Sociology Chapter 3
1. A researcher who lives among the homeless in an effort to understand their norms is an example of: a. participant observation b. content analysis c. unobtrusive observation d. survey research
a
10. When Bobby reviews existing research to develop a research question he is involved in ________ . a. a literature review b. data collection c. data analysis d. research design
a
13. Developing a research question is the step in the research process. a. first b. second c. third d. fourth
a
18. How is doing a replication study useful? a. A replication study can indicate what changes have occurred since the original study was conducted. b. A replication study is only useful if the first study was conducted incorrectly. c. If the original researcher replicates the study it is more useful than if other researchers replicate the original study. d. A replication is usually less expensive because most of the work has previously been done.
a
21. To study the difference in academic achievement between male and female athletes, one might look at rates of graduation among university students involved in sports. This is an example of research. a. quantitative b. qualitative c. inductive d. nonscientific
a
24. Which type of research would Mary use if she wants to take an in-depth look at how mothers and daughters interact? a. qualitative b. quantitative c. experimental d. historical
a
29. A characteristic that may have more than one value or score is called a(n) . a. variable b. value c. hypothesis d. observation
a
35. If research clearly established that "study time determines the grades that a student earns," grades are the variable. a. dependent b. independent c. control d. intervening
a
41. Social class and power are examples of: a. a concept b. a hypothesis c. an indicator d. a scale
a
45. A student's grades are not an accurate reflection of the student's intelligence. Therefore a student's grades lack in a study of intelligence. a. validity b. reliability c. objectivity d. abstraction
a
46. When a researcher is concerned if a measure gives consistent results, s/he is focused on . a. reliability b. validity c. ethics d. the Hawthorne effect
a
49. Which of these is used by sociologists to ensure the reliability of measures? a. They use measures that have proven to work in the past. b. They use multiple indicators. c. They warn people that they are being studied. d. They define the concepts in advance.
a
50. A student is given the same survey three times, each time sitting alone in a room. The student's results on the survey are different each time. This is an indication that the survey a. is not reliable. b. is not valid. c. doesn't cover the material it was supposed to. d. is biased.
a
55. When choosing a research method, the most important thing for sociologists to consider is a. what type of sociological question is being investigated. b. which research method is most popular at the time of the study. c. if funding is available for that particular method. d. the size of the desired sample.
a
58. If a researcher is interested in studying baseball teams, the teams represent a . a. correlation b. population c. sample d. primary data source
a
59. What is a sample? a. any subset of people of a population being studied b. another term for the population under study c. the set of data that comes in response to a survey d. a portion of data taken from another study to the one being done
a
6. In what way does sociological knowledge differ from philosophy and personal belief? a. In sociological study the theory must be testable. b. Sociology is the one to explore social problems. c. Sociological is never humanistic and the others are. d. Philosophy and personal beliefs are based on values.
a
60. Professor Porter is interested in studying how students interact with faculty on her campus. All the students at her college represents the in her study. a. population b. sample c. case study d. experimental group
a
67. A gives everyone in the population an equal chance of being selected for a study. a. random sample b. stratified sample c. snowball sample d. biased sample
a
74. The ability to apply the findings from one study to a broader population is called . a. generalization b. validity c. reliability d. proving causality
a
76. Which of the following is the most commonly used method in sociological research? a. survey b. participant observation c. analysis of secondary sources d. experiments
a
78. The return rate for a survey is a. the percentage of those distributed that are completed and returned. b. what the total costs of conducting the survey are. c. the amount of good data that the researcher can take from each survey returned. d. the number of surveys returned but not completed.
a
84. If respondents do not answer a survey honestly, the researcher has a problem with . a. validity b. reliability c. generalization d. serendipity
a
89. If Jeff wants to understand a person's income and employment status he will use . a. an interview b. a survey c. an experiment d. participant observation
a
9. Reasoning that begins with specific observations about which one draws conclusions is called . a. inductive reasoning b. deductive reasoning c. conceptual reasoning d. applied reasoning
a
90. The benefit of participant observation is that it a. adds personal experience to objective knowledge from other sources. b. takes much less time than other research methods. c. is easier than other methods to generalize to a broader population. d. clearly establishes cause and effect.
