MCQs on Educational Research
MCQs on Research: Basic Concepts, Steps & Types
- The development of a solid foundation of reliable knowledge typically is built from which type of research?
a. basic research b. action research
c. evaluation research d. orientational research
2. Which scientific method focuses on testing hypotheses developed from theories?
a. Deductive method b. Inductive method
c. Hypothesis method d. Pattern method
3. Research in which the researcher uses the qualitative paradigm for one phase and the quantitative paradigm for another phase is known as ______.
a. action research b. basic research
c. quantitative research d. mixed method research
4.Action research is a type of _____
a) Applied research b) Quantity research
c) Survey research d) Population research
5. “Theory” helps the researcher in
(a) Understanding the research procedure.
(b) Identifying the facts needed to be considered in the context of the research problem.
(c) Understanding the technical terms used in research.
(d) Determining how to make or record observations.
6. Causal-comparative studies are classified under
(a) Experimental research.
(b) Descriptive research.
(c) Historical research.
(d) Developmental research.
7. The conclusions/findings of which type of research cannot be generalized to other situations?
a. Casual Comparative Research
b. Historical Research
c. Descriptive Research
d. Experimental Research
8. Which of the following is not the method of Research?
a. Survey
b. Historical
c. Observation
d. Philosophical
9. On what basis did Jean Piaget give his theory of cognitive development of humans?
a. Evaluation Research
b. Fundamental Research
c. Applied Research
d. Action Research
10. What does the term ‘longitudinal design’ mean?
a. A study completed far away from where the researcher lives.
b. A study which is very long to read.
c. A study with two contrasting cases.
d. A study completed over a distinct period of time to map changes in social phenomena.
11. The research studies that explore the effect of one thing on another and more specifically, the effect of one variable on another are known as__________
a. Causal research b. Applied research
c. Conclusive research d. Exploratory research
12. Match the two sets and give answer by selecting the appropriate code.
| Set – I (Research types) | Set – II (Characteristics) |
| a) Fundamental research | (i) Finding out the extent of perceived impact of an intervention |
| (b) Applied research | (ii) Developing an effective explanation through theory building |
| (c) Action research | (iii) Improving an existing situation through use of interventions |
| (d) Evaluative research | (iv) Exploring the possibility of a theory for use in various situations |
| (v) Enriching technological resources |
Code :
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(a) (ii) (iv) (iii) (i)
(b) (v) (iv) (iii) (ii)
(c) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
(d) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)
13. Which of the following statements regarding the meaning of research are correct
(a) Research refers to a series of systematic activity or activities undertaken to find out the solution of a problem
(b) It is a systematic, logical and an unbiased process wherein verification of hypothesis data analysis, interpretation and formation of principles can be done
(c) It is an intellectual enquiry or quest towards truth
(d) It leads to enhancement of knowledge
(A) (a), (b) and (c)
(B) (b), (c) and (d)
(C) (a), (c) and (d)
(D) (a), (b), (c) and (d)
1. A 2. A 3. D 4. A 5. D 6. B 7. B 8. C 9.B 10. D 11. A 12. A 13. D
MCQs on Statement, Variables, Objectives, Hypotheses
- To define a problem does not mean.
(a) To give its standard meaning and definition as understood universally.
(b) To put a fence around it.
(c) To specify it in detail and with precision.
(d) To specify and state questions and subordinate questions to be answered.
2. A good qualitative problem statement:
Defines the independent and dependent variables
b. Conveys a sense of emerging design
c. Specifies a research hypothesis to be tested
d. Specifies the relationship between variables that the researcher expects to find
3. Which of the following cannot be considered a quality of good hypothesis?
(a) Clarity (b) Modifiability
(c) Plausibility (d) Verifiability.
4. What is irrelevant in the context of the criteria of acceptable hypothesis?
(a) A hypothesis should be clearly and precisely stated
(b) A hypothesis should state the expected relationship between the variables
(c) A hypothesis should be such that it can be proved
(d) A hypothesis should be testable.
