Exam Prep Qualitative Research McDaniel Ch.7

Chapter 7: Qualitative Research

Multiple Choice

1. If the goal of the research was to discover the attitudes, feelings, and motivations of a heavy user of a product, then the preferred type of research would be _______.

a. quantitative research

b. qualitative research

c. process analysis

d. formal analysis

e. none of these

1. If the goal of the research was to provide a demographic and lifestyle profile of a heavy user of a product, then the preferred type of research would be _______.

a. quantitative research

b. qualitative research

c. process analysis

d. formal analysis

e. none of these

1. Which of the following is not an advantage of qualitative research over quantitative research?

a. greater ability to probe

b. easier to provide visual and audio aids

c. results are projectable to the population under study

d. research design provides more flexibility

e. All are advantages of qualitative research over quantitative research.

1. Which of the following academic backgrounds would a qualitative researcher most likely have?

a. Math

b. Natural sciences

c. Psychology

d. Computer sciences

e. None of these backgrounds are qualified for qualitative research.

1. Compared to quantitative research, qualitative studies tend to have _______ samples.

a. larger

b. more representative

c. smaller

d. more statistically valid

e. none of these

1. Which of the following is not a limitation of qualitative research?

a. greater opportunity for interviewer bias

b. limited probing of respondents

c. results not representative beyond those persons interviewed

d. problems securing highly skilled researchers for qualitative research

e. None of these are limitations of qualitative research.

1. The most common type of qualitative marketing research is _______.

a. projective techniques

b. cartoon test

c. sentence completion

d. focus groups

e. none of these

1. Which of the following is the primary reason or underlying rationale for conducting focus groups?

a. allow for individualized analysis

b. able to provide more precision than quantitative studies

c. interaction among group members

d. ambiance of the focus group promotes direct questioning

e. none of these

1. How do researchers prevent “professional” respondents from participating in focus groups?

a. selecting a good moderator

b. combining qualitative with quantitative research

c. creating a discussion guide

d. pre-screening respondents

e. none of these

1. What is the top motivation for respondents to participate in focus groups?

a. financial incentives

b. interest in the topic

c. opportunity for expression

d. convenient time

e. none of these

1. A limitation of focus groups is:

a. the need for multivariate statistical expertise.

b. the length of time they take to implement.

c. the lack of representation of the population of interest.

d. none of these

1. How long should an ideal focus group be?

a. 30 minutes

b. one hour

c. 90 minutes

d. two hours

1. A written outline that describes the topics to be covered in a focus group is called a(n) _______.

a. discussion guide

b. moderator’s note

c. survey

d. debriefing

1. Focus group facilities probably have which of the following?

a. video and audio taping equipment

b. one-way mirror

c. view room for clients

d. informal living room ambiance

e. all of these

1. If a researcher wants to make a multi-million dollar decision as to whether to launch a new product s/he would be well advised to use:

a. qualitative research only.

b. quantitative research only.

c. a combination of qualitative and quantitative research.

d. none of these

1. When a focus group moderator debriefs the client after the final focus group, this is known as _______.

a. third person technique

b. brainstorming

c. instant analysis

d. groupthink

e. none of these

1. During the focus group interview, it is imperative that the focus group moderator:

a. remain completely objective.

b. have good quantitative skills.

c. have a wide range of capability regarding focus group equipment.

d. be able to screen for appropriate focus group participants.

e. all of these

1. Which of the following is not a client-focused skill needed by a focus group moderator?

a. Understand the client’s business.

b. Be responsive and reliable.

c. Provide effective feedback to the client.

d. Have an appreciation for differences in people.

e. All of these are necessary client-focused skills.

1. When the focus group moderator lets his/her own ideas influence the group, this illustrates a lack of _________.

a. empathy

b. flexibility

c. observation skills

d. objectivity

e. subjectivity

1. A final report of a set of focus groups typically consists of what?

a. a PowerPoint presentation

b. data tables

c. lengthy written report

d. discussion guide

e. none of these

1. Of the following, which is not an advantage of focus group research?

a. group dynamics stimulate responses that otherwise would not have occurred

b. results can often be a substitute for a quantitative study

c. being able to observe respondents behind a one-way mirror

d. quick execution relative to other types of research

1. Focus groups are often followed up with ___________.

a. quantitative research

b. qualitative research

c. mall intercepts

d. in-depth interviews

1. Which of the following are not disadvantages of online focus groups?

a. lessened group dynamics

b. lack of nonverbal inputs

c. exposure to external stimuli is less efficient

d. All are disadvantages of online focus groups.

1. Which of the following is not an advantage of depth interviews over focus groups?

a. heightened group-dynamics effect

b. group pressure is eliminated

c. heightened attention of respondent

d. no need for expensive focus group facility

e. All of these are advantages of depth interviews over focus groups.

1. Disadvantages of depth interviews relative to focus groups would not include which of the following?

a. depth interviews cost more

b. time devoted to an individual respondent is less in-depth interviews

c. no group dynamics effect

d. depth interviews are more physically exhausting to interviewer, who doesn’t cover as much topical ground

e. All are disadvantages of depth interviews relative to focus groups.

