305 Midterm
A model or scheme for helping us organize and interpret the world is referred to as a: a. paradigm. b. theory. c. hypothesis. d. law. e. concept.
a. paradigm.
Professor Smith gave an exam on Monday. On Wednesday Smith gave the same class the same exam. Professor Smith was clearly interested in assessing the exam's:
a. reliability.
Secondary analysis refers to the analysis of data collected earlier by another researcher for some purpose other than the topic of the current study. a. True b. False
a. True
The basis of knowledge is agreement. T/F
a. True
Unobtrusive measures reduce the impact of the researcher on the phenomena being studied. a. True b. False
a. True
Validity refers to the extent to which an empirical measure adequately reflects the real meaning of the concept under consideration. a. True b. False
a. True
Assume that Professor Rodgers from the previous question had studied only three people aged 65 or older. Suppose he concluded that the average level of happiness increased for people aged 65 and older. Rodgers would be committing: a. error of overgeneralization. b. error of inaccurate observation. c. error of illogical reasoning. d. error of selective observation. e. no error.
a. error of overgeneralization.
A good research report should read like a good novel. T/F
ANSWER: False
Everyone agrees that Tom's research does NOT inflict physical harm on subjects. Tom is pleased by this conclusion because it means that he no longer has to be concerned with the issue of harm to subjects. a. True b. False
ANSWER: False
At the conclusion of his research project, Fred interviews his research subjects to discover whether they have problems because of their participation in the research project. Fred is engaged in the debriefing process. a. True b. False
ANSWER: True
Patterns of cause and effect are probabilistic in nature. a. True b. False
ANSWER: True
Social science theories try to explain why aggregated patterns of behavior are so regular, even when the individuals participating in them may change over time. T/F
ANSWER: True
The presentation of data analyses should provide a maximum of detail without being cluttered. a. True b. False
ANSWER: True
We can predict without understanding. T/F
ANSWER: True
Snowball sampling would be an effective strategy for a researcher to use if a researcher was interested in studying a population of gang members. a. True b. False
True
Which of the following is NOT recommended for conducting online surveys? a. Change terminology to keep the respondent interested b. Use plain, simple language c. Offer to share selected results from the study with everyone who completes the survey d. Plan the time of day and day of week to send the email e. All of these choices ARE recommended
a. Change terminology to keep the respondent interested
famous example of applying unobtrusive measures to great success is: a. Emile Durkheim's study of suicide b. Laud Humphries "tearoom" study c. Stanley Milgram's human obedience research d. The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment e. Khayatt's "compulsory heterosexuality" study
a. Emile Durkheim's study of suicide
Which of the following techniques of data collection is MOST likely to make a guarantee of anonymity difficult? a. Face-to-face interviews b. Mailed questionnaires c. Secondary data analysis d. Unobtrusive measures e. The data collection technique does not affect the guarantee of anonymity.
a. Face-to-face interviews
Which of the following is TRUE about the history and development of field research? a. Field research was developed out of the methods used by anthropologists to study other cultures and by journalists to investigate their own society. b. Field research has replaced ethnography and ethnomethodology, older methods of research. It is a modern version of them. c. Field research was first created by the Chicago School in the 1960's to study the hippies and anti-war phenomenon. d. Field research was invented by researchers who lacked the ability to do statistics and could not think logically as required in quantitative research.
a. Field research was developed out of the methods used by anthropologists to study other cultures and by journalists to investigate their own society.
Professor Trainor examined the way in which divorce takes place in Uganda and Pakistan in order to better understand how divorce occurs in those particular societies. This is an example of, a. Historical-Comparative Research b. Document Analysis c. Ethnomethodology d. Content Analysis
a. Historical-Comparative Research
Professor Sheckler is looking to study the career trajectories of a specific group of college students, following the same individuals through their senior year and then five years afterward. What form of research methodology would he be using? a. Panel study b. Cross-sectional study c. Cohort study d. Trend study e. Experimental study
a. Panel study
______ is the general term for samples selected in accord with probability theory.
a. Probability sampling
Where are Institutional Review Boards and what is the purpose of one? a. They are at most colleges, hospitals and research centers. They make sure that research involving humans is carried out ethically. b. They are part of professional associations. They lobby for more research money from government agencies. c. They are located in state police offices. They ensure that researchers do not misuse money given to them for research. d. They are located inside government agencies that give grants for research. They ensure that the methodology used is scientific.
a. They are at most colleges, hospitals and research centers. They make sure that research involving humans is carried out ethically.
