Chapter 2

True or false: Sociologists are interested in general patterns that emerge from their research but not exceptions to those patterns. a. True b. False

b. False

A speculative statement that a researcher makes about the relationship between two or more variables is called a. a correlation. b. a theory. c. a conclusion. d. a hypothesis.

d. a hypothesis.

Which of the following statements is true about operational definitions? a. A study cannot contain more than one operational definition. b. An operational definition must be vague so that its meaning can be adjusted as needed. c. An operational definition serves as a useful explanation of an abstract concept. d. The goal of a research project is to falsify its operational definitions.

c. An operational definition serves as a useful explanation of an abstract concept.

Select all that apply After completing your research, which of the following are useful tips for preparing a report for your class? a. Cite all your sources. b. Read the report aloud. c. Take time to develop an outline. d. Make the report as broad as possible to cover many different topics. e. Wait until the last possible moment to write the report.

a. Cite all your sources. b. Read the report aloud. c. Take time to develop an outline.

Why would monitoring callers to a radio talk show not be a good way to gather information about the general population's feelings on a specific issue? a. Entire categories of people do not listen to those programs, and only some listeners call in. b. The people who call in are typical Americans. c. Radio programs alter people's opinions, which would make the callers' views inaccurate. d. It is unethical to listen to radio programs and to use the answers for research purposes.

a. Entire categories of people do not listen to those programs, and only some listeners call in.

An independent variable a. causes the change to another variable. b. depends on the influence of another variable. c. is independent of any other variables and needs to be analyzed on its own merits. d. may or may not exist in the researchers' hypothesis.

a. causes the change to another variable.

Correlation is a relationship in which a change in one variable ______ a change in the other variable. a. coincides with b. negates c. causes d. is independent of

a. coincides with

The research design chosen by researchers guides the way they will ______ their data. a. collect b. judge c. fabricate d. reject

a. collect

List the steps of the scientific method in order from first to last, with the first step at the top. a. define the problem b. report the results c. select a research design and collect and analyze data d. review the literature e. formulate a testable hypothesis

a. define the problem d. review the literature e. formulate a testable hypothesis c. select a research design and collect and analyze data b. report the results

Select all that apply Which of the following are research designs that sociologists regularly use? a. ethnography b. experiments c. utopias d. surveys e. cartography f. correlations

a. ethnography b. experiments d. surveys

Select all that apply Technology's impact on sociological research a. has allowed researchers to conduct studies independent of grants and institutions. b. is only valuable if everyone has access to the Internet. c. has helped researchers to access larger amounts of data. d. has allowed researchers to work from home but only if they have a grant.

a. has allowed researchers to conduct studies independent of grants and institutions. c. has helped researchers to access larger amounts of data.

In order for research to be both valid and reliable, it has to a. measure what it says it is going to measure and produce consistent results. b. have variables that influence other variables. c. contain clearly written questions and measurements that give variable results, thus producing independent and dependent variables. d. measure things in general and give an overview of results.

a. measure what it says it is going to measure and produce consistent results.

Select all that apply How can surveys be administered? a. telephone interviews b. observation from a distance c. online questionnaires d. personal interviews e. secondary analysis

a. telephone interviews c. online questionnaires d. personal interviews

If the presence of researchers affects the behavior of the subjects being studied, this is known as a. the Hawthorne effect. b. cause and effect. c. content analysis. d. secondary analysis.

a. the Hawthorne effect.

Causal logic is best defined as a. the relationship between a condition and a consequence, with one leading to the other. b. the design of a research project. c. a change in one variable coinciding with a change in the other variable. d. a speculative statement about the relationship between two or more factors known as variables.

a. the relationship between a condition and a consequence, with one leading to the other.

If a sample is representative, this means a. the sample reflects the test population. b. the measurement that was used provided consistent results. c. the researchers' hypothesis can be supported. d. nothing, because all data can be validated.

a. the sample reflects the test population.

Which of the following describe the scientific method? (Select all that apply.) a. It is based on personal opinion. b. It is systematic. c. It leaves room for subjectivity. d. It is an organized, step-by-step process.

b. It is systematic. d. It is an organized, step-by-step process.