1. Focus groups are most likely to be used by ______________ companies.

a. industrial

b. service-oriented

c. business to business

d. consumer goods

e. none of these

1. Which of the following types of research facilitates question probing?

a. qualitative

b. quantitative

c. secondary

d. none of these

1. A qualitative researcher is investigating a very sensitive subject, downloading music illegally. Which technique would be best for getting the subject to answer honestly?

a. online focus groups

b. traditional focus groups

c. third-person technique

d. in depth interview

1. Which of the following is not an example of a projective test?

a. word association

b. sentence completion

c. cartoon test

d. All of these are examples of projective tests.

1. Research that focuses on interpretation through conversations is_________.

a. Hermeneutic Research

b. Delphi Method

c. Hypothesis Method

d. Specific Research

1. A word association test is______________.

a. Drawing a comparison between two items in terms of their similarities.

b. Drawing a comparison between a product and a person.

c. A test in which respondents complete sentences or stories in their own words.

d. A test in which the interviewer says a word and the respondent must mention the first thing that comes to mind.

1. The moderator of a focus group should not do which of the following?

a. Show respect for respondents.

b. Have a clear demonstration of invisible leadership.

c. Speak softly.

d. Set expectations and gives all the industry disclosures.

e. Ask short questions and actively listen.

1. Researchers posing the question in terms of “your neighbor” would be an example of:

a. third-person technique

b. word association

c. grouping

d. storytelling

e. none of these

1. Collecting rounds of individual data from knowledgeable people is most closely related to which of the following?

a. Hermeneutic research

b. Delphi method

c. Individual depth interviews

d. Focus groups

e. None of these

True/False

1. Qualitative research is easier to replicate than quantitative research.
2. Quantitative studies allow for more probing than qualitative studies.
3. It is becoming common for market researchers to combine qualitative and quantitative studies into a single project or series of projects.
4. Statistical skills are important for qualitative researchers.
5. Training in psychology is useful for qualitative researchers.
6. Quantitative research typically uses larger sample sizes than qualitative research.
7. In-depth interviews typically are less expensive than focus groups.
8. Focus groups are often used in the process of defining and/or refining concepts.
9. Generally, interaction with respondents is more personalized in descriptive studies than in focus groups.
10. An important goal of focus groups is that they should lead to immediately actionable results.
11. Generally, focus groups overshadow the use of other qualitative research tools.
12. Most focus group participants are recruited via door-to-door interviews.
13. Professional respondents are actively recruited as focus group participants.
14. Focus groups are usually no longer than 45 minutes.
15. A focus group moderator’s debriefing is referred to as instant analysis.
16. An advantage of depth interviews is that group pressure is eliminated.
17. A quantitative study often leads to more actionable results than a qualitative one.
18. Giambattista Vico, one whose work spawned the idea/creation of the qualitative approach, wrote that only people can understand people and that they do so through a faculty called intuitive understanding.
19. Qualitative research blends with quantitative measures to provide a less thorough understanding of consumer demand.
20. Getting the right respondents is critical to having a good focus group.
21. During an individual depth interview, the respondent attains a heightened state of awareness.
22. Qualitative research is most closely related to causal research.
23. A very unpopular trend in focus group research is conducting focus groups online and over mobile devices.
24. Global yearly expenditures on marketing research are close to $500 billion.
25. Approximately 35 percent of the global yearly expenditures on marketing research are spent on qualitative research.
26. A focus group normally consists of a group of complete strangers.

Essay Questions

1. As the first stage of a comprehensive physician-satisfaction study, a hospital wants a market researcher to interview about 20% of its 100 physicians. There is known to be quite a bit of animosity between primary care physicians and specialty physicians, as well as between physicians with less than five years of tenure with the hospital and those with five or more years of tenure. Recommend a qualitative analysis technique and give reasons for your selection.
2. A group of citizens thinks Drysville, Arkansas, is achieving its potential as a city, because it is “dry.” Drysville is a very religious and conservative community that has experienced some growth as a “bedroom” community to Sin City. Hence, the population has grown to the extent that the group favoring a “wet” city thinks it may now have the votes. However, before embarking on an expensive petition-signing campaign, the group favoring “wet” wants a market researcher to give them more insights via a qualitative research effort. The issue is very sensitive, and the “wet” group thinks that many of its supporters may not come forward due to possible peer pressure. What method or methods of qualitative research would you recommend?
3. You have just conducted a set of focus groups for a client, and the results are positive about launching a new product. What words of caution would you give the client before they make this multi-million dollar decision?
4. Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative research, especially with respect to the appropriateness of each.
5. Why is it so important that there be a good rapport among focus group participants?
6. What is the purpose of a projective test? What major factors should be considered in using a projective technique?
7. Describe the steps in conducting a focus group.
8. Prepare for the group: Select a focus group facility and recruit the participants.
9. Select a moderator and create a discussion guide
10. Conduct the group
11. Prepare the focus group report

The student may go into specific details on the participants and the moderator.