The five chapter objectives listed in this module are the same as those found on the opening page of Chapter 6 in the textbook. However, several learning objectives have been written and listed below to help you focus on specific material that is critical to your being able to demonstrate proficiency on the broader chapter objectives. In addition, multiple choice and essay/activity self-assessment items have been written for most of the learning objectives to help assess your knowledge of this material. You can access these items through the Multiple Choice and Essay/Activity modules.
- Briefly state the purpose of descriptive research.
| 1.1 | State the purpose of descriptive research. |
| 1.2 | Give an example of how descriptive research can be used to compare subgroups. |
| 1.3 | Identify two (2) reasons why descriptive research is an important quantitative design. |
| 1.4 | Explain how descriptive research differs in terms of perspective when conducting quantitative and qualitative studies. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 1
essay/activity questions for Objective 1
web links for Objective 1
- List the major steps involved in designing and conducting a descriptive research study.
| 2.1 | List the six (6) major steps in conducting descriptive research. |
| 2.2 | Explain why non-response is a major problem for descriptive researchers. |
| 2.3 | Discuss the potential problems created by unclear or ambiguous items. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 2
essay/activity questions for Objective 2
web links for Objective 2
- Briefly describe the main types of self-report research.
| 3.1 | Identify two ways by which descriptive research is classified |
| 3.2 | Describe the meaning of the term self-report measure. |
| 3.3 | Identify five (5) types of surveys and describe the unique characteristics of each one. |
| 3.4 | State the major difference between cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys.
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| 3.5 | Define trend surveys in terms of the groups and samples studied.
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| 3.6 | Define cohort surveys in terms of the groups and samples studied.
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| 3.7 | Define panel surveys in terms of the groups and samples studied.
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| 3.8 | Define follow-up surveys in terms of the groups and samples studied. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 3
web links for Objective 3
- List and briefly describe the steps involved in conducting a questionnaire study.
| 4.1 | Describe three (3) advantages of questionnaires over other forms of data collection. |
| 4.2 | List two (2) characteristics of respondents that are necessary for participation in a questionnaire study. |
| 4.3 | Explain why the specific objectives of a research topic should be detailed before creating the questionnaire. |
| 4.4 | Discuss at least one (1) advantage and one (1) disadvantage of the following approaches to administering a questionnaire: telephone survey, personal administration of the questionnaire, personal interview, and mail out. |
| 4.5 | Describe two (2) general guidelines for constructing a questionnaire. |
| 4.6 | List four (4) specific types of items used in questionnaires. |
| 4.7 | Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of structured and unstructured items. |
| 4.8 | Identify eight (8) characteristics of good questionnaire items. |
| 4.9 | List four (4) characteristics of a good cover letter. |
| 4.10 | Differentiate between anonymity and confidentiality. |
| 4.11 | Explain how pretesting a questionnaire can increase its quality. |
| 4.12 | Identify two (2) problems with non-responses and discuss ways to ascertain the extent to which they are a problem. |
| 4.13 | Describe two follow-up activities for increasing response rate in a mailed questionnaire after the first deadline for return has passed. |
| 4.14 | Describe two (2) methods of summarizing questionnaire results. |
multiple choice questions for Objective 4
essay/activity questions for Objective 4
web links for Objective 4
- Identify and briefly describe four major differences between an interview study and a questionnaire study.
| 5.1 | Define the term interview. |
| 5.2 | Describe three (3) advantages and three (3) disadvantages of interviews over questionnaires. |
| 5.3 | List the skills needed to conduct an effective interview. |
| 5.4 | Define the term protocol in the context of collecting data in an interview. |
| 5.5 | List seven (7) characteristics related to the construction and administration of a good interview guide. |
| 5.6 | Explain how pretesting an interview can help increase its quality. |
| 5.7 | Explain the advantages and disadvantages of recording interview responses manually or electronically.
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multiple choice questions for Objective 5
essay/activity questions for Objective 5
web links for Objective 5