Select all that apply Which of the following statements about finding information for a research report are true? a. Use academic journals and reference works but exclude government documents. b. Make use of your library's online catalog. c. Begin with the materials closest at hand, such as textbooks. d. Use books instead of periodicals.

b. Make use of your library's online catalog. c. Begin with the materials closest at hand, such as textbooks.

______ research provides rich information from sources such as field observations and in-depth interviews. a. Quantitative b. Qualitative c. Hypothetical d. Anecdotal

b. Qualitative

Select all that apply Observation is a form of qualitative research, but it can have some challenges for researchers. Which of the following are challenges in using observation as a research technique? a. Researchers do not need to gain acceptance from the group, just respect. b. Researchers must be careful not to develop friendships to influence the subjects' behavior. c. Researchers must try their best to attach to members of the group. d. Researchers must remain detached to some degree from the subjects under study.

b. Researchers must be careful not to develop friendships to influence the subjects' behavior. d. Researchers must remain detached to some degree from the subjects under study.

A hypothesis is a. a lie that needs to be exposed by researchers and is independent of the variables. b. a conjecture by the researcher about the connection between multiple fluctuating factors. c. a truth that needs to be proven by researchers and is dependent on the variables. d. a proven explanation for the relationship between known variables.

b. a conjecture by the researcher about the connection between multiple fluctuating factors.

Which of the following approaches best represents a "veiled reporting" technique? a. shielding the identities of the researchers from the test subjects b. asking respondents a sensitive question among other less sensitive ones c. selecting interview questions at random d. using an ethnically diverse control group

b. asking respondents a sensitive question among other less sensitive ones

If researchers want to have an effective survey question, the survey question must a. lead the respondents to the answer that the researchers want to validate their hypothesis. b. be easily understandable by the respondents. c. be as general as possible. d. give respondents a reason to answer the question, such as a monetary incentive.

b. be easily understandable by the respondents.

Scientific studies do not aim to answer all the questions that can be raised about a particular subject. Therefore, the conclusion of a research study represents a. all that can be known about the topic. b. both an end and a beginning. c. a failure. d. that the study was flawed and needs to be repeated.

b. both an end and a beginning.

If you are in a group being studied as part of a research project and you are not exposed to the independent variable, your group functions as the ______ variable. a. experimental b. control c. causal d. wrong

b. control

What is the term for the degree to which a measure or scale truly reflects the phenomenon under study? a. reliability b. validity c. causal d. correlation

b. validity

What is the study of an entire social setting through extended systematic fieldwork? a. geology b. ethnography c. cartography d. biology

b. ethnography

Select all that apply Graphs and tables are used by sociologists to do which of the following? a. make a study less scientific b. help develop conclusions c. solicit data d. display data

b. help develop conclusions d. display data

Which of the following is characteristic of a dependent variable? a. has little to do with the independent variable b. influenced by the independent variable c. predicts change d. causes other variables to act or react

b. influenced by the independent variable

When applying the scientific method to research a project, social science researchers have to develop a(n) ______ of each concept that is being studied. a. causal logic b. operational definition c. dependent variable d. independent variable

b. operational definition

Select all that apply Which of the following statements are part of the American Sociological Association's Code of Ethics? a. keep sources of research funding confidential b. preserve confidentiality c. maintain objectivity and integrity in research d. keep information separate from other fields of study e. acknowledge research collaboration and assistance

b. preserve confidentiality c. maintain objectivity and integrity in research e. acknowledge research collaboration and assistance

For sociologists to reach general conclusions about society, their research findings need to be a. verified by independent sources. b. representative of all members of society. c. politically neutral. d. randomly generated.

b. representative of all members of society.

