Anthropological Research Methods – MCQs

1. Which of the following is a primary method used in anthropological fieldwork?
(A) Laboratory experiment
(B) Participant observation
(C) Statistical analysis
(D) Case law review

2. What is ethnography?
(A) A statistical survey of populations
(B) A written description of a cultural group
(C) A geological mapping technique
(D) A method of genetic analysis

3. Which method involves living among a group of people to understand their culture?
(A) Archival research
(B) Participant observation
(C) Survey questionnaire
(D) Interview transcription

4. What is the first step in conducting anthropological research?
(A) Publishing results
(B) Writing a grant proposal
(C) Identifying a research problem
(D) Conducting statistical analysis

5. In anthropological research, what does the term “emic perspective” refer to?
(A) An outsider’s view
(B) A culturally neutral view
(C) An insider’s view
(D) A historical view

6. What does “etic perspective” mean in anthropological research?
(A) Local point of view
(B) An evolutionary interpretation
(C) An outsider’s analytical perspective
(D) A historical description

7. Which method involves collecting data from interviews, surveys, and questionnaires?
(A) Qualitative method
(B) Quantitative method
(C) Genealogical method
(D) Participant observation

8. The genealogical method is used to study:
(A) Agricultural systems
(B) Cultural symbols
(C) Kinship and social relationships
(D) Language patterns

9. Which term refers to the ethical principle that research participants must voluntarily agree to participate?
(A) Confidentiality
(B) Informed consent
(C) Cultural relativism
(D) Data integrity

10. Which of the following is an example of qualitative data?
(A) Population density
(B) Age of participants
(C) Interview transcripts
(D) Household income

11. Who is considered a pioneer of participant observation?
(A) Franz Boas
(B) Bronisław Malinowski
(C) Claude Lévi-Strauss
(D) Margaret Mead

12. Which research design studies a culture in depth over time?
(A) Cross-sectional
(B) Case study
(C) Longitudinal
(D) Experimental

13. What is reflexivity in anthropological research?
(A) A form of data coding
(B) The researcher’s awareness of their impact on the study
(C) A type of statistical bias
(D) A way to conduct experiments

14. Which method allows for the collection of standardized responses?
(A) Open-ended interviews
(B) Ethnographic notes
(C) Structured questionnaires
(D) Life history interviews

15. What is triangulation in research?
(A) Measuring cultural variables
(B) Using multiple methods or sources for verification
(C) A method of mapping
(D) Calculating demographic statistics

16. What is the purpose of a literature review in research?
(A) To create new data
(B) To summarize financial reports
(C) To understand previous work done on the topic
(D) To analyze population samples

17. Field notes in anthropology are used to:
(A) Record weather conditions
(B) Log financial expenditures
(C) Document observations and reflections
(D) Track GPS coordinates

18. What is the term for systematic comparison of different cultures?
(A) Ethnocentrism
(B) Cultural relativism
(C) Cross-cultural analysis
(D) Symbolic interactionism

19. Which technique helps analyze languages and meanings in anthropology?
(A) Genealogy
(B) Discourse analysis
(C) Stratigraphy
(D) Artifact typology

20. What is a key informant?
(A) A research assistant
(B) A government official
(C) A community member with deep knowledge
(D) A funding agency