Content analysis can be used on any product of human communication. a. True b. False
a. True
Sampling error is reduced through an increase in the sample size and an increased homogeneity of the elements being sampled. a. True b. False
a. True
Social research methods are: a. Ways to gather information to answer a question about the social world. b. Ways to convince people to participate in a study. c. Ways to manipulate people. d. Ways to increase the number of friends you have.
a. Ways to gather information to answer a question about the social world.
Elizabeth Bethouse conducted a study of gambling establishments operated by American Indian groups. She examined two establishments operated by different tribes. During the study she spent many hours at each establishment and gained a detailed knowledge of the tribal leaders, gambling employees and gambling customers. She also investigated how the establishments were organized, their impact on economic development in the area and how tribal members saw them. She conducted: a. a case study b. a summative evaluation study c. a cohort study d. action research
a. a case study
Reliability is: a. a matter of whether a particular technique, applied repeatedly to the same object, would yield the same results each time b. a matter of ensuring accuracy alone c. a matter of ensuring that the measure measures what one thinks it should measure d. a matter of ensuring precision alone e. a matter of ensuring both accuracy and precision
a. a matter of whether a particular technique, applied repeatedly to the same object, would yield the same results each time
Drawing a judgmental sample: a. allows researchers to use their prior knowledge about the population. b. enlists the aid of uninformed respondents. c. results in a sample that has no researcher bias. d. ensures a representative sample. e. requires the development of a quota matrix.
a. allows researchers to use their prior knowledge about the population.
There is a strong correlation between the number of firefighters that show up at a fire and the amount of damage produced by the fire. The size of the fire influences both the number of firefighters and the amount of damage. This illustrates that the relationship between the number of firefighters and the amount of damage is: a. caused by a third factor. b. causal. c. not correlational. d. a real relationship. e. unpredictable from the information given.
a. caused by a third factor.
Studying the discrepancy in police response for burglary cases when compared to corporate embezzlement would likely be coming from a(n) _____ paradigm. a. conflict b. symbolic interactionist c. feminist d. ethnomethodologist e. structural functionalist
a. conflict
A single U.S. Census is a: a. cross-sectional study. b. panel study. c. time series study. d. trend study. e. longitudinal study.
a. cross-sectional study.
The 2000 Census is a _____study that when used with another decennial census could be considered a _____ study. a. cross-sectional; trend b. cross-sectional; panel c. cross-sectional; cohort d. cross-sectional; cross-sectional e. trend, cohort
a. cross-sectional; trend
One of your friends scored in the 90s on her last ten exams. Although she has been studying for this exam and feels prepared, she told you, "I know I'm going to flunk this exam. I've been doing too well on exams." Your friend is committing the error of: a. illogical reasoning. b. theory. c. inaccurate observation. d. selective observation. e. overgeneralization.
a. illogical reasoning.
A literature review serves to: a. lay the groundwork for your research. b. answer your research question. c. discuss the sample used. d. provide a list of suggested reading. e. examine problems in your research.
a. lay the groundwork for your research.
A survey question asking voters which political party they are affiliated with (Democrat, Republican, Independent) would be considered: a. mutually exclusive. b. exhaustive. c. interchangeable. d. a ratio scale. e. an ordinal scale.
a. mutually exclusive.
Ethical obligations to one's colleagues in the scientific community: a. require that technical shortcomings and failures of the study be revealed. b. encourage researchers to ignore negative findings. c. encourage researchers to describe their findings as the product of a carefully preplanned analytical strategy. d. require researchers to report only the positive discoveries. e. encourages researchers to not report limitations.
a. require that technical shortcomings and failures of the study be revealed.
If a field researcher wanted to learn a political organization's pattern of recruitment over time, the researcher might begin by interviewing a fairly recent recruit and ask who introduced that person to the organization. Then the researcher might interview the person named and ask who introduced that person to the political organization. This would be an example of:
a. snowball sampling.
In comparison to nonscientific inquiry, scientific inquiry: a. takes special precaution to avoid error. b. is a semiconscious activity. c. is an activity where we are less concerned about making mistakes. d. guards against all errors. e. creates bias.
a. takes special precaution to avoid error.
