Research Methods Question Paper

Research Methods

Course:Phd In Philosophy

Institution: Kenyatta University question papers

Exam Year:2009

KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2009/2010
FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY

PSY/PHD/803 :
RESEARCH METHODS

=================================================================
DATE: MONDAY 23RD NOVEMBER 2009
TIME: 9.00 A.M. – 12.00 NOON

INSTRUCTIONS
Answer Question One plus any other two.
In total answer THREE Questions.

Q.1
Compulsory (30 marks)
a)
Identify any four different methods, other than the scientific method, of acquiring

knowledge and describe what it entails and site its limitations.

(4 marks)

b)
Explain what the scientific methods is an how it compares to the non-scientific
methods.
(3
marks)

c)
Describe the five steps of the scientific
methods.
(10
marks)

d)
Explain the emergence of ethics in research, in your explanation site at least two
examples
of
malpractices
that necessitated the introduction of ethics in research.

(5 marks)
e)
Differentiate between the following concepts as used in research using relevant
examples.
Page 1 of 4
i)
Qualitative and quantitative methods.
ii)
True experimental and quasi experimental researches
iii)
Level of significance and critical values
iv)
Type I and type II errors

Q.2 (15
marks)
a)
Describe any three characteristics of a well chosen research problem.
(3 marks)

b)
Differentiate the concepts of theory and hypotheses in research.
(2 marks)

c)
Describe any four characteristics of good research hypothesis.

(4 marks)

d)
Identify a research problem that could be investigated scientifically and write it our.

(2 marks)

e)
State any on the general hypothesis that would be used to guide the study. (2 marks)

f)
Transform your general hypotheses in (e) into at least two specific predictions.

(2 marks)

Q.3 (15
marks)
a)
Differentiate between a population and a sample.

(2 marks)

b)
State three reasons that necessitate sampling in research.

(3 marks)

c)
Differentiate between probability sampling and non-probability sampling; explain
two
examples
of
each
type.
(6
marks)

d)
Describe three conditions under which non-probability sampling may be used in

research.

(3 marks)

e)
State at least two limitations on non probability sampling?
Page 2 of 4

Q.4 (15
marks)
a)
Explain the concepts of reliability and validity in research.

(2 marks)

b)
Differentiate between the concepts of internal and external validity in research.

(4 marks)
c) Describe
any
three threats to internal validity and three threats to external
validity.

(6 marks)
d) Describe
any two methods of estimating reliability of a measuring instrument (tool).

(3 marks)
Q.5 (15 marks)
a)
Determine whether each of the following hypotheses is testable and refutable, if not,
explain
why.

i)
A list of three syllable words is more difficulty to memorize than a list of one-
syllable
word.

ii)
The incidence of paranoia is higher among people who claim to have been
abducted
by
aliens
than
in the general population.

iii)
If the force of gravity doubled over the next 50,000 years, there would be a
trend
toward
the
evolution of larger animals and the plants could not
withstand
the
higher
gravity.

v)
The color red as seen by males ids different from the color red as seen by
females.

(4 marks)

b)
Study the following research problems.

i)
Do all youth need assistance with educational-vocational decision making?

ii) Does the school quality determine the functions of counselors?

Page 3 of 4
iii) Should the counselor preparation be based on analysis of present counselor

duties?

iv)
Should parents have access to all data about their children collected by the

school

counselors?

v) What is the nature of the assistance provided by a teacher to a student in

subject choice-making situation?

vi)
Does the counselors’ role (incorporating student advocacy) bring the

counselor into conflict with the school administration?

Select any THREE of the above six problems and for each.

a)
Identify the variable(s) of interest in the selected problems.

b)
For each problem, state a good research objective that will guide the study.

c)
Write three directional hypotheses that will guide the study, based on the three

selected
problems.

d)
For each problems selected describe briefly the type of research that will be

conducted.
(11
marks)

Page 4 of 4

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