By ______, researchers refine the problem under study, clarify possible techniques to be used in collecting data, and eliminate or reduce avoidable mistakes. a. developing the conclusion b. reviewing the literature c. formulating the hypothesis d. selecting the research design and then collecting and analyzing data e. defining the problem

b. reviewing the literature

What does reliability refer to in the context of scientific research? a. that little or no data have been lost b. that measurements produce consistent results c. that the data been analyzed and adjusted d. that there is a true representation of the sample population

b. that measurements produce consistent results

Why did the American Sociological Association make the code of ethics a part of sociological research? a. to distinguish sociology from other sciences that do not have a code of ethics b. to encourage sociologists to maintain objectivity, integrity, and the confidentiality of their subjects c. to tell research subjects how they should behave while being studied d. to generate revenue from dues

b. to encourage sociologists to maintain objectivity, integrity, and the confidentiality of their subjects

Why do sociologists use percentages, means, modes, and medians to conduct their research? (Select all that apply.) a. to make their studies more complicated b. to save time analyzing data c. to make reports shorter d. to identify patterns in long lists of numbers

b. to save time analyzing data d. to identify patterns in long lists of numbers

Researchers who want to gather information about how people think would probably a. conduct an observational study. b. perform an experiment. c. administer a survey. d. engage in secondary analysis.

c. administer a survey.

Sociologist R.C. Morris used data about the U.S. prison population and a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program to study which of the following groups? a. children born in prison b. LGBTQ prisoners c. children of incarcerated parents d. juvenile inmates

c. children of incarcerated parents

Select all that apply Information found on the Internet is often incorrect. Which of the following approaches helps ensure web-based research is valid? a. using highly trafficked, professional-looking websites b. choosing websites from the top of search engine results c. confirming Internet research results with established, reputable sources d. avoiding web pages with an obvious bias

c. confirming Internet research results with established, reputable sources d. avoiding web pages with an obvious bias

Select all that apply Scientists use the scientific method to ensure which two things? a. subjectivity b. fallacy c. consistency d. objectivity

c. consistency d. objectivity

What is a term for the systematic coding and objective recording of data that is guided by some rationale? a. content building b. psychoanalysis c. content analysis d. context

c. content analysis

It is important for students to understand the scientific method, even if they will never do sociological research, so they can a. never read newspapers or watch TV news again. b. impress their friends with their knowledge. c. differentiate between facts, errors, and fiction. d. perform experiments on their own children.

c. differentiate between facts, errors, and fiction.

Select all that apply When conducting research, sociologists review literature in order to do which of the following? (Select all that apply.) a. look for mistakes that other researchers have made and report them to the appropriate agency b. duplicate other sociologists' work and to write the results exactly as the other sociologists did without giving them credit c. gain insights about other factors that might pertain to their study d. analyze other relevant studies about the same problem they are researching to gain additional insights

c. gain insights about other factors that might pertain to their study d. analyze other relevant studies about the same problem they are researching to gain additional insights

What is term for a type of analysis that does NOT influence a person's behavior? a. retroactive b. reactive c. nonreactive d. hyperactive

c. nonreactive

The _______ refers to the way sociologists go about researching a problem in the most objective, consistent way possible. a. secondary analysis b. control variable c. scientific method d. Hawthorne effect

c. scientific method

When the data collected do not support the hypothesis, a. the researchers must change the research design to get the results they are after. b. the researchers must show why the collected data is inaccurate. c. the researchers must accept the results and report them in their conclusions. d. the researchers will need to discard the research and start over.

c. the researchers must accept the results and report them in their conclusions.

Which of the following statements about developing the conclusion of a scientific study is true? a. No part of a scientific study can be considered to reach a conclusion. b. Sociologists study very focused subjects in order to be able to answer all questions about it. c. Reaching a conclusion in a scientific study means future study is no longer viable or necessary. d. The conclusion of a scientific study functions as both an end and a beginning.

d. The conclusion of a scientific study functions as both an end and a beginning.

One type of summary sociologists use, ______, is a table that shows the relationship between two or more variables. a. hypothesis b. percentage c. content analysis d. cross-tabulation

d. cross-tabulation

When research reveals a correlation between two or more variables, this a. tells us that there is no need for further investigation. b. means that the hypothesis is wrong and the study should end. c. indicates that there is a causation between two variables. d. indicates that causality may or may not be present.

d. indicates that causality may or may not be present.

The ethnographic approach used by sociologists who join a group to enhance their study of the group is called ________ observation.

participant