After examining the FBI Crime Reports for a 30-year period, Professor Hall claimed that the incidence of rape has increased. After examining the same reports, Professor Shine claimed that the reporting of rape, not the incidence of rape, has increased. This illustrates: a. the problem of reliability in using existing statistics. b. the problem of validity in using existing statistics. c. the need to replicate existing statistics. d. the ecological fallacy. e. pretesting.
a. the problem of reliability in using existing statistics.
Epistemology is best described as: a. the science of knowing. b. the discovery of reality through experimentation. c. the discovery of reality through agreement. d. tradition. e. authority.
a. the science of knowing.
Which best summarizes the main goal of descriptive research? a. Advance knowledge about an underlying process or complete a theory. b. Develop a detailed picture of a situation or issue. c. Extend a theory or principle into new areas or issues. d. Provide evidence to support or refute an explanation.
b. Develop a detailed picture of a situation or issue.
Henry Hogson conducted an experiment in which he tested the theory that the intensity of social interaction among people increases if they are anxious. What type of study is this most likely to be? a. Cost Benefit Analysis b. Explanatory Research c. Content Analysis d. Exploratory Research
b. Explanatory Research
A survey researcher from a marketing company telephones local residents and informs them she is calling from a "university research center" who is conducting a study on attitudes about local issues. She begins asking personal questions about how respondents spend their money. Afterwards the market research company uses the data to decide how to advertise their most expensive products. What ethical principles have been violated in this research? a. Cause no physical harm to study participants. b. Failure to get informed consent. c. Cause no psychological distress to study participants. d. No ethical principles violated.
b. Failure to get informed consent.
A researcher using official government documents need not be concerned about the reliability of those records. a. True b. False
b. False
Because experiments focus on determining causation, they are better suited to descriptive purposes rather than explanatory purposes. a. True b. False
b. False
Surveys are excellent devices for studying the context of social life. a. True b. False
b. False
The independent variable must occur later in time than the dependent variable. a. True b. False
b. False
Which is a major ADVANTAGE of content analysis? a. It is time consuming and requires a large staff with specialized equipment. b. It is unobtrusive. c. It cannot measure how people experience the "text" or how the text affects them. d.It cannot be used to study materials, which are not written or recorded.
b. It is unobtrusive.
Dr. Smith is instructing his graduate students to put together a sample for an upcoming research study of college students. The graduate students were asked to stand outside of the student union to solicit participants, finding 50 freshmen, 50 sophomore, 50 juniors, and 50 seniors. What sort of sampling method is being used?
b. Quota sampling
Professor Hall was planning to do a field study of hitchhikers. Hall wanted to be sure that persons representing all different age, racial, and sex categories were included in the sample of hitchhikers. What kind of sampling scheme would you recommend?
b. Quota sampling
Professor Bob studied class level and drinking behavior at Wild State University in 1999. He used the 1999 student telephone directory, and after a random start selected every 15th student. He then mailed a questionnaire to the 1,000 students selected and had two follow-up postcard reminders. What kind of sampling is being used? a. Cluster sampling b. Systematic random sampling c. Simple random sampling d. Purposive sampling
b. Systematic random sampling
Social research methods include all of the following, except: a. Surveys b. Therapy c. Experiments d. Interviews
b. Therapy
Dr. Lui wants to measure fear of crime. He develops a question for a qualitative interview that asks, "Have you ever been the victim of a crime?" What is one of the major problems with this measure of fear of crime? a. Reliability b. Validity c. Stability d. Triangulation
b. Validity
The chief aim of probability sampling is to be able to select: a. a sample whose parameters are representative of an unknown population parameter. b. a sample whose statistics will accurately portray an unknown population parameter. c. a sample whose parameters will accurately portray an unknown population statistic. d. a sample whose statistics will accurately portray a known population parameter. e. a sample whose unknown statistics will accurately portray a known parameter.
b. a sample whose statistics will accurately portray an unknown population parameter.
The topic of surrogate mothers interested Professor Snyder. Snyder read the available materials on the topic and wanted to develop an age, education, and income profile of women who serve as surrogate mothers in the United States. To develop this profile, Snyder should undertake a(n): a. trend study. b. descriptive study. c. explanatory study. d. panel study. e. cohort study.
b. descriptive study.
If a researcher wanted to know why there was a noticeable increase in the number of burglaries in the town of Southpaw during 2005, the researcher would design a(n): a. descriptive study. b. explanatory study. c. panel study. d. study of characteristics. e. exploratory study.
b. explanatory study.