5. In evaluating the significance of the research problem, an important social consideration is
(a) The genuine interest of the researcher in the problem.
(b) Practical value of the findings to educationists, parents and social workers, etc.
(c) Necessary skills, abilities and background of knowledge of the researcher.
(d) Possibility of obtaining reliable and valid data by the researchers.
6. In an experiment, the dependent variable
(a) Provides a standard on which group differences can be measured.
(b) Is the aspect of the experiment that is controlled and manipulated by the experimenter?
(c) Represents the effect and is measured by the experimenter.
(d) Is an extraneous variable.
7. Which of the following can best be described as a categorical variable?
a. age
b. annual income
c. grade point average
d. religion
8. ___________ are used when you want to visually examine the relationship between two quantitative variables.
a. Bar graphs
b. Pie graphs
c. Line graphs
d. Scatterplots
9. In order to pursue the research, which of the following is priory required?
a. Developing a research design
b. Formulating a research question
c. Deciding about the data analysis procedure
d. Formulating a research hypothesis
10. Which one among the following variables cannot be expressed in quantitative terms?
a. Numerical Aptitude
b. Marital Status
c. Socio-economic Status
d. Professional Attitude
11. Which of the following statements is true in the context of the testing of a hypothesis?
(A) It is only the alternative hypothesis, that can be tested.
(B) It is only the null hypothesis, that can be tested.
(C) Both, the alternative and the null hypotheses can be tested.
(D) Both, the alternative and the null hypotheses cannot be tested.
12. The variable which impacts the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable is known as
(A) antecedent variable
(B) precedent variable
(C) predictor variable
(D) control variable
13. Identify the incorrect statement:
(A) A hypothesis is made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigations.
(B) A hypothesis is a basis for reasoning without any assumption of its truth.
(C) Hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon.
(D) Scientific hypothesis is a scientific theory.
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. C 5.B 6. C 7. D 8. D 9. B 10.D 11. B 12. D 13. D
MCQs on Research Designs
- Which is not the effective way of controlling a nuisance variable in an experimental design?
(a) Excluding the variable as one of the factors in the experiment
(b) Exercising statistical control
(c) Random assignment of subjects
(d) Holding the nuisance variable constant for all subjects.
- Who has defined Ex-Post Facto Research by saying that it is a systematic scientific exploration in which the scientist (researcher) does not have direct control on the independent variable?
(a) Fred Karlinger
(b) George J. Mouly
(c) John W. Best
(d) W.S. Monroe.
- What is Survey method?
(a) Laboratory Experiments
(b) Field Experiments
(c) Field Studies
(d) Historical Researches.
- The study in which the investigators attempt to trace an effect is known as
(A) Survey Research
(B) ‘Ex-post Facto’ Research
(C) Historical Research
(D) Summative Research
5. The depth of any research can be judged by
(A) title of the research.
(B) objectives of the research.
(C) total expenditure on the research.
(D) duration of the research
- Which one of the following principles is not applicable to sampling?
(A) Sample units must be clearly defined
(B) Sample units must be dependent on each other
(C) Same units of sample should be used throughout the study
(D) Sample units must be chosen in a systematic and objective manner - Which of the following sampling method is appropriate to study the prevalence of AIDS amongst male and female in India in 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2006?
(A) Cluster sampling
(B) Systematic sampling
(C) Quota sampling
(D) Stratified random sampling - What does the face validity of a questionnaire NOT involve?
(a) Relating each question to the topic under investigation
(b) Checking the responses which the questionnaire elicits against an external criterion.
(c) Seeing that there is an adequate coverage of the overall topic
(d) Seeing that questions are clear and unambiguous.
- Which of the following is not a correct statement?
(a) A test can be reliable without being valid
(b) A test cannot be valid without being reliable
(c) A test can be reliable and valid both
(d) A test can be valid without being reliable.
- Which is the best technique of measuring the internal feelings of a student?
(a) Questionnaire
(b) Interview
(c) Projective technique
(d) Sociometry.
