knowledge by answering these 110 multiple-choice questions provided below.
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1: Which of the three major research paradigms is most concerned about generalizing its research findings?

A.   Quantitative research

B.   Qualitative research

C.   Mixed research

D.   None of these

2: Which of the following best describes quantitative research?

A.   Attempts to test hypotheses about causal relationships between variables.

B.   Based on the collection of narrative data

C.   An attempt to generate useful hypotheses

D.   Research that is exploratory.

3: The type of variable that is “presumed to cause changes in another variable” is known as which of the following?

A.   Outcome variable

B.   Dependent variable

C.   Independent variable

D.   Response variable

4: Which type of research always includes “manipulation” of the independent variable?

A.   Causal-comparative research

B.   Experimental research

C.   Correlational research

D.   Ethnography

5: A negative correlation is present when ______.

A.   The values on two variables move in opposite directions

B.   The values on two variables move in the same direction

C.   As values on one variable go up, values on the other variable also go up

D.   There is no such thing as a negative correlation

6: Research in which the researcher uses both qualitative and quantitative research is known as ______.

A.   Fundamental research

B.   Basic research

C.   Mixed research

D.   Modeling research

7: Which of the following is the type of nonexperimental research in which the primary independent variable of interest is quantitative?

A.   Causal-comparative research

B.   Experimental research

C.   Correlational research

D.   Quasi-experimental research

8: Which of the following is the type of nonexperimental research in which the primary independent variable of interest is quantitative?

A.   Causal-comparative research

B.   Experimental research

C.   Correlational research

D.   Quasi-experimental research

9: Which of the following can best be described as a quantitative variable?

A.   Annual income

B.   Gender

C.   Personality type

D.   Party identification (democrat vs. republican)

10: Which correlation is the strongest?

A.   +.10

B.   –.45

C.   +.90

D.   –.95

A.   True

B.   False

12: Religion is an example of a categorical variable?

A.   True

B.   False

13: A qualitative researcher is most likely to talk about independent variables, dependent variables, and moderator variables.

A.   True

B.   False

14: Causal-comparative research provides the strongest evidence about cause-and-effect relationships.

A.   True

B.   False

A.   True

B.   False

16: One source of ideas for research is past research. Why would someone do a research project based on research someone else has already done?

A.   Typically, the technology has changed so rapidly that older studies are no longer valid.

B.   Too many published articles used quantitative research methods when qualitative research was really required.

C.   Journals like to publish exact replication studies.

D.   Often, the results of a study create more questions than they answer.

17: According to the book, which of the following can be a source of research ideas?

A.   Everyday life

B.   Historical novels

C.   Television shows

D.   Movies

18: Which of the following is the major concern about Internet resources in exploring your research idea?

A.   The accuracy of information at some websites.

B.   The quantity of information posted on Listserv.

C.   The theft of your research idea by hackers.

D.   The quality of information received by e-mail from other researchers in the field.

19: Why is the statement “What are the effects of after school activities on cognitive development of school-age children” not a good statement of a quantitative research question?

A.   Because there is no connection between after school activities and cognitive development.

B.   Because there are not enough school-age children engaged in after school activities to conduct the study.

C.   Because the study would take too long to do given all the different after school activities.

D.   Because the statement is not specific enough to provide an understanding of the variables being investigated.

20: A qualitative research question ______.

A.   Is followed by a research hypothesis

B.   Is generally very specific question

C.   Typically asks a question about some process or phenomenon to be explored

D.   Focuses on which variable is larger

21: A good quantitative research question must meet several criteria. Which of the following is NOT among them?

A.   It should be open to empirical investigation.

B.   It should identify the variables to be examined.

C.   It should suggest some relationship between/among variables.

D.   It should convey a sense of an emerging design.

A.   Research topic, research purpose, research question, hypothesis, and research problem

B.   Research topic, research problem, research purpose, research question, and hypothesis

C.   Research topic, research question, hypothesis, research purpose, and research problem

D.   Research topic, hypothesis, research problem, research question, and research purpose

23: A ______ is a quantitative technique that is used to integrate and describe the results of a large number of studies.

