Social Science Research Methods Midterm
In a grounded theory explanation a researcher builds the explanation by... -Doing a background check -Making comparisons -Checking on the internet -Findin a common element and ruling it out
Making comparisons
The principle of voluntary consent... -Means that participation in a study must be voluntary at all times -Has no relevance to human subject research -Applies only to animal research -Doesn't include telling human volunteers their rights
Means that participation in a study must be voluntary at all times
Inductive and deductive... -Are two approaches to reasoning in a study method -Cannot be used together -Reasoning are the same thing -Refer to quantitative research only
Are two approaches to reasoning in a study method
Universe
A broad category of cases or units to which the study findings apply
Institutional review board (IRB)
A committee of researchers and community members that oversees, monitors, and reviews the impact of research procedures on human participants
Research proposal
A detailed plan for conducting a study on a specific research question, hat includes a literature review and specific techniques to be used
Variable
A feature of a case or unit that represents multiple types, values, or levels
Critical thinking
A highly aware perspective that tries to avoid fallacies, reveal assumptions, adopt multiple viewpoints, and keep an open mind while questioning simple solutions
Null hypothesis
A hypothesis that there is no relationship between two variables, that they do not influence one another
Linear path
A relatively fixed sequence of steps in one forward direction, with little repeating, moving directly to a conclusion
Peer reviewed
A scholarly publication that has been independently evaluated for its quality and merits by several knowledgeable professional researchers and found acceptable
Hypothesis
A statement about the relationship of two (or more) variables yet to be tested with empirical data
Literature review
A summary of previously conducted studies on the same topic or research question
Causal explanation
A type of research explanation in which you identify one or more causes for an outcome, and place cause and effect in a larger framework
Intervening variable
A variable that comes between the independent and dependent variable in a causal relationship
Code of ethics
A written, formal set of professional standards that provides guidance when ethical questions arise in practice
Practical limitations on study design include... -Having too many research subjects -Addressing ethical concerns -Lack of personal interest -Missing literature to review
Addressing ethical concerns
Nonlinear path
Advancing without fixed order that often requires successive passes through previous steps and moves toward a conclusion indirectly
One of the features that a researcher should consider in selecting an appropriate study topic is... -Where he lives -His history -Aggregates -Cost of obtaining the data
Aggregates
Informed consent
An agreement in which participants state they are willing to be in a study and know what the research procedure will involve
Article search tool
An online service or publication that provides an index, abstract list, or database with which you can quickly search for articles in numerous scholarly journals by title, topic, author, or subject area
Evaluation research
Applied research that is designed to learn whether a program, product, or policy does what it claims to do
Which of the following is NOT true? Scholarly journals... -Are commonly found in college or university libraries -Have a reference or bibliography section that lists sources in detail -Have peer-reviewed articles within them -Are not part of any index location system
Are not part of any index location system
Dr. Van Offer is conducting a survey research study. He will... -Ask people questions in a written format or in an interview format -Need thousands of participants -Summarize the data in PowerPoint presentations only -Need at least 5 assistants to help process the study
Ask people questions in a written format or in an interview format
The purpose of empirical social research is to... -Have a real world application -Generate results stated as fixed absolutes -Be an ongoing process of accumulating information -Be the same as critical thinking
Be an ongoing process of accumulating information
The purpose of descriptive research is to... -Present a generalized picture of a situation -Blend together with explanatory research -Focus on whether something actually works -Be the same as exploratory research
Blend together with explanatory research
Researchers test hypotheses in two ways: a straightforward way and... -By using the null hypothesis -By using dependent variables -By using qualitative analysis -By taking a nonlinear path
By using the null-hypothesis
The law recognizes several very clear prohibitions in conducting research, including never... -Steal another researcher's work -Cause unnecessary harm to research participants -Alter data to fit a proposed hypothesis -Hide any information about research participants
Cause unnecessary harm to research participants
Ms. Goldsworth told her professor that she was having a difficult time determining what is true and how to evaluate data. She actually needs help with... -Critical reasoning -Qualitative research -Historical research -Forming an argument
Critical reasoning
Which of the following is NOT true for quantitative research? -Approach is deductive -Path is linear -Ideas are expressed in the form of district variables -Data is in the form of words and images
Data is in the form of words and images
Empirical Evidence... -Is data or evidence that can be tied to something that can be seen, touched, smelled, etc. -Is always easily collected -Never needs to be documented -Does not need to be collected systematically
Data or evidence that can be tied to something that can be seen, touched, smelled, etc.
Mr. Love, an assistant to Dr. Van Offer, was told that he needed to find empirical evidence. Which best defines the purpose of empirical evidence? -Data or evidence that ultimately can be tied to something that can be seen, touched, smelled, heard, etc. -A list of food items -Unusual work practices -Evidence that is thrown together with no practical meaning
Data or evidence that ultimately can be tied to something that can be seen, touched, smelled, heard, etc.
A study that is developed to determine whether a new immigration law is effective is considered what type of study? -Evaluative -Descriptive -Comprehensive -Exploratory
Evaluative
Dr. Van Offer is a medical doctor with an idea about how to improve his dermatology patients' care. He would like to perform a study. What type of study should he consider? -Exploratory -Descriptive -Explanatory -Experimental
Descriptive
Dr. Marsh did an exploratory study on a topic that he thought was very interesting. He spent hours and hours collecting data and analyzing the data, but when he tried to interpret the data he didn't get anywhere- nothing made sense. Which of the following steps in the research process do you think that Dr. Marsh skipped? -Informing others -Designing the study -Background research -Selecting a topic
Designing the study
Citation
Documenting a source of information in a standardized format
What question will help identify the independent variable? -Do all the researchers agree that the variable is independent -Can the variable stand on its own -Does it come earlier in time? -How many variables are there?
Does it come earlier in time?
When does a research focus the research question when his/her research uses quantitative data? -Early in the process -Proceed slowly and focus on a research question after s/he gathers data -Once the research is exactly 25 percent complete -Never
Early in the process
This type of data collection typically requires that a research closely observes a small group of people over a length of time. -Ethnographic field research -Surveys -Quantitative data collection -Historical-comparative research
Ethnographic field research
Dr. Marsh designed a study to determine if the new healthcare guidelines impacted practitioner procedures. This study is most likely a(n)... -Evaluative study -Extractive study -Exact study -Descriptive study
Evaluative study
Quantitative data
Evidence in the form of numbers
Qualitative data
Evidence in the form of visual images, words, or sounds
Empirical evidence
Evidence of actual events occurring in the world that come from direct or indirect observations
Two types of research are typically done in the later stage of the learning process. They are... -Explanatory, evaluation -Descriptive, explanatory -Evaluation, descriptive -Exploratory, descriptive
Explanatory, evaluation
Dr. Richards took his research in a completely new direction, and found himself asking the "What' question again and again to try to design a second study. His first study was considered a(n)_________ study. -Explanatory -Exploratory -Qualitative -Scholarly
Exploratory
In real life the seven-step research plan often integrates steps, it is nonlinear. What step is the most important in ensuring that the research topic is narrowed to an appropriate area? -Informing others Designing the study -Analyzing the data -Focusing the question
Focusing the question
When a researcher reads a scholarly journal, he or she should... -Ignore anything that might conflict with the researcher's opinion -Only take into account information presented in the article -Form a mental image of the article's topic -Read the article only one
Form a mental image of the article's topic
Informed consent statements contain a... -Detailed and exact description of the purpose and research procedures, including information on other participants -Picture of the researcher and his staff -Guarantee of anonymity and the confidentiality of data records -Fingerprint card
Guarantee of anonymity and the confidentiality of data records
Mr. Love is putting together a reference list, but he is unsure of exactly what he should be doing. Which of the following are appropriate? -He should create his own format style -He should ensure that he is using the correct order of references -All references should start with capital letters and be in reverse alphabetical order -No more than 10 references should ever be listed
He should ensure that he is using the correct order of references
Quantitative data collection techniques include all BUT the following: -Historical comparative research -Experiments -Surveys -Content analyses
Historical comparative research
Dr. Mottle is interested in studying the Amish migration into the Midwest during the 1900s. Which of the following would best fit her research? -Experimental/quantitative research -Content analysis/quantitative research -Ethnographic field research/qualitative research -Historical research/qualitative research
Historical research/qualitative research
Confidentiality
Holding information in confidence or not making it known to the public
Grounded theory
Ideas and themes that are built up from data observation
Explanatory research... -Is compatible with exploratory and descriptive research -Identifies sources of social behaviors and beliefs -Answers the question "does it work?" -Has an outcome of practical recommendations
Identifies sources of social behaviors and beliefs
Which of the following statements is untrue? The Milgram Obedience study... -Came about because Milgram wanted to learn how ordinary people could have carried out the horrors of the Holocaust under the Nazis -Was an experiment that used electrical shockers that were supposedly administered to pupils -Is an example of a study that used deception -Is held up as the most ethical experiment ever conducted
Is held up as the most ethical experiment ever conducted
Basic social research increases general knowledge and... -Its usefulness is usually immediately apparent -Requires that the research purchase expensive equipment -The researchers are activist and interventionist oriented, solving immediate problems -Is the source of many new scientific ideas
Is the source of many new scientific ideas
The unit of analysis... -May change during the research process -Has no meaning in quantitative research -Is the same as the level of analysis -Is the unit on which a researcher measures variables and gathers data
Is the unit on which a researcher measures variables and gathers data
For what reason(s) would a researcher NOT conduct a literature review? -It provides examples of research designs, measures, and techniques -It may stimulate curiosity -It presents what is known of the topic -It is more fun to read than a novel
It is more fun to read than a novel
Critical thinking... -Involves superstition and witchcraft -Looks at an issue from one viewpoint only -Has little to do with research -Leads us to uncover hidden assumptions
Leads us to uncover hidden assumptions
Micro level and macro level are terms used in... -Level of analysis -Lack of analysis -Microscopy -Macroscopy
Level of analysis
There are some very clear prohibitions in regard to human subject research, including... -Never causing unnecessary or irreversible harm to research participants -Under certain circumstances, getting voluntary consent from research participants -Making sure that all the research participants get the experimental treatment -Keeping certain people participating
Never causing unnecessary or irreversible harm to research participants
Principle of voluntary consent
Never force anyone to participate in a research study, participants should explicitly and voluntarily agree to participate
Anonymity
Not connecting a participant's name or identifying details to information collected about him or her
Which of the following might be considered a type of periodical that a research might consider in a literature search? -Novels -Peer-reviewed scholarly journals -Facebook page -My personal blog
Peer-reviewed scholarly journal
Special populations
People lacking the cognitive competency or full freedom to give true informed consent
Social research can cause harm by causing... -The researcher to look like he doesn't know what he is doing -Physical harm or bodily injury -Unpleasant odor in the environment -Confusion
Physical harm or bodily injury
Research fraud
To invent, falsify, or distort study data or to lie about how a study was conducted
Which of the following is NOT a part of the Six Step Process of Literature Review? -Refine the topic -Read books -Design your study -Organize notes, synthesize, and write the review
Refine the topic
Mr. Marsh is starting his literature review on the topic of children and tooth decay. He has found lots and lots of information and now he is really confused as to his next step. What do you think that he should have done first? -Design his search -Locate research reports -Done peer review -Refined the topic
Refined the topic
Quantitative Research experiments... -Are also called survey research -Do not follow the logic found in natural science research -Require a well-defined research question -Have nothing to do with science
Require a well-defined research question
Inductive
Research in which you start many specific observations and move toward general ideas or theory to capture what they show
Deductive
Research in which you start with a general idea or theory and test it by looking at specific observations
Exploratory research
Research into a new topic to develop a general understanding and refining ideas for future research
Explanatory research
Research that attempts to test a theory or develop a new accounting of why activities, events, or relations occur as they do
Descriptive research
Research that presents a quantitative or qualitative picture of an event, activity, or group
Applied research
Research to answer a specific practical question and give usable answers in the short term
Basic research
Research to extend basic understanding and fundamental knowledge about the world by creating and testing theories
Dr. Van Offer is conducting a research study that will expose the subjects to a great deal of stress. What might be one way to protect his subjects from harm? -Tell them to make out their wills before they start the study -Screen potential candidates to ensure that no one is at high risk for heart attack, mental breakdown, etc. -Be deceptive and don't tell the subjects that they might be exposed to stress -Tell them to take an anti-anxiety medication before they start the study
Screen potential candidates to ensure that no one is at high risk for heart attack, mental breakdown, etc.
