Research Methods

A focus group is organized to bring together as diverse a population as possible.

False

Ethics in social research

all of these choices are correct may stem from religious, political, and pragmatic sources among others. is defined as general agreements shared by researchers as to what is proper and improper in the conduct of scientific inquiry. may vary from one point in time to another. may vary from one social research community to another.

How can anonymity be ensured in paper-based mail surveys?

assigning random identification numbers

Who are the people who should be specially protected by the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?

children

A qualitative interview is most like a(n)

conversation

A second researcher decides to select a LARGE sample of citizens in a community to interview before a new factory is built in the community. This researcher does not believe there is a need to re-interview these citizens at a later date. This researcher has engaged in _________ research design

cross-sectional

This type of research design examines a phenomena at a single point in time

cross-sectional

Debriefing is particularly helpful in responding to which ethical issue?

deception

The main reason that codes of ethics exist are that

ethical issues are both important and ambiguous.

Focus group participants are typically selected via probability samples.

false

Research designs are descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory-never more than one.

false

Researchers ignore previous work on a topic so that their research can be original.

false

The purpose of the literature review is to

familiarize the reader about the topic and what is known about it

Professor Miller taped eight focus groups to examine citizens' attitudes toward park development. As a research methods student, you told her that an advantage of the focus group is that

focus groups have high face validity

Andrea studied Native American women to learn more about how they cope with their minority status. What was her unit of analysis?

individuals

Focus groups are typically used in

marketing research

The period of a research study in which data is actually collected is what step?

observation

Arianna is planning to study the future criminal behavior of individuals currently enrolled in a diversionary juvenile program. What type of research method may she use?

panel

In addition to performing interviews for research purposes, Piet began to serve as a resource to them by providing contacts for social services. He participated and worked with them to understand their problems and how they could be remedied, and directed his research in a way that would benefit them and reduce their plight. Which paradigm did Piet use?

participatory action research

Which study population is controversial with regard to voluntary participation in research?

prisioners

​Journalists and social scientists differ with regard to interviews in their:

relationship to data

Which of the following is NOT a qualitative research method?

survey

Ethical issues are distinguished from political issues in research in that

there are no formal codes of accepted political conduct whereas there are codes of ethical conduct.

In most interviewing protocols, it is usually better to establish rapport before proceeding with difficult or sensitive topics.

true

Secondary analysis refers to research in which the data collected and processed by one researcher are reanalyzed by another researcher, often for a different purpose.

true

The literature review is an important and necessary component of a research proposal.

true

A key problem associated with secondary analysis is

validity

The final stage of the research process involves

writing and application.

Which of the following is NOT a disadvantage of focus groups?

Focus groups allow for multiple viewpoints to be heard..

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a cross-sectional study?

It concentrates on the changes that take place among a specific sample over a period of time.