A.   Microanalysis

B.   Macroanalysis

C.   Meta-analysis

D.   Meta-synthesis

24: Which of the following is an important consideration regarding the feasibility of a research study you are considering proposing?

A.   Charges to participants for participation

B.   Qualifications or skills required of the researcher

C.   How many research questions you have.

D.   Previous research questions

25: The purpose statement in a qualitative study should ______.

A.   Describe the research design

B.   Describe the relationship between variables

C.   State the unit of analysis and/or research site

D.   Define the variables in the study

26: Which is more valuable to society: paintings or music is a good potential research idea.

A.   True

B.   False

27: The primary reason for conducting a literature review is to determine the current state of knowledge in the area.

A.   True

B.   False

28: After a researcher has identified a research topic, the next step is to write a research hypothesis.

A.   True

B.   False

29: Prescriptive questions are a common type of quantitative research questions.

A.   True

B.   False

30: If conducting a qualitative study, you can write the literature review before or after collecting your data.

A.   True

B.   False

31: The branch of philosophy dealing with values and ethics is called

A.   Physiology

B.   Axiology

C.   Biology

D.   Idealogy

32: A bounded system is

A.   Closed

B.   Case

C.   Constant

D.   All of these

33: Case study research is form of qualitative research that is focused on providing a detailed account of the characteristics and dynamics present in one or more cases

A.   True

B.   False

34: A variable that varies in type or kind is called

A.   Complementary variable

B.   Constant variable

C.   Confounding variable

D.   Categorical variable

35: Causal-comparative research is form of nonexperimental research in which the primary independent variable of interest is a categorical variable

A.   True

B.   False

36: Relationship in which one variable affects another variable is cause and ______ relationship

A.   Constant

B.   Effect

C.   Change

D.   Category

37: Idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts is known as

A.   Complementary strengths

B.   Categorical strengths

C.   Correlational strengths

D.   Confounding strengths

38: An extraneous variable that systematically varies with the independent variable and also influences the dependent variable is called

A.   Complementary variable

B.   Constant variable

C.   Confounding variable

D.   Categorical variable

39: ______ is single value or category of a variable

A.   Change

B.   Constant

C.   Variable

D.   Case

40: Which indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables?

A.   Category coefficient

B.   Correlation coefficient

C.   Dependent coefficient

D.   All of these

41: Correlational research is a form of nonexperimental research in which the primary independent variable of interest is a quantitative variable

A.   True

B.   False

42: ______ is system of shared beliefs, values, practices, perspectives, folk knowledge, language, norms, rituals of particular people or society

A.   Culture

B.   Acultural

C.   Uncouth

D.   None of these

43: A variable that is presumed to be influenced by one or more independent variables is called

A.   Independent

B.   Dependent

C.   Correlation

D.   Constant

44: Assumption that all events have causes is called

A.   Feminism

B.   Determinism

C.   Indeterminism

D.   Fatalism

45: ______ is the branch of philosophy dealing with knowledge and its justification

A.   Ethnography

B.   Epidemiology

C.   Epistemology

D.   All of these

46: A form of qualitative research focused on discovering and describing the culture of a group of people

A.   Ethnography

B.   Epidemiology

C.   Epistemology

D.   All of these

47: In which research the researcher manipulates the independent variable and is interested in showing cause and effect?

A.   Experimental

B.   Complementary

C.   Independent

D.   Cause and effect

48: A variable that may compete with the independent variable in explaining the outcome; any variable other than the independent variable that might influence the dependent variable is called

A.   Independent

B.   Dependent

C.   Correlation

D.   Extraneous

49: Fundamental principle of mixed research advises researchers to thoughtfully and strategically mix or combine qualitative and quantitative research methods that produces an overall design with multiple and complementary strengths and nonoverlapping weaknesses

A.   True

B.   False

50: A qualitative approach to generating and developing a theory from the data that the researcher collects is ______ theory research

A.   Founded

B.   Grounded

C.   Manipulated

D.   Developed