a
97. What is the disadvantage of doing an experiment? a. experiments may be artificial, eliminating any real life effects b. experiments are not able to establish causation c. experiments rely on too many independent variables d. experiments are too expensive for most sociologists to conduct
a
12. You eat everyday in the same cafeteria on campus and notice that everyone seems to sit with the same group of people whenever they come to eat. You notice that people seem to be sitting with others who share traits such as race or gender, and you decide to explore if this is the case. What kind of reasoning does this involve? a. applied reasoning b. inductive reasoning c. deductive reasoning d. conceptual reasoning
b
15. Professor Conway has read the previous research completed on his research question. Professor Conway is . a. developing a hypothesis b. reviewing the literature c. content analysis d. searching the web
b
17. Research that is exactly the same as a previous study, but on a different group of people or in a different time or place, is called a study. a. carbon b. replication c. reified d. spurious
b
2. The research technique in which the sociologist is the researcher, but is also involved in the activities being studied is called a. subjective analysis. b. participant observation. c. actor-action research. d. ethnography.
b
23. When a researcher uses numerical analysis s/he is engaged in research. a. qualitative b. quantitative c. content d. historical
b
3. How scientific is sociology? a. Sociology is always completely scientific. b. Sociology aspires to be both scientific and humanistic. c. All sociological research strictly adheres to the scientific method. d. Sociology is not one of the empirical sciences.
b
32. In a study of the impact of parental prejudice on the attitudes of their child, the attitudes of the child are the . a. independent variable b. dependent variable c. intervening variable d. control variable
b
33. The variable that is presumed to have an effect on or cause something else is called the variable. a. dependent b. independent c. intervening d. test
b
34. In the statement, "Diet determines one's life expectancy," diet is the variable. a. dependent b. independent c. intervening d. control
b
36. What is the term for an abstract characteristic that cannot be directly observed, but that can potentially be measured? a. variable b. concept c. hypothesis d. indicator
b
37. Concepts are a. empirically testable hypotheses. b. abstract ideas that are potentially measureable. c. ideas that can be directly seen. d. characteristics of a person of a group.
b
38. In the example of the United Nations Human Development Index, life expectancy and educational attainment are used as for level of well-being, which is a(n) . a. independent variables / dependent variable b. indicators / concept c. concepts / indicator d. control variables / experimental variable
b
39. Which of these statements explains why indicator variables are used to study concepts? a. Sociologists have no way of measuring concepts. b. Concepts cannot be observed directly. c. Concepts cannot be included as variables in a study. d. indicators are more easily defined.
b
42. When a researcher is measuring levels of well-being the variable "educational obtainment" becomes a. a dependent variable b. an indicator c. a concept d. none of the above
b
43. Using multiple indicators of a concept likely makes the measure more . a. reliable b. valid c. reactive d. reflective
b
44. How do sociologists ensure the validity of their research findings? a. They stick to a single indicator for a particular concept in order to avoid confusion. b. They use more than one indicator for a particular concept. c. They avoid using concepts at all because they are too abstract. d. They replicate studies multiple times.
b
47. Whether or not a measurement gives the same results when it is repeated under the same conditions is an indication of the measurement's . a. validity b. reliability c. certainty d. replicability
b
48. The gas gauge on your car is broken and always drops to empty when the tank is just half full. Although the gauge is inaccurate, it can still be said to be . a. valid b. reliable c. an independent measure d. inconsistent
b
5. Which of the following is not a step in the scientific research process? a. hypothesis testing b. finding funding for the research c. observation d. data analysis
b
54. When sociologists conduct surveys or engage in participant observation they are gathering a. primary data b. secondary data c. background data d. experimental data
b
57. Which of these is an example of secondary data? a. the results of a researcher's questionnaire b. information on the population from the Census Bureau c. the results of a one's sociological telephone survey d. data gathered from doing participant observation
b
62. A sociologist wants to find out what the attitudes toward drinking are among the students at the university where she works. What would be considered the population for this study? a. a subset of the student population who will answer a questionnaire b. the entire student body at that university c. all of the university students in the U.S. d. everyone on that university campus, including students and non-students
b
63. What is necessary in order to draw the most accurate conclusions about a population while only studying part of it? a. a sample that is at least 10 percent of the population b. a representative sample c. a group of people from the population who volunteer for the study d. a sample that is at least half of the population.
b
64. When Dr. Baker collects census data on farm loss he is using . a. primary b. secondary c. content d. historical
b
69. The process by which sociologists review the collected data to discover the patterns and uniformities that the data reveal is called . a. sampling b. data analysis c. hypothesis testing d. generalization
b
7. Sociological study that starts with a specific research question focused on some generally-held principle is called. a. inductive reasoning b. deductive reasoning c. conceptual reasoning d. applied reasoning
b
71. Researchers use the term "serendipity" to refer to a. unexpected grant money. b. findings that are unexpectedly found while analyzing the date for other findings. c. any findings from their research that seem conclusive. d. conclusions that support their hypothesis.