A level of measurement describing a variable whose attributes are rank-ordered and have equal distances between adjacent attributes are _____ measures. a. ratio b. interval c. ordinal d. nominal e. theoretical
b. interval
When performing a content analysis, looking at what is suggested or insinuated is performing: a. manifest coding. b. latent coding. c. concrete coding. d. subversive coding. e. technical coding.
b. latent coding.
Professor Perlman was interested in comparing two textbooks to determine whether one used more sexist language than the other. Perlman counted the number of times a gender reference (ex: "he," "she," "chairman," etc.) appeared in each book. Perlman was doing: a. latent content coding. b. manifest content coding. c. quota sampling. d. the ecological fallacy. e. base counting.
b. manifest content coding.
Researchers analyzed the effects of race on sexual activity among adolescent women."" The dependent variable is: a. race. b. sexual activity. c. adolescence. d. women. e. age.
b. sexual activity.
Every kth element in a list is chosen for inclusion in the sample in: a. simple random sampling. b. systematic sampling. c. disproportionate sampling. d. cluster sampling. e. stratified sampling.
b. systematic sampling.
You are interested in doing a content analysis on the characteristics people seek in a partner by examining the personals section of three newspapers. Your unit of analysis is: a. the three newspapers. b. the characteristics desired in a partner. c. the individual ads. d. the personals section of the paper. e. the person who wrote the ad.
b. the characteristics desired in a partner.
Jeremy can't decide whether he should ask people whether they "very strongly agree," "agree," "disagree," "very strongly disagree" or whether they simply "agree" or "disagree" with statements about the war in Iraq. Jeremy is dealing with the problem of: a. whether to use single or multiple indicators of a concept. b. the range of variation. c. whether to use a ratio or ordinal measurement. d. whether to use a ratio or interval measurement. e. whether to use single or multiple dimensions.
b. the range of variation.
Methodology differs from epistemology in that methodology is: a. the science of knowing. b. the science of finding out. c. the discovery of reality through agreement. d. only found through tradition. e. the logical aspect of science.
b. the science of finding out.
In general, as sample size increases: a. the standard error increases in size. b. the standard error decreases in size. c. the standard error will remain the same regardless of changes in sample size. d. the standard error is a constant. e. the standard error fluctuates in size.
b. the standard error decreases in size.
An independent variable is a: a. theoretical concept. b. variable influencing other variables. c. variable influenced by other variables. d. set of attributes. e. either a variable influencing other variables or a variable influenced by others.
b. variable influencing other variables.
The experimental and control groups should be comparable on: a. variables that are likely to be related to the independent variable under study. b. variables that are likely to be related to the dependent variable under study. c. age, education, and ethnicity. d. all demographic variables. e. all of these choices.
b. variables that are likely to be related to the dependent variable under study.
Social science theory addresses: a. what should be. b. what is. c. what is not. d. beliefs. e. philosophy.
b. what is.
Which of the following outlines the steps in the traditional science model? a. Empirical observations, theoretical understanding, operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis b. Theoretical understanding, a testable hypothesis, operationalization of concepts, empirical observations c. Theoretical understanding, operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis, empirical observations d. Operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis, empirical observations, theoretical understanding e. A testable hypothesis, operationalization of concepts, empirical testing, theoretical understanding
c. Theoretical understanding, operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis, empirical observations
Which of the following is NOT an essential component of informed consent? a. Disclosure of any potential risks associated with the research b. A description of the possible benefits to science and society c. A statement that once they begin participation, they cannot quit d. A statement that participation in the project is voluntary e. A statement of any provisions for confidentiality or anonymity
c. A statement that once they begin participation, they cannot quit
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a cross-sectional study? a. It is conducted at only one point in time. b. It can be exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory. c. It concentrates on changes that take place in a specific sample over a period of time. d. It provides a means for studying a large population at the same point in time. e. It provides a "snapshot".
c. It concentrates on changes that take place in a specific sample over a period of time.
What is the problem with this measure of college student age? Please indicate your age: 17 to 19 years old 19 to 21 years old 21 to 23 years old a. Its responses are double-barreled. b. Its responses are at a nominal level of measurement. c. Its responses are not mutually exclusive. d.There is nothing wrong with it.
c. Its responses are not mutually exclusive.
