02A.3.7 Mixed methods: triangulation and methodological pluralism Quiz: OCR Sociology, Unit 5

The 20 questions

1. What term describes combining quantitative and qualitative methods in a single research study?

   • Methodological monism
   • Methodological pluralism
   • Triangulation
   • Positivism

2. What is the primary aim of using triangulation in sociological research?

   • Validity check
   • Generalisability
   • Cost reduction
   • Faster sampling

3. Who famously advocated for methodological pluralism to overcome the limitations of single approaches?

   • Emile Durkheim
   • Max Weber
   • Alan Bryman
   • Karl Marx

4. Which type of triangulation involves using multiple different researchers to check findings?

   • Theoretical triangulation
   • Data triangulation
   • Methodological triangulation
   • Investigator triangulation

5. Using multiple different data sources collected at different times is known as what type of triangulation?

   • Observer triangulation
   • Data triangulation
   • Methodological triangulation
   • Spatial triangulation

6. Applying both a structured survey and unstructured interviews on the same topic is an example of what?

   • Theoretical triangulation
   • Pilot study
   • Data triangulation
   • Methodological pluralism

7. Which paradigm is most naturally associated with combining quantitative and qualitative methods?

   • Realism
   • Postmodernism
   • Positivism
   • Interpretivism

8. What is a major practical disadvantage of using mixed methods in sociological research?

   • Low validity
   • Zero flexibility
   • No quantitative data
   • High cost

9. Using multiple competing sociological perspectives to interpret the same set of data is called what?

   • Methodological pluralism
   • Data triangulation
   • Theoretical triangulation
   • Hypothesis testing

10. A researcher uses participant observation and then tests those insights via a national survey. What is this?

    • Secondary analysis
    • Sampling frame
    • Triangulation
    • Pilot study

11. What is the main epistemological critique of mixing positivist and interpretivist methods?

    • Always illegal
    • Lacks sample size
    • Paradigm incompatibility
    • Too cheap

12. Which research strategy uses qualitative data first to help design a subsequent quantitative questionnaire?

    • Sequential mixed methods
    • Simultaneous triangulation
    • Pure positivism
    • Content analysis

13. What term refers to combining methods solely to offset the weaknesses of one with the strengths of another?

    • Complementarity
    • Operationalisation
    • Falsification
    • Induction

14. When a researcher combines quantitative experiments with qualitative focus groups simultaneously, it is called what?

    • Longitudinal tracking
    • Desk research
    • Concurrent mixed methods
    • Sequential mixed methods

15. What is a primary benefit of methodological pluralism for studying complex social inequalities?

    • Instant results
    • Eliminating bias completely
    • Holistic picture
    • Removing ethics boards

16. Which key concept involves cross-checking qualitative interview themes against official crime statistics?

    • Participant observation
    • Content analysis
    • Random sampling
    • Methodological triangulation

17. What is a key skill required by a sociologist undertaking a complex mixed-methods research project?

    • No ethical clearance
    • Diverse training
    • Purely numeric skills
    • Exclusively historical training

18. Why might interpretivists object to combining questionnaires with unstructured interviews?

    • Lack of statistics
    • Excessive sample size
    • Imposed categories
    • Too much empathy

19. What is a potential risk when contradictory results emerge from triangulating two different methods?

    • Immediate funding
    • Automatic consensus
    • Conflicting findings
    • Guaranteed objectivity

20. Which research approach rejects the incompatibility thesis and welcomes combining diverse methods?

    • Dogmatic Marxism
    • Radical phenomenology
    • Strict positivism
    • Pragmatism

Related quizzes

• Positivism Quiz · 02A.1.1 · 20 questions
• Interpretivism Quiz · 02A.1.2 · 20 questions
• Key research concepts: validity, reliability, representativeness and generalisability Quiz · 02A.1.3 · 20 questions
• Research process: choosing a topic, aims, hypotheses and data sources Quiz · 02A.2.1 · 20 questions
• Research process: operationalisation, pilot studies, data collection, validation and interpretation Quiz · 02A.2.2 · 20 questions
• Sampling process and access to samples Quiz · 02A.2.3 · 20 questions
• Sampling techniques: random, systematic, stratified, snowball, volunteer, opportunity, purposive and quota Quiz · 02A.2.4 · 20 questions
• Ethics in sociological research Quiz · 02A.2.5 · 20 questions
• Questionnaires and structured interviews Quiz · 02A.3.1 · 20 questions
• Statistical data and content analysis Quiz · 02A.3.2 · 20 questions