Chapter 5—Qualitative Research Tools
TRUE/FALSE
1. The focus of qualitative research is on producing “numbers” that can be used in statistical tests.
2. Qualitative research is subjective in the sense that the researcher must extract meaning from open-
ended responses.
3. Quantitative research is especially useful when it is difficult to develop specific and actionable
decision statements or research objectives.
4. Quantitative research uses empirical assessments that involve numerical measurement and analytical
approaches.
5. Qualitative research is objective.
6. Qualitative research is cheaper than quantitative research.
7. Quantitative research is used most often in exploratory research.
8. Concept testing is a type of exploratory research.
9. Anthropology represents a philosophical approach to studying human experiences based on the idea
that human experience itself is inherently subjective.
10. Hermeneutics is an approach to understanding phenomenology that relies on analysis of texts in which
a person tells a story about him- or herself.
11. Studying cultures using methods that involve researchers becoming highly active within that culture is
called ethnography.
12. Observation plays a key role in ethnography.
13. Prospect theory represents an inductive investigation in which the researcher poses questions about
information provided by respondents or taken from historical records.
14. Phenomenology refers to the documented history of a particular person, group, organization, or event.
15. A primary advantage of the case study is that an entire organization or entity can be investigated in
depth.
16. A focus group typically involves a rigid question-and-answer session among participants.
17. Focus groups are relatively fast and easy to execute.
18. Piggybacking is a procedure in which one respondent stimulates thought among the others in a focus
group.
19. The ideal size of a focus group is 20 to 25 people.
20. A focus group moderator needs to be a good listener.
21. Laddering is an approach to probing, asking respondents to compare differences between brands at
different levels that produces distinctions at different levels.
22. Depth interviews are less expensive than focus group interviews, especially if several depth interviews
are conducted.
23. The sentence completion method is based on free-association principles.
24. The grounded theory technique (GTT) presents subjects with an ambiguous picture in which
consumers and products are the center of attention.
25. In online focus group sessions, the moderator’s ability to probe is greater than it is in a face-to-face
focus group session.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Kodetra is interpreting consumers’ blog postings on the Internet. Which term best describes the type of
research that Kodetra is conducting?
a.
independent marketing research
b.
dependent marketing research
c.
quantitative marketing research
d.
qualitative marketing research
2. Which situation is LEAST conducive for qualitative research?
a.
when developing difficult but actionable decision statements
b.
when needing conclusive evidence to be drawn from data
c.
when learning how consumers use a product in natural settings
d.
when needing a fresh approach to studying some problem
3. Research that addresses research objectives through empirical assessments that involve numerical
measurement and analysis approaches is called ____.
a.
quantitative marketing research
b.
qualitative marketing research
c.
extensive marketing research
d.
grounded marketing research
4. When the researcher must extract meaning from open-ended responses, the results are:
a.
subjective
b.
objective
c.
primary
d.
secondary
5. Research that is conducted to clarify the nature of a research problem is called _____ research.
a.
exploratory
b.
judgmental
c.
descriptive
d.
convenience
6. Qualitative research ____.
a.
tests specific research hypotheses
b.
typically has a large number of participants
c.
yields objective data
d.
has an unstructured approach to data collection
7. Consumers in a focus group session are presented with a written description of a possible new product
and are asked what they would be willing to pay for such a product. These consumers are participating
in a(n) ____.
a.
causal research study
b.
descriptive research study
c.
concept test
d.
case study
8. All of the following are qualitative research orientations EXCEPT ____.
a.
phenomenology
b.
grounded theory
c.
case studies
d.
regression analysis
9. Which qualitative research orientation originated in philosophy and psychology?
a.
phenomenology
b.
grounded theory
c.
ethnography
d.
anthropology
10. Ethnography is a qualitative research orientation originating in ____.
a.
marketing
b.
psychology
c.
anthropology
d.
sociology
11. Owen is a researcher who studies human experiences based on the idea that it is inherently subjective
and determined by the context in which people live. He focuses on how a person’s behavior is shaped
by the relationship he or she has with the physical environment, objects, people, and situation. Which
qualitative research orientation is Owen using?
a.
grounded theory
b.
phenomenology
c.
ethnography
d.
case study
12. Which of the following is an approach to understanding phenomenology that relies on analysis of texts
through which a person tells a story about him- or herself?
a.
hermeneutics
b.
ethnography
c.
psychographics
d.
psychodynamics
13. Cindy is an ethnographer who is trying to better understand how mothers take care of toddlers. Being a
mother herself, she was able to join a mother’s group and spent considerable time immersed within
that culture. From this immersion, she is able to draw data from her observations. Cindy is referred to
as a(n) ____.
a.
interloper
b.
participant-observer
c.
moderator
d.
mystery shopper
14. Which qualitative research orientation extracts a theory from whatever emerges from an area of
inquiry?
a.
phenomenology
b.
ethnography
c.
grounded theory
d.
case study
15. Schwinn studies its most successful retailer in depth in order to determine some better ideas for
displaying bicycles in its retail stores. As such, the company is engaging in ____.
a.
an experiment
b.
a test market
c.
a case study
d.
causal research
16. In case studies, _____ are identified by the frequency with which the same term (or a synonym) arises
in the narrative description.
a.
themes
b.
threats
c.
links
d.
ladders
17. Betsy and six other women are participating in a research study that is an unstructured, free-flowing
interview. The researcher asked the group their feelings about hair care products in general and asked
them to discuss these freely. Betsy is participating is ____.
a.
case study
b.
grounded research study
c.
depth interview
d.
focus group interview
18. One advantage of focus group interviews is that they ____.
a.
provide multiple perspectives
b.
have a low degree of scrutiny
c.
are inexpensive and easy to run
d.
encourage discussion of sensitive topics
19. A professional interviewer holds a 90-minute discussion with one member of the target market to find
out why that respondent purchases a particular brand of clothing. This is an example of a ____.
a.
depth interview
b.
concept test
c.
focus interview
d.
hermeneutic analysis
20. Which approach to probing asks respondents to compare differences between brands at different
levels?
a.
interrogating
b.
elaborating
c.
linking
d.
laddering
21. Hank, a researcher, is discussing football fan behavior with a respondent. His approach is almost
completely unstructured, and he enters into a discussion with few expectations. Hank’s primary goal is
for a respondent to tell him about his or her experience as a football fan, after which he will try to
derive meaning from the dialog. Which qualitative research technique is Hank using?
a.
conversation
b.
focus group
c.
depth interview
d.
case study
22. All of the following are advantages of semi-structured interviews EXCEPT for the ____.
a.
ability to address more specific issues
b.
often easier interpretation of responses
c.
ability to administer questions without an interviewer
d.
high degree of scrutiny
23. Respondents are presented with the statement: “People who watch football on television are
__________,” and asked to fill in the blank. This is an example of a ____.
a.
word association test
b.
concept test
c.
case study
d.
sentence completion test
24. Which term refers to the researcher’s descriptions of what he or she actually observes and the text
from which meaning is extracted?
a.
hermeneutics
b.
field notes
c.
discussion guides
d.
expositions
25. Stephanie is asked to look at a picture of a woman sitting on a deserted beach and to describe what was
happening in the picture. She is then asked to tell what might happen next. Stephanie is participating in
a(n) ____.
a.
aptitude test
b.
focus interview
c.
thematic apperception test
d.
focus blog
26. A version of the TAT that uses a cartoon drawing in which the respondent suggests a dialog in which
the characters might engage is called ____.
a.
picture completion
b.
picture frustration
c.
scenario test
d.
projective picture
27. An indirect method of questioning in which a research participant ascribes his or her feelings and
beliefs to a third party is called a(n) ____.
a.
case study
b.
experiential survey
c.
laddering interview
d.
projective technique
28. The written set of guidelines that describes an outline of topics to be covered by a focus group
moderator is called a(n) ____.
a.
discussion guide
b.
survey instrument
c.
thematic guide
d.
ethnographic structure
29. A type of formal “continuous” group established as an online forum for the purpose of collecting
qualitative data from participant comments is called a(n) ____.
a.
thematic exploration
b.
laddering site
c.
focus blog
d.
real-time survey
30. When another researcher would get the same result by conducting the same research procedures, the
research is said to be ____.
a.
valid
b.
replicable
c.
homogeneous
d.
scrutinized
COMPLETION
1. Research that addresses marketing objectives through techniques that allow the researcher to provide
elaborate interpretations of marketing phenomena without depending on numerical measurement is
referred to as ____________________ marketing research.
2. Research that is conducted to clarify the nature of a problem is called ____________________
research.
3. When focus group participants are shown a drawing of a new type of car and are asked for their
reactions, this is called a(n) ____________________.
4. The typical ethnographic approach involves the use of ____________________.
5. An in-depth study of a major competitor in order to determine how to improve your organization’s
product line offerings is an example of a(n) ____________________.
6. An unstructured, free-flowing discussion with a small number of consumers in a session that is
conducted by a moderator is called a(n) ____________________.
7. The procedure in which one focus group participant stimulates thought among the others is called
____________________.
8. The person who leads a focus group discussion is called a(n) ____________________.
9. A 90-minute discussion between an interviewer and a consumer about why the consumer purchases
the brand of toothpaste that the consumer uses is an example of a(n) ____________________.
10. An interviewer who reads a list of words and asks the respondent to “say the first thing that comes to
mind after I say each word” is using a(n) ____________________ technique.
11. A respondent is shown a new television commercial and is asked to write the answer to this stimulus:
“The man in the commercial ____.” This is an example of the ____________________ technique.
12. An indirect method of questioning that allows a respondent to ascribe his feelings to a third-party is
a(n) ____________________ technique.
13. The manual that outlines the topics to be discussed in a focus group session is called a(n)
____________________.
14. A focus group session that is conducted over the Internet is called a(n) ____________________ focus
group session.
15. Research that is intersubjectively certifiable means that it is ____________________.
ESSAY
1. Compare and contrast qualitative research and quantitative research and discuss situations in which
qualitative research is useful.
2. Name and briefly describe the four qualitative research orientations.
3. Describe a focus group interview and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.
4. List the elements of a focus group discussion guide.
5. What role do exploratory research approaches using qualitative research tools have in scientific
inquiry? Explain why a decision may be based solely on these results.