Which of the following would a sociologist be LEAST likely to study? a. Crime rates increasing in rural areas b. The incidence of child abuse in middle-income families c. Mr. Smith quitting his job d. The incidence of unemployment among white collar workers e. Difference in unemployment rates between Black teens and White teens
c. Mr. Smith quitting his job
Which of the following is most likely to be a list of variables? a. Female, Jewish, educational level b. Plumber, professor, dentist c. Occupation, political party preference, birthrate d. 21, violent, social class e. Dishonest, conservative, farmer
c. Occupation, political party preference, birthrate
Joe Foss studied gender differences in attitudes toward mathematics and science among 45 first grade students. Over the next twelve years he studied the same 45 children when they were in the fifth, eighth and twelfth grades. This is what type of research? a. Case study research b. Cross-sectional research (a study on a cross-sectional sample) c. Panel study research (a study on a panel sample) d. Action-oriented research
c. Panel study research (a study on a panel sample)
Which of the following outlines the steps in the traditional science model? a. Empirical observations, theoretical understanding, operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis b. Theoretical understanding, a testable hypothesis, operationalization of concepts, empirical observations c. Theoretical understanding, operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis, empirical observations d. Operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis, empirical observations, theoretical understanding e. A testable hypothesis, operationalization of concepts, empirical testing, theoretical understanding
c. Theoretical understanding, operationalization of concepts, a testable hypothesis, empirical observations
Which of the following is(are) a probabilistic statement(s)? a. When serving as jurors, women always vote for acquittal. b. When serving as jurors, women never vote for acquittal. c. When serving as jurors, women tend to vote for acquittal. d. When serving as jurors, women do not vote for acquittal. e. When serving as jurors, women always generally vote for acquittal.
c. When serving as jurors, women tend to vote for acquittal
Professor Rodgers found that the average level of happiness reported by people under 65 years of age declined from 1957 to 1970. However, for this same group, the average level of happiness increased slightly from 1970 to 1978. Rodgers also found that the average level of happiness reported by people age 65 and older increased from 1957 to 1978. A(The) independent variable(s) in this study is(are): a. people. b. level of happiness. c. age. d. gender. e. marital status.
c. age.
Steve had a hunch that female students were more punctual than males in the classes that he taught. So, he began to keep track for a week in each class of how many male and female students came in after the class was scheduled to begin. His results supported his hypothesis. Steve is using a. inductive reasoning. b. qualitative analysis. c. deductive reasoning. d. ordinary human inquiry.
c. deductive reasoning.
The questionnaire item, "Did you file federal and state income tax reports last year?" with a response set of yes, no, can't remember, other, is an example of a(n): a. open-ended question. b. ordinal question. c. double-barreled question. d. negative item. e. ratio variable.
c. double-barreled question.
Professor Dooley examined the literature on AIDS and could find nothing that examined children's attitudes toward parents and friends with AIDS. To examine this topic, Dooley should undertake a(n): a. examination of reductionism. b. descriptive study. c. exploratory study. d. explanatory study. e. panel study.
c. exploratory study.
The development and implementation of simple and complex measurement devices is a safeguard against a. overgeneralization. b. abuse of authority. c. inaccurate observation. d. illogical reasoning. e. tradition.
c. inaccurate observation.
Shipley developed a NEW test to measure IQ. Using his test, someone with an IQ of 180 would be considered twice as intelligent as someone with an IQ of 90 and someone with an IQ of 90 was three times as intelligent as someone with an IQ of 30. Shipley's test treats IQ as a(n): a. nominal variable. b. interval variable. c. ratio variable. d. ordinal variable. e. none of these choices.
c. ratio variable.
Jenny decided to read an article published in Law and Society Review. Babbie would urge her to begin reading the article by: a. reading the summary and conclusions b. skimming the article noting the section headings c. reading the abstract d. skimming the article completely e. just sitting down and carefully reading the article
c. reading the abstract
While doing research on crime, Professor Middler notes that crime creates jobs in law enforcement and related careers. He also notices that crime reinforces community norms when criminals are caught and punished. Professor Middler has probably adopted the _______ approach to the study of crime. a. conflict theory b. social Darwinism c. structural functionalism d. ethnomethodology e. symbolic interactionism
c. structural functionalism
Many cultures view the United States as a society committed to capitalism, an economic arrangement which they believe inevitably creates inequality. These views and feelings represent: a. an objective fact of nature. b.a law of nature. c.a paradigm. d.a theory. e.a research question.
c.a paradigm.