b
72. A research finding that was not being looked for and is unanticipated is called by researchers. a. spurious b. serendipity c. intervening d. valid
b
79. If a sociologist wants to know how students feel about the cost of living in residence halls, the most appropriate research method to use would be . a. an experiment b. a survey c. observation d. searching university records
b
82. One advantage of surveys is that a. they are rigid. b. they can ask about a large number of topics and use sophisticated techniques to find the patterns among variables. c. they do not need to relate to a hypothesis. d. they have a very high response rate.
b
85. Participant observation is sometimes also referred to as . a. survey research b. field research c. secondary analysis d. controlled analysis
b
86. Compared to survey research, participant observation creates a greater risk that a. the research is not measuring what it is designed to. b. the researcher may be subjective in their interpretations. c. the results are will not be easily understood by other researchers. d. the research process is too analytical.
b
88. The research method that permits the sociologist to be both a subjective participant and an objective observer at the same time is called . a. content analysis b. participant observation c. research on the web d. structured interviews
b
95. In a controlled experiment, the group that is exposed to the variable being studied is called , the group not being exposed is called . a. the control group; the sample b. the experimental group; the control group c. the sample; the population d. the population; the sample
b
96. The group exposed to the variable in a controlled experiment is called the . a. control group b. experimental group c. participant group d. design group
b
98. A(n) analyzes the communications of people in order to paint a picture of society. a. experiment b. content analysis c. questionnaire d. telephone interview
b
99. A study of how women are depicted in advertisements is an example what method? a. literature review b. content analysis c. questionnaire d. analysis of secondary data
b
100. Of the methods listed below, which does not directly study people? a. participant observation b. survey c. content analysis d. experiment
c
19. The is the overall logic of the research project, included what observational method will be used. a. review of the literature b. causal logic of the project c. research design d. sociological analysis
c
20. The is the most important factor in creating a research design. a. available funding b. research question c. review of the literature d. hypothesis
c
22. Professor Evans believes that if his students study more they will improve their exam scores. This is an example of a. quantitative research. b. qualitative research. c. a hypothesis. d. a variable.
c
25. Based on what you read you think that people whose parents are divorced are more likely to become divorced themselves. As you begin your research you state your belief that if a person's parents are divorced that person is more likely to become divorced themselves. This is an example of a . a. research design b. statement of causality c. hypothesis d. generalized conclusion
c
26. How are most hypotheses stated or formulated? a. as an outline of steps that will take place b. as a list of possible outcomes c. as if-then statements d. as a logical argument with evidence presented
c
27. Which of the following statements about hypothesis testing is true? a. all sociological research follows the model of hypothesis b. a hypothesis is a demonstration of fact c. a hypothesis may be either accepted or rejected d. only qualitative studies use hypotheses
c
28. Which of these statements can be said of all sociological research? a. it is all quantitative b. it is all qualitative c. it always has a plan for the collection of data d. it always follows the model of hypothesis
c
30. Which of these statements about variables is true? a. A variable must always be very concrete and straightforward. b. A variable must always be as abstract as possible. c. Research is often designed to discover how variables influence each other. d. Only two variables may be included in any particular study.
c
31. Which of these statements is the best description of a variable? a. A variable is something that the researcher wants to study. b. A variable is something that causes an effect on something else. c. A variable is something that can have more than one value or score. d. A variable is a scientific statement of observation.
c
52. What is the Hawthorne effect? a. researcher bias when interpreting results of data collection b. people act according to what they believe to be true c. subjects of research altering their behavior if they know they are being studied d. believing something will happen actually causes it to happen
c
53. Which of the following is an example of primary data? a. the research used in another sociologist's study b. police reports of crime c. the results of a one's own sociological survey d. birth data from the Bureau of Vital Statistics
c
56. When used as data for sociological analysis, national opinion polls, and census data are all considered . a. invalid b. unreliable c. secondary sources d. primary sources
c
61. A is a large collection of people, groups, or categories that a researcher studies and about which generalizations are made. a. collectivity b. sample c. population d. subject pool
c
65. How do sociologists know if the sample they are using is representative? a. If the people in the sample freely volunteered to serve as representatives b. If the sample has an even number, decided by the researcher, of people from several different categories or backgrounds c. If the sample has the same mix of people, in the same proportions, as the population being studied d. If the participants have been interviewed to reveal possible bias.
c
66. The best way to ensure that a sample is representative of the population is to a. make sure it is large enