Quiz 2 Questions

What kind of question usually produces a wide variety of responses by allowing respondents to answer in whatever way seems appropriate to them? a closed-ended question an open-ended question a double-barreled question a leading question a loaded question

an open-ended question

A graduate student is almost done with his dissertation when he is informed that twenty years ago someone did a very similar project and already demonstrated what he had hoped to be the first to discover. What basic step of the scientific method could have saved him from this problem? developing an operational definition selecting a research method analyzing data reviewing the literature creating relevant variables

reviewing the literature

When Laud Humphreys was a sociology graduate student at Washington University in St. Louis, he wrote his dissertation on the "tearoom trade," anonymous homosexual encounters in the men's rooms of public parks. To gather data, he acted as a lookout for his subjects, but he also surreptitiously noted license-plate numbers as the men left, so he could get their names and addresses. The next year, he picked about 50 men from the "tearooms" and interviewed them in their homes, claiming to be performing a health survey. His descriptions of the interviews made it possible for many of the men (and their families) to recognize themselves when the dissertation was published. Why do many sociologists consider this research method to be unethical? It used terminology that was confusing to the interview subjects. It put Humphreys at risk for arrest or retaliation. It harmed the reputation of the city of St. Louis. It failed to protect the biographical anonymity of his subjects. It investigated an extremely sensitive subject.

It failed to protect the biographical anonymity of his subjects.

Every discipline that does research on humans needs a code of ethics in order to protect its research subjects. While it's easy to see that medical research could harm people if not carried out ethically, the risks associated with sociological research may seem more subtle. Describe these risks.

Some of these risks include breaching of confidentiality and subjects finding out what was written about them. The code of ethics avoids risks by avoiding bias, adhere to professional standards and protect respondents from harm.

Both interviews and surveys require a researcher to write clear, unambiguous questions in order to generate good data. What are the pitfalls and benefits of crafting specific types of questions?

Some pitfalls of writing clear, unambiguous question involves asking the right kind of question to obtain good data based on the group, the types of questions to ask are closed-ended question which imposes a limit possible responses, an open ended question allows for a wide variety of responses. The researchers must avoid biased or leading questions so they do not purpose a respondent to answer a certain way and having double barreled questions that involve too many different issues at one time. Questions must avoid ambiguous or emotional language that might confuse or spark emotional language on the part of the respondent. The benefits of crafting these questions is the result of getting good data that is reliable.

Sometimes survey researchers reject randomness and instead use weighting techniques to construct a sample. How is a weighted sample different from a random one? The weighted sample does not target any specific group within the population. The weighted sample more closely resembles the larger population. A weighted sample excludes some members of the population. A weighted sample draws from a larger target population rather than a random one. A weighted sample is only used when a researcher needs to ask weighted questions.

The weighted sample more closely resembles the larger population.

A professor has been commissioned by a college to do research on its new academic system. The college has moved from a semester system to block scheduling. He asks, "How have teachers and students responded to the new intensive block scheduling system?" This is an example of: a leading question. a double-barreled question. a closed-ended question. a self-fulfilling prophecy. reflexivity.

a double-barreled question

Which of the following affect the methods used by sociological researchers? what they want to accomplish the methods they are trained in and feel comfortable with the time available to complete their projects the resources and funds available all of the above

all of the above

A sociologist wants to study popular attitudes and perceptions about astrology among college students in California. She believes that people who have astrological signs identified with fire will have a greater knowledge of astrology because fire signs tend to have more interesting and attractive symbolism. What are the variables in this study? astrological signs and knowledge of astrology college students and symbolism popular attitudes and perceptions astrological signs and symbolism California and college students

astrological signs and knowledge of astrology

Jai is conducting a sociological research study on differences in interactions between similar and dissimilar co-workers. After reviewing the literature, he developed a hypothesis that interactions between co-workers who are more similar will be more positive, and he has operationalized study variables. What is the next step Jai should take in the sociological research or approach or method? identify a problem or ask a question analyze data form a hypothesis; give operational definitions to variables Correct Response choose a research design or method collect data

choose a research design or method

Which method of social research might involve shifting between participating in a social situation and being an observer? interviews surveys access negotiation comparative-historical research ethnography

ethnography

Julie Bettie wrote her ethnography Women Without Class: Girls, Race, and Identity to examine the role of race and class in the lives of girls in California's Central Valley. She did most of her work at a high school, hanging out with and talking to students, but she felt very self-conscious about writing down her observations where the girls could see her, so she often ducked into a bathroom stall to write. What do ethnographers call her written observations? interviews representativeness nonverbal communication fieldnotes ethnographies

fieldnotes

In her ethnography Number Our Days, Barbara Myerhoff investigated the daily lives of elderly Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who lived in Los Angeles. Most of her work took place at a senior citizen center. Before she could even start this research, Myerhoff had to convince the director of the center that it was a legitimate and worthwhile project, a process known as: gaining access. participant observation. fieldnotes. thick description. sampling.

gaining access

A closed-ended question is one that: allows for a wide variety of responses. encourages respondents to answer creatively. limits the possible responses. is used as the final question in a survey. can only be answered orally.

limits the possible responses

Which methodology most closely resembles the scientific method? ethnography survey research experimental research interviews content analysis

survey research

Every four years when it's time to elect a new president, we pay much attention to surveys, which we usually call "polls." Even though there are more than three hundred million people in the United States, most political pollsters ask about a thousand people who it is they plan to vote for and use that information to predict how the election will turn out. Who is the sample for a presidential poll? every person who is planning on voting every American all those people who have strong political opinions voters the one thousand people who are asked whom they will vote for

the one thousand people who are asked whom they will vote for

What are the goals of ethnography? to explain ethnic differences using qualitative methods to develop quantitative data sets that allow researchers to discover correlations to conduct interviews with people who have very different ways of life to describe activities sociologists observe and to understand what those activities mean to the people involved to develop ethics and standards for sociological research

to describe activities sociologists observe and to understand what those activities mean to the people involved

Sociologists try to conduct interviews that are both more systematic and more scientific than those conducted by journalists. True False

true

Which of the following steps might help a researcher avoid problems associated with reactivity? using secrecy or deception being totally ethical at all times using random sampling techniques using properly constructed questions being objective

using secrecy or deception

You're doing a research project on the effects of contemporary media. If your hypothesis is that "watching violence on television causes an increase in violent behavior," then what are your variables? violence on television and violent behavior number of violent acts and age of television watchers watching television, violence on television, and violent behavior violent behavior violence in the media

violence on television and violent behavior