Likert scales are designed to be _____ in measurement.
c.ordinal
A sampling interval of 5 was used to select a sample from a population of 1000. How many elements are to be in the sample?
d. 200
Which of the following research scenarios is NOT ethical? a. A school district wants a study of students, but demands that a researcher reach findings showing an improvement in student scores during the past five years. b. A government agency suppresses findings which indicate that it has not enforced a law it is supposed to and has been an overall failure. c. A political party calls people for telephone interviews on opinions but is really identifying potential financial contributors. It hides the true sponsor of a study by using a made up the name of a research company. d. All of the above.
d. All of the above.
A questionnaire item, distributed to a random sample of adults, reading "Are you not in support of nationalized health care", with a yes or no possible response, would violate which concept? a. Avoid double-barreled questions b. Avoid leading the respondent c. Avoid meaningful questions d. Avoid negative items e. Respondents should be competent to answer
d. Avoid negative items
Which of the following modes of observation does NOT require the researcher to intrude to some degree on whatever he or she is studying? a. Interviews b. Focus groups c. Complete participant observation d. Content analysis e. All of these choices require the researcher to intrude
d. Content analysis
What is the purpose of basic social research or basic sociology? a. Solve social problems and find which policies are best. b. Improve social programs so they become more effective. c. Invent new taxonomies and jargon. d. Create fundamental knowledge about how the social world works.
d. Create fundamental knowledge about how the social world works.
A friend makes the following comment: "Persons who grew up with a much older sibling tend to treat the older sibling as a parent figure." She is making a: a. Joke b. Theory c. Relativism d. Generalization
d. Generalization
Which of the following is FALSE concerning the use of tradition in inquiry? a. It helps avoid the task of starting from scratch in our search for regularities. b. It demonstrates that knowledge is cumulative. c. The jumping-off part for the development of knowledge is often the inherited body of information. d. It enables us to seek a different understanding of what we all know to be true. e. It increases our bias.
d. It enables us to seek a different understanding of what we all know to be true.
Which of the following is FALSE about secondary data analysis? a. A gap may exist between a researcher's conceptualization of a variable and how it is measured in available data. b. Locating data with specific variables of interest can be time consuming and sometimes a researcher may not make data available. c. Information about how data was collected may be insufficient to determine whether there is bias. d. It is very expensive compared to equivalent primary data collection.
d. It is very expensive compared to equivalent primary data collection.
When conducting a survey research interview an interviewer should: a. Communicate his/her own feelings and opinions, to build rapport and so that the respondent will feel free to divulge personal information also. b. Skip over questions if you already know the answer for the respondent. c. Rephrase each question into terms with which the respondent will understand. d. None of the above.
d. None of the above.
120. Why don't qualitative researchers usually conduct pilot studies? a. They are usually lazier than quantitative researchers. b. With qualitative research taking so long to complete, qualitative researchers usually don't have time to conduct pilot studies. c. There are too many ethical problems with pilot studies in qualitative research. d. Since qualitative research allows more flexibility in design, there usually isn't a reason to conduct a pilot study.
d. Since qualitative research allows more flexibility in design, there usually isn't a reason to conduct a pilot study.
Dr. Chang is conducting a research study of undergraduate students at her college. She wants to ensure an equal number of students from each grade level, so she uses the list of all students provided by the registrar's office. From each list, she randomly selects 50 students from each group. What strategy of sampling is Dr. Chang using?
d. Stratified sampling
A research method in which subjects respond to a series of items in a questionnaire: a. random sample. b. target group. c. experiment. d. Survey.
d. Survey.
In exploratory research one does all of the following, EXCEPT: a. Become familiar with the basic facts, people and concerns involved. b. Generate many ideas and develop tentative hypotheses. c. Determine the feasibility of doing additional research. d. Test a theory or explanation.
d. Test a theory or explanation
Classifying someone as employed or not employed treats employment as: a. a ratio variable. b. an interval variable. c. an ordinal variable. d. a nominal variable. e. a dependent variable.
d. a nominal variable.
