UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Ethnography involves prolonged engagement with a cultural or social group, often through participant observation and in-depth interviews. The researcher seeks to understand shared meanings, rituals and patterns of interaction from an insider’s perspective. Thick description of the culture is a hallmark of ethnographic work. Therefore, the immersion-based strategy described in the stem is known as ethnography.

Option A:
Grounded theory aims to generate theory from data through constant comparison and theoretical sampling. While it may involve fieldwork, its primary goal is theory construction rather than rich cultural description. Hence, it is not the correct term here.

Option B:
Option B, ethnography, focuses on culture, social practices and collective meanings. The researcher often lives or spends extensive time in the setting to capture natural behaviour. Because the stem emphasises immersion and shared patterns of behaviour, this option is correct.

Option C:
Narrative inquiry concentrates on people’s stories and how they make sense of experiences through narrative form. It does not require long-term immersion in a culture, so it does not match the description.

Option D:
A case study examines a bounded system such as an organisation or programme in depth. While it may overlap with ethnography, it is not defined primarily by cultural immersion and study of shared patterns, so it is not the best completion.

In this question statements A, B, D and F are correct descriptions of qualitative research, while C and E are wrong. Statement A is true because qualitative studies often rely on in-depth interviews and participant observation. Statement B correctly highlights the focus on meanings and perspectives, and statement D is right that qualitative data commonly appear as words or images. Statement F is also true since reflexivity is central, whereas C is false because qualitative research rarely uses large random samples with standardised tests and E is false because qualitative inquiry follows systematic, though flexible, procedures.

Option A:
Option A marks only C as wrong, ignoring E. While C is indeed incorrect in describing typical sampling and instruments, E is equally wrong in claiming the absence of systematic procedure. By missing one of the wrong statements, this option does not fully answer the question.

Option B:
Option B treats E alone as wrong and overlooks C. Although E is clearly false, C also misrepresents standard qualitative practice by importing quantitative assumptions. Therefore this option captures only part of the error set.

Option C:
Option C correctly identifies C and E as the two wrong statements while leaving A, B, D and F as unchallenged correct ones. It acknowledges that qualitative research need not use large random samples or standardised tests and that it does adopt systematic, though emergent, procedures. Hence this option is the correct answer.

Option D:
Option D adds D to the list of wrong statements along with C and E. However, D is a correct statement because qualitative data are indeed commonly captured in words, images and narratives. Misclassifying a true statement as wrong makes this combination invalid.

Participant observation occurs when the researcher becomes part of the group or setting being studied, engaging in its activities while simultaneously observing and recording behaviours and interactions. This dual role allows the researcher to gain an insider’s perspective and rich contextual understanding. However, it also requires reflexivity to minimise bias. Because the stem mentions both participation in activities and systematic noting of behaviour, it is clearly describing participant observation.

Option A:
Non-participant observation involves the researcher watching the group from a distance without actively taking part in its activities. Although it can reduce some forms of bias, it does not provide the same level of insider understanding as participant observation. Since the stem highlights participation, non-participant observation is not the correct answer.

Option B:
Controlled observation takes place in a structured environment, often a laboratory or specially arranged setting, where variables can be manipulated or controlled. While observers may or may not participate, the emphasis is on experimental control rather than everyday participation in natural group activities. Therefore, controlled observation does not fit the description given.

Option C:
Naturalistic observation involves observing behaviour in its usual environment without attempting to manipulate or significantly influence the setting. It may be participant or non-participant, but the term alone does not specify participation. The stem explicitly refers to the researcher participating in group activities, which is captured more precisely by participant observation.

Option D:
Participant observation allows the researcher to experience the daily life of the group, building rapport and deeper understanding, while still maintaining a systematic approach to data collection. This combination of participation and observation matches the situation described in the stem, making participant observation the appropriate completion.

Participant observation involves the researcher taking part in the activities of the group or setting being studied while simultaneously observing and recording what happens. By sharing experiences with participants, the researcher can gain deeper, insider insights into meanings, norms and interactions. However, this dual role also raises ethical and objectivity challenges. Because the stem refers to becoming an active member while observing, this method is correctly termed participant observation.

Option A:
Non-participant observation keeps the researcher at the margin as an observer who does not actively engage in the group’s activities. This may preserve objectivity but may limit understanding of insider perspectives. Since the stem emphasises becoming an active member, non-participant is not the right completion.

Option B:
Controlled observation typically takes place in a structured setting where conditions can be regulated, and behaviour is observed under prearranged situations, which may or may not involve participation. It is more about control than about the researcher’s membership in the group, so controlled is not appropriate here.

Option C:
Structured observation uses well defined categories and checklists for recording specific behaviours, regardless of whether the observer participates. It emphasises systematic recording schemes rather than the researcher’s active role. Thus, structured is not the best answer for the participation described.

Option D:
Participant observation allows the researcher to experience the culture or context from within, which can reveal subtle practices and meanings that external observation might miss. This deep engagement aligns exactly with the description given in the question.

Statements D and E are wrong because observation can certainly be combined with interviews and documents in mixed-methods or triangulated designs, and ethical principles apply strongly to observation, especially regarding privacy. Statements A, B and C correctly distinguish participant, non-participant and structured observation. Thus, the only correct answer is the option that lists D and E as the wrong statements.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it isolates D alone as wrong and overlooks E, which mistakenly claims that ethics are irrelevant in observation. Both D and E contradict accepted research practice.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it identifies exactly those statements that conflict with methodological and ethical guidance, while affirming A, B and C as accurate descriptions of observation types.

Option C:
Option C is wrong because it also treats C as incorrect, even though structured observation does rely on predefined categories and checklists. Misclassifying C undermines understanding of structured approaches.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because it labels B, which correctly defines non-participant observation, as wrong along with D and E. This misrepresents a basic distinction in observational roles.

Statements A, B and C correctly describe major data collection tools, and E adds the important idea of triangulation. Questionnaires, structured interviews and participant observation are standard methods in educational and social research. Statement D is false because no single tool is guaranteed to answer all research questions in every study. Using multiple methods, as in E, can help corroborate results and increase credibility. Therefore the correct combination includes A, B, C and E but excludes D.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it omits E, even though triangulation through multiple methods is a recognised strategy for enhancing the robustness of research findings. A correct option must include this important point along with the basic tool descriptions.

Option B:
Option B includes D, which wrongly suggests that a single tool always suffices, contradicting the idea of methodological flexibility and triangulation. Including such an absolute claim makes the option conceptually unsound.

Option C:
Option C lists B, C and E but leaves out A, thereby ignoring the role of questionnaires as a major tool in many research designs. Since A is clearly a correct statement, its omission renders the combination incomplete.

Option D:
Option D is correct because it groups the three accurate descriptions of individual tools with the accurate statement about using multiple methods. It properly excludes D, which unjustifiably elevates a single tool as universally sufficient, and thus contains all and only the correct statements.

Option E is incorrect because it includes D, the false assertion about a single tool being always sufficient, and simultaneously omits B, which is a true statement about structured interviews. This mixture of omission and error invalidates the option.