Quantitative Research Methods in Higher Education: A Comprehensive Guide

Question 1

Quantitative research methods rely heavily on which type of data for analysis?

Accepted Answer

Numerical data

Answer

Textual data

Answer

Observational data

Answer

Qualitative data

Question 2

What is the key difference between parametric and non-parametric statistical tests?

Accepted Answer

Parametric tests assume a normal distribution of data, while non-parametric tests do not.

Answer

Non-parametric tests require a smaller sample size than parametric tests.

Answer

Parametric tests are more powerful than non-parametric tests.

Answer

There is no difference between parametric and non-parametric statistical tests.

Question 3

Which research design is characteristic of quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Experimental design

Answer

Case study

Answer

Grounded Theory

Answer

Narrative inquiry

Question 4

What is the primary purpose of sampling in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

To select a representative subset of the population for data collection

Answer

To reduce the cost of data collection

Answer

To eliminate bias from the research

Answer

To ensure that the results are generalizable to the entire population

Question 5

What is the purpose of a hypothesis test?

Accepted Answer

To determine if there is a statistically significant difference between two groups or variables

Answer

To estimate the mean of a population

Answer

To predict future outcomes

Answer

To generate a regression equation

Question 6

Which sampling technique randomly selects a representative sample from a population?

Accepted Answer

Stratified sampling

Answer

Convenience sampling

Answer

Quota sampling

Answer

Cluster sampling

Question 7

What is the key distinction between a dependent variable and an independent variable?

Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the cause, and the dependent variable is the effect.

Answer

The dependent variable is the cause, and the independent variable is the effect.

Answer

They are both measures of the same concept.

Answer

There is no difference between them.

Question 8

Which of the following is a measure of data dispersion?

Accepted Answer

Standard deviation

Answer

Mean

Answer

Median

Answer

Mode

Question 9

Which research approach involves manipulating an independent variable to observe its effect on a dependent variable and uses random assignment to control for extraneous variables?

Accepted Answer

Experimental research

Answer

Descriptive research

Answer

Correlational research

Answer

Quasi-experimental research

Question 10

What is the primary goal of a literature review in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

To synthesize and critically evaluate relevant published research

Answer

To generate new research ideas

Answer

To evaluate the effectiveness of a specific intervention

Answer

To develop a comprehensive theoretical framework

Question 11

Which ethical principle is of utmost importance in quantitative research and requires researchers to respect the privacy and confidentiality of participants?

Accepted Answer

Protecting the privacy of participants

Answer

Obtaining informed consent

Answer

Maintaining researcher neutrality

Answer

Ensuring the validity of the research

Question 12

Which feature is characteristic of quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Objective and measurable data analysis

Answer

Subjective interpretations and qualitative data

Answer

Emphasis on individual experiences and perspectives

Answer

Limited generalizability of findings

Question 13

What is the main purpose of using descriptive statistics in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Summarize and describe the data

Answer

Test hypotheses and draw inferences

Answer

Predict future outcomes

Answer

Identify relationships between variables

Question 14

Which statistical test is used to determine if there are statistically significant differences between the means of two or more groups?

Accepted Answer

Analysis of variance (ANOVA)

Answer

Correlation analysis

Answer

Regression analysis

Answer

Factor analysis

Question 15

In quantitative research, what is the distinction between a population and a sample?

Accepted Answer

A population represents the entire group under study, while a sample is a subset of that group.

Answer

A sample represents the entire group under study, while a population is a subset of that group.

Answer

A population consists of qualitative data, while a sample consists of quantitative data.

Answer

A sample consists of qualitative data, while a population consists of quantitative data.

Question 16

What is the primary goal of hypothesis testing in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

To determine whether there is sufficient evidence to reject or fail to reject a research hypothesis

Answer

To describe the characteristics of a population

Answer

To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention

Answer

To make inferences about a larger population

Question 17

Which research paradigm forms the theoretical basis for quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Positivism

Answer

Interpretivism

Answer

Pragmatism

Question 18

Compare the strengths and weaknesses of experiments and quasi-experiments as data collection methods in quantitative research.

Accepted Answer

Experiments: High internal validity, low external validity. Quasi-experiments: High external validity, low internal validity.

Answer

Experiments: High external validity, low internal validity. Quasi-experiments: High internal validity, low external validity.

Answer

Both experiments and quasi-experiments have high internal and external validity.

Answer

Both experiments and quasi-experiments have low internal and external validity.

Question 19

Which of the following best characterizes quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Emphasizes the collection and analysis of numerical data to test hypotheses and make generalizations

Answer

Primarily uses experimental designs to establish causality

Answer

Relies solely on qualitative data, such as interviews and observations

Answer

Focuses primarily on understanding individual experiences and perspectives

Question 20

Which of the following is a type of quantitative data that represents values that can take on any numerical value within a specified range?

Accepted Answer

Continuous data

Answer

Ordinal data

Answer

Nominal data

Question 21

What is the fundamental distinction between a population and a sample in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

A population encompasses the entire group of interest, while a sample is a subset of the population selected for study

Answer

Populations are always qualitative, while samples are quantitative

Answer

A sample is always larger than the population it represents

Question 22

Which of the following hypothesis testing approaches is most appropriate when working with small sample sizes?

Accepted Answer

Non-parametric test

Answer

T-test

Answer

Analysis of variance (ANOVA)

Answer

Z-test

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of data cleaning in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

To identify and correct errors, outliers, and missing values to ensure data integrity for analysis

Answer

To perform statistical analyses on the data

Answer

To visualize the data to identify patterns and trends

Answer

To collect new data to supplement the existing dataset

Question 24

Which of the following is a significant advantage of using statistical software like SPSS for quantitative data analysis?

Accepted Answer

Provides a comprehensive suite of statistical procedures and functions

Answer

Cannot handle missing data or outliers

Answer

Limited to analyzing small datasets

Answer

Requires extensive programming knowledge to operate

Question 25

What is a potential limitation of quantitative research methods?

Accepted Answer

May not fully capture the richness and complexity of human experiences and perspectives

Answer

Provides unbiased and objective data

Answer

Allows for generalization of findings to a wider population

Question 26

What is the role of a research hypothesis in quantitative research?

Accepted Answer

Guides the direction of the study and provides a basis for testing

Answer

Summarizes the findings of the study

Answer

Provides a theoretical framework for the study