1. A 2. A 3.C 4. B 5.B 6. B 7. B 8. D 9. D 10. B
MCQs on Research Tools
- Identify the correct statement.
(a). Speed of car and sizes of shoes are examples of continuous data
(b). Temperature is continuous data and number of students in a class is discrete data
(c). Non parametric statistics can be applied to ratio and interval data
(d). Parametric statistics can be applied to ordinal data
- Which of the following is undesirable in a questionnaire?
(a) Asking for unnecessary information that lengthens the questionnaire
(b) Avoiding ambiguity in questions
(c) Simplest possible wording and suitable vocabulary
(d) Avoiding questions which the subjects will not answer or will not answer truthfully.
- What is the scale on which the distance between scale positions are equal?
(a) Ordinal scale (b) Nominal scale
(c) Ratio scale (d) Interval scale
- Qualitative analysis is not, at all, used in
(a) Descriptive research.
(b) Ethnographical research.
(c) Experimental research.
(d) Historical research.
- What should we do, if we want to reduce both the type-I and type II errors?
(a) Increase the level of significance
(b) Decrease the level of significance
(c) Increase the size of the sample
(d) Reduce the size of the sample.
- Which of the following is NOT an example of projective tests?
(a) TAT (b) Rorschach Test
(c) Draw-man Test (d) MMPI.
- What is internal validity of experimental research?
(a) The extent to which the results can be generalized to other populations.
(b) The extent to which the results obtained are due to differences in the treatments
(c) The extent to which control of extraneous variables is made rigorous
(d) The extent of which manipulation of independent variable is ensured.
- Below are given two sets – research methods (Set-I) and data collection tools (Set-II). Match the two sets and indicate your answer by selecting the correct code:
Set – I: Research methods | Set – II: Data collection tools |
a. Experimental method | i. Using primary and secondary sources |
b. Ex post-facto method | ii. Questionnaire |
c. Descriptive survey method | iii. Standardized tests |
d. Historical method | iv. Typical characteristic tests |
Codes :
a b c d
(a) ii i iii iv
(b) iii iv ii i
(c) ii iii i iv
(d) ii iv iii i
- A researcher is interested in studying the prospects of a particular political party in an urban area. What tool should he prefer for the study?
(A) Rating scale
(B) Interview
(C) Questionnaire
(D) Schedule - The frequency distribution of a research data which is symmetrical in shape similar to a normal distribution but center peak is much higher, is
(A) Skewed
(B) Mesokurtic
(C) Leptokurtic
(D) Platykurtic
- B 2. A 3.D 4. C 5. C 6. D 7.B 8.B 9. C 10. C
MCQs on Data Analysis
- Which average is affected most by extreme observations?
(a) Median (b) Mode
(c) Arithmetic mean (d) Geometric mean.
2. Which scientific method focuses on testing hypotheses developed from theories?
a. Deductive method b. Inductive method
c. Hypothesis method d. Pattern method
3. _____ results if you fail to reject the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is actually false.
a. Type I error b. Type II error
c. Type III error d. Type IV error
4. Level of significance means the probability of
(a) Rejecting the null hypothesis.
(b) Accepting the null hypothesis.
(c) Accepting the research hypothesis.
(d) Rejecting the research hypothesis.
5. How many dependent variables are used in multiple regression?
a. One b. One or more
c. Two or more d. Two
6. Identify the test of homogeneity for t-test.
(a) Shapiro-Wirk test
(b). Levene’s test
(c). Kolmogov-Simrov test
(d). Post Hoc test
7. One factor ANOVA indicates there is
(a). single independent variable
(b). two independent variable
(c). three independent variable
(d). four independent variable
- Which of the following is not an assumption of t’ test?
(a). Homogeneity (or equality) of pop. Variances
(b). Data should be at Interval or Ratio level of measurement.
(c). Data should be Randomly sampled.
(d). Data should be Normally Distributed
- For the application of t-test data should be
(a). Interval or ratio
(b). Nominal or ordinal
(c). Ordinal or interval
(d). Ratio or nominal
- Which of the following statement is not true in case of correlation?
