1. Which statement describes the purpose of a research proposal?
A. It is an overall plan, structure and strategy designed to obtain answers to the research
questions.
B. A document for scientific scrutiny for others to judge the appropriateness of the project.
C. A reference document to show how the research was carried out.
D. All of the above.
2. The sampling section in the proposal needs to provide information about
A. The names of participants.
B. The type of analysis used.
C. The software used.
D. The sampling population
3. A research design should provide detailed information about
A. The study population.
B. The data collection methods.
C. Ethical Issues.
D. All of the above
4. What is a cross-sectional design?
A. A study of one particular section of society, e,g. the middle classes
B.One that is devised when the researcher is in a bad mood
C. The collection of data from more than one case at one moment in time
D. A comparison of two or more variables over a long period of time
5. Why do you need to review the existing literature?
A. To make sure you have a long list of references
B. Because without it, you could never reach the required word-count
C. To find out what is already known about your area of interest
D. To help in your general studying
6. A sampling frame is:
A. A summary of the various stages involved in designing a survey
B. An outline view of all the main clusters of units in a sample
C. A list of all the units in the population from which a sample will be selected
D. A wooden frame used to display tables of random numbers
7. A simple random sample is one in which:
A. From a random starting point, every nth unit from the sampling frame is selected
B. A non-probability strategy is used, making the results difficult to generalize
C. The researcher has a certain quota of respondents to fill for various social groups
D. Every unit of the population has an equal chance of being selected
8. Which of the following is not a type of non-probability sampling?
A. Snowball sampling
B. Stratified random sampling
C. Quota sampling
D. Convenience sampling
9. Snowball sampling can help the researcher to:
A. Access deviant or hidden populations
B. Theorize inductively in a qualitative study
C. Overcome the problem of not having an accessible sampling frame
D. All of the above
10. Which of the following is not a characteristic of quota sampling?
A. The researcher chooses who to approach and so might bias the sample
B. Those who are available to be surveyed in public places are unlikely to constitute a
representative sample
C. The random selection of units makes it possible to calculate the standard error
D. It is a relatively fast and cheap way of finding out about public opinions
SECTION B
ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS
Question 1
ai) What is a research problem?
ii) What makes a good research problem?
iii) Why is formulating a research problem important?
iv) Give an example of a research problem in medical laboratory science.
v) What is the difference between a research question and a research problem?
2½marks.
2½marks
2½marks
2½marks
2½marks
b) provide the correct answer for the blank spaces for 2marks each
i) A hypothesis that predicts the absence of a relationship is called the …………..hypothesis.
ii) A good research question should be Feasible, Interesting,………..and Ethical.
iii) In research, the dependent variable is the one that is……….by the independent variable.
iv) The hypothesis that supports the researcher's assumption or prediction is the…………….
hypothesis.
v) The research question: "Is there a correlation between fasting blood sugar and BMI?" is
a……………type of research question.
Question2
ai) What is research ethics?
3marks
ii) Why is informed consent important in research?
3marks
iii) Name three ethical issue in human subject research.
omarks
bi) Explain cross-sectional study?
4marks
ii) What is the main feature of a longitudinal study?
2marks
iii) What type of research design is used to test cause and effect?
2marks
Question3
Ai) Why is data collection important in research?
2marks
ii) Write down the three interview styles used in collecting data.
omarks
iii) What is the main focus of basic (pure) research?
2marks
iv) How does applied research differ from exploratory research?
5marks
v) State any two elements included in the methodology section of proposal writing
. 5marks
Answers
SECTION A
1. D
2. D
3. D
4. C
5. C
6. C
7. D
8. B
9. D
10. C
SECTION B
Question 1
a)
i) A research problem – An issue or knowledge gap that a researcher seeks to address
through scientific investigation.
ii) Good research problem – Clear, specific, researchable, significant, and feasible.
iii) Importance – It guides the study, determines objectives, and ensures relevance.
iv) Example – “The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in clinical
specimens at XYZ Hospital.”
v) Difference – A research problem is the broad issue to be studied; a research question is a
specific inquiry that addresses the problem.
b)
i) Null hypothesis
ii) Novel
iii) Influenced
iv) Alternative hypothesis
v) Correlational
Question 2
a)
i) Research ethics – Principles guiding the conduct of research to ensure integrity, quality,
and respect for participants.
ii) Importance of informed consent – Ensures participants understand the study, risks, and
benefits before agreeing, protecting their autonomy.
iii) Ethical issues – Privacy/confidentiality, risk of harm, voluntary participation.
b)
i) Cross-sectional study – A study that collects data at a single point in time to assess
variables and their relationships.
ii) Main feature of longitudinal study – Data is collected from the same subjects over an
extended period.
iii) Research design for cause and effect – Experimental design.
Question 3
a)
i) Importance of data collection – Provides the evidence needed to answer research
questions and test hypotheses.
ii) Interview styles – Structured, semi-structured, unstructured.
iii) Focus of basic research – To expand knowledge without immediate practical application.
iv) Difference – Applied research solves practical problems; exploratory research
investigates an area where little is known to generate ideas.
v) Methodology elements – Study design, sampling method
STANDY BY MODE
.What is research process?
List the 3 research designs
What is research?
List 3 examples of a good research
Answer
Research process – A systematic series of steps used to identify a problem, collect and
analyze data, and draw conclusions to generate new knowledge or solve a problem.
Three research designs –
1. Descriptive research design
2. Experimental research design
3. Correlational research design
Research – A systematic and organized investigation aimed at discovering new facts,
verifying existing knowledge, or solving specific problems.
Three examples of a good research –
1. Determining the prevalence of malaria parasites in blood donors at a district hospital.
2. Assessing the antimicrobial resistance pattern of Escherichia coli in urinary tract
infections.
3. Evaluating the accuracy of a new rapid diagnostic test for hepatitis B surface antigen.