Which of the following is an example of a qualitative research method: a. Ethnography b. Covert Observation c. Informal or Personal Interviews d. all of the above
d. all of the above
Professor Tilton measured the variable "feelings toward drafting women" with the categories strongly agree, agree, indifferent, disagree, and strongly disagree. Professor Tilton was using the _____ level of measurement. a. nominal b. interval c. ratio d. ordinal e. not enough information to decide
d. ordinal
You are doing research on hospital personnel—orderlies, technicians, nurses, and doctors. You want to be sure you draw a sample that has cases in each of the personnel categories. You want to use probability sampling. An appropriate strategy would be: a. simple random sampling. b. quota sampling. c. cluster sampling. d. stratified sampling. e. accidental sampling.
d. stratified sampling.
117. Which of the following are strengths of survey research? a. Data are often easily quantifiable for later statistical analysis. b. A large number of people can be asked about their attitudes, behaviors, etc., so information can be generalized if a study has good sampling. c. The data are always highly accurate, because people never lie or distort answers in a survey. d.a and b
d.a and b
Which of the following does NOT harm subjects? a. Having them face aspects of themselves that they do not normally consider b. Asking them to reveal their unpopular attitudes c. Asking them to identify their deviant behavior d. Allowing them to identify themselves easily in the final report e. Asking them to provide demographic information
e. Asking them to provide demographic information
Which of the following are not illustrative of unobtrusive observations? a. Examining the floor tiles at a museum to determine which exhibits are the most popular b. Examining the number of beer cans in the university garbage collections to determine beer consumption patterns c. Examining the wear on the tires of squad cars to determine the extent of police patrols d. Examining the radio dial settings of cars brought in for oil changes to determine the popularity of radio stations e. Examining domestic violence by conducting interviews
e. Examining domestic violence by conducting interviews
Which of the following is a nominal variable? a. Education b. Age c. Employment status d. Occupational prestige e. One needs to know the attributes to determine the level of measurement
e. One needs to know the attributes to determine the level of measurement
You want to examine the relationship between family size and family cohesion. You use as your sample all the students in your research methods class. What kind of sampling design are you using?
e. Reliance on available subjects
A good literature review will make use of a process that is akin to which type of sampling? a. Simple random sampling b. Stratified sampling c. Quota sampling d. Cluster sampling e. Snowball sampling
e. Snowball sampling
Abstracts: a. should give you a good idea as to whether you'll want to read the rest of the article. b. should give you a framework for reading the rest of the article. c. may raise questions in your mind regarding method or conclusions. d. may create an agenda to pursue in reading the article. e. all of these choices are correct.
e. all of these choices are correct.
If a reader asks "Who originally collected the data being reanalyzed?" or "When was the data collected?" that reader is most clearly examining issues that focus on: a. research design. b. survey research. c. theoretical orientation. d. field research. e. analysis of existing statistics.
e. analysis of existing statistics.
Attempts to learn about the world people live in come from a. direct experience. b. tradition. c. direct, personal inquiry. d. authority. e. direct experience; tradition, direct, personal inquiry; and authority.
e. direct experience; tradition, direct, personal inquiry; and authority.
In order to ensure that experimental and control groups are similar before the experiment begins, social scientists sometimes: a. pair subjects who are identical on relevant variables and assign one to the control group and one to the experimental group. b. create groups that are equivalent in terms of their averages on some relevant variables. c. randomly assign subjects to the experimental and control groups. d. match subjects on relevant variables. e. engage in activities mentioned in all of these choices.
e. engage in activities mentioned in all of these choices.
An example of unobtrusive data collection is(are): a. an interview with college freshmen to determine why they selected a particular school. b. a laboratory experiment designed to learn whether people really prefer Pepsi or Coke. c. a mailed survey designed to discern students' attitudes toward a planned change in the school's calendar. d. a researcher who joins a fraternity to understand its rituals. e. examining the wear on the tires of squad cars to determine the extent of police patrols.
e. examining the wear on the tires of squad cars to determine the extent of police patrols.
Probability samples are advantageous to the researcher because: a. the method by which they are selected limits conscious and unconscious sampling bias. b. the accuracy or representativeness of the sample can be estimated. c. they are perfectly representative of the population from which they are drawn. d. all of these choices indicate the advantages of probability sampling. e. the method by which they are selected limits conscious and unconscious sampling bias and the accuracy or representativeness of the sample can be estimated.
e. the method by which they are selected limits conscious and unconscious sampling bias and the accuracy or representativeness of the sample can be estimated.