(a). Its degree of association between two variables.
(b). The purpose is to forecast future performance
(c). Collect data at one point in time
(d). No cause- and –effect relationship
- Shapiro-Wilk test used when
(a). N equals to 50
(b). N less than 50
(c). N greater than 50
(d). N less than equals to 50
- What is true about Secondary data?
(a) Should never be used
(b) Should be used after careful scrutiny
(c) No scrutiny is required while using it
(d) While scrutinising, only thing to see is who collected it.
13. What is the use of Factorial Analysis?
a. For setting the hypotheses
b. To understand the difference between two variables
c. To understand the relationship between two variables
d. To understand the difference between various variables
14. In a research on the effect of child-rearing practices on stress-proneness of children in competing school projects, the hypothesis formulated is that ‘child rearing practices do influence stress-proneness’. At the data-analysis stage a null hypothesis is advanced to find out the tenability of research hypothesis. On the basis of the evidence available, the null hypothesis is rejected at 0.01 level of significance. What decision may be warranted in respect of the research hypothesis?
(A) The research hypothesis will also be rejected.
(B) The research hypothesis will be accepted.
(C) Both the research hypothesis and the null hypothesis will be rejected.
(D) No decision can be taken in respect of the research hypothesis.
1. C 2. A 3.B 4. A 5. A 6. B 7. A 8. A 9. A 10. B 11. B 12.B 13.B 14.B
MCQs on Research Aptitude
- Why is research in education important for teachers?
(a) It adds to their academic qualifications.
(b) It makes them wiser
(c) It makes them better teachers
(d) It enables them to make best possible judgments about what should be taught and how.
- It is undesirable on the part of the researcher
(a) To present a research report based on investigator’s own ideas and written in his own words.
(b) Stringing lots of quotations together.
(c) Getting the full meaning out of the author’s ideas and paraphrasing them in his own language.
(d) Concentrating on written material, eliminating unessential details.
- The problem of ‘research ethics’ is concerned with which aspect of research activities?
(a) Following the prescribed format of a thesis
(b) Data analysis through qualitative or quantitative techniques
(c) Defining the population of research
(d) Evidence based research reporting - From the following list of statements identify the set which has negative implications for ‘research ethics’ :
(i) A researcher critically looks at the findings of another research.
(ii) Related studies are cited without proper references.
(iii) Research findings are made the basis for policy making.
(iv) Conduct of practitioner is screened in terms of reported research evidences.
(v) A research study is replicated with a view to verify the evidences from other researches.
(vi) Both policy making and policy implementing processes are regulated in terms of preliminary studies.
Codes:
(A) (i), (ii) and (iii)
(B) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(C) (ii), (iv) and (vi)
(D) (i), (iii) and (v)
- Which one of the following is an indication of the quality of a research journal?
(A) Impact factor
(B) h-index
(C) g-index
(D) i10-index - Good ‘research ethics’ means
(A) Not disclosing the holdings of shares/stocks in a company that sponsors your research.
(B) Assigning a particular research problem to one Ph.D./research student only.
(C) Discussing with your colleagues confidential data from a research paper that you are reviewing for an academic journal.
(D) Submitting the same research manuscript for publishing in more than one journal - Which one of the following references is written according to American Psychological Association (APA) format?
(A) Sharma, V. (2010). Fundamentals of Computer Science. New Delhi : Tata McGraw Hill
(B) Sharma, V. 2010. Fundamentals of Computer Science. New Delhi : Tata McGraw Hill
(C) Sharma.V. 2010. Fundamentals of Computer Science, New Delhi : Tata McGraw Hill
(D) Sharma, V. (2010), Fundamentals of Computer Science, New Delhi : Tata McGraw Hill - Research is conducted to
I. Generate new knowledge
II. Not to develop a theory
III. Obtain research degree
IV. Reinterpret existing knowledge
Which of the above are correct ?
(A) I, III & II
(B) III, II & IV
(C) II, I & III
(D) I, III & IV
1. D 2.B 3. D 4. C 5. A 6. B 7. A 8. D
