Unit Code: ISS-5101
UNIVERSITY OF MALTA
ISLANDS AND SMALL STATES STUDIES
SUMMER PERIOD 2009 EXAMINATIONS
Unit Title: Research Methodology
Date: Wednesday 9 th
September 2009
Time: 10.15-li.15
Answer any two questions
(Use a separate booklet for each answer)
1. The following table shows the age of 40 adult males:
18
23
22
80
20
34
18
82
45
27
40
79
32
20
21
92
52
65
28
94
65
61
18
88
50
31
43
65
40 j 62
V
0
54 ! 72 ~'B
40 61 70
86 I S4 ! (35
(i) Find the mean and the associated standard deviation of the weight, using ungrouped data and grouped data (4 classes).
(ii) Compare the results of the ungrouped with the results of the grouped data, explaining any discrepancies.
(iii) Why is it important to consider the standard deviation when interpreting the mean of a set of numbers?
2.
Answer either 2a or 2b
2a. An engineer took a sample of 50 washers and found that the average Inner circumference was 2 cms, with a standard deviation of ,06 cms. How many washers are likely to have a circumference less 2 cms. Briefly explain the importance of estimating a confidence interval in s.icn
circumstances.
QL
2b. A researcher wanted to analyse the distribution of marks in the school by taking a sample of the school children in all classes. He wanted to ensure that his sample was sufficiently representative c F the true distribution of students in the 6 classes as follows.
Number of students in the sample
Class 1
10
Class 2
8
Class 3
6
Class 4
4
Ciass 5
2

The number of students in each class was the following:
L
_Class_j_ Class 2 Class 3
Number of respondents 90 85 58
Class 4
44
Class 5 1 Class 6
22 1 18
Is the sample sufficiently representative in terms of classes? Briefly explain the importance cf ensuring that a sample is representative of the true population.
How should the analyst design another test to ensure that the sample is sufficiently representative cf the age groups of the population eligible to vote?
3. Answer either 3a or 3b
3a. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research methods.
Qr
3b. In conducting a survey using a questionnaire, the researcher has to decide how to administer ttu questionnaire. Critically discuss the different ways in which this can be done.
4.
Answer both 4a and 4b
4a. Write brief notes on each of the following procedures within the SPSS package;
(i) Replace missing values procedure
(ii) Recede into different variables procedure
(ii) Cross tabulation procedure.
4b. Discuss the main use and statistical information which can be derived from the following:
(i) Histogram
(ii) Box-plots
(iii) Scatter plots.
5. A researcher tried to find the relationship between the price of property and a number cf variables which are defined below:
Price Euro (000,000)
LotSize in acres
SqrFt size of the house
Bedrooms No of Bedrooms
Bathrooms No of Bathrooms
Pool O = no, 1 = yes
Basement O = no, 1 = yes
Distance distance from centre of the city

>
He obtained the following results:
R Square-0.939
Observations - 124
Intercept
LotSize
SqrFt
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Pool
Basement
Distance
Coefficients
32.27788
15.47212
0.02142
56.61375
18.10959
-0.71888
-1.31006
-1.34947
Standard Envr
11.09284
6.17265
0.00625
3.30167
3.49644
3.93285
3.66231
0.43352
t Stat
2,90979
2.66857
4.07747
17.14698
5.179^4
-3.18279
-0.35771
-3.11280
P-value
0.00434
0.00871
0.00008
0.00000
0.00000
0.85528
0,72121
0.00233
Comment on the results obtained referring to the causal relationships and the statistical significance of the estimated coefficients also indicating whether they confer to your aprioiri expectations.