Abstract
Short summary, usually on the first page of a scholarly journal article
A causal explanation... -Has not link to time order -Has at least ten variables -Specifies how the variables are connected -Has a null hypothesis
Specifies how the variables are connected
Which of the following is NOT a step in the research process? -Design study -Collect data -Take a course in research -Interpret data
Take a course in research
If a researcher's question is about reasons for an increase in the birth rate in Phoenix, AZ, then the dependent variable is... -The birth rate in Phoenix -The reason for increase -The number of babies in the world -Twins
The birth rate in Phoenix
Unit of analysis
The case or unit on which you measure variables or other characteristics
Spuriousness is... -The dependent variable -The independent variable -The cause of both the independent and dependent variables -Something that should be encouraged in all research
The cause of both the independent and dependent variable
What is not needed for a causal explanation? -Time order -The dependent variable -Association -The qualitative variable
The dependent variable
In the cause-effect statement the cause variable is... -The independent variable -The dependent variable -The quantitative variable -The qualitative variable
The independent variable
Level of analysis
The level of reality to which explanations refer, micro to macro
Dependent variable
The variable influenced by and changes as an outcome of another variable
Independent variable
The variable of factors, forces, or conditions action on another variable to produce an effect or change in it
Which of the following is NOT a major purpose of research? -To explore a new issue -To find hidden treasure -To see if a program works as it should -To explain why an event happens in a certain way
To find hidden treasure
Plagiarism
Using another person's words or ideas without giving them proper credit and instead passing them off as your own
Which of the following DOES NOT fit the word "research"? -Applying critical thinking and adopting an orientation -Process of applying accepted techniques and principles -Gathering preexisting information from academic journals -Using faulty logic to make choices
Using faulty logic to make choices
Qualitative research is NOT... -Usually inductive -Causal -Usually number-related -Used to discover the meaning of a social setting
Usually number-related
Scientific misconduct
Violating basic and generally accepted standards of honest scientific research, for example, research fraud and plagiarism
What questions should you ask when taking notes while reading material for your literature review? -How many researchers worked on this project? -What is the study's basic design? -How long did it take the author to do the research? -Which of the researchers designed the experiment or survey?
What is the study's basic design?
Whistle-blowing
When a researcher sees unethical behavior and, after unsuccessful attempts to get superiors to end it, goes public to expose the wrongdoing
Spuriousness
When two variables appear to be causally connected but in reality, they are not because an unseen third factor is the true cause
Which of the following studies might be considered explanatory research? -Why are some women always late for their annual physical? -Do athletes like a specific beverage? -Does the anti-smoking policy in Arizona work? -When is the best time to implement a new student policy?
Why are some women always late for their annual physical?
Applied researchers rarely... -Conduct evaluations of data -Are recognized as leaders in the field of social research -Find anything of significance -Worry about building, testing, or connecting findings to a larger theory
Worry about building, testing, or connecting findings to a larger theory
Which of the following topics is an appropriate topic for social research? -For what four reasons do first graders like reading Dr. Seuss? -Why do I have a headache every Monday? -Why do my neighbors drive a red car? -Why does Dr. Marsh appear to be incompetent?
or what four reasons do first graders like reading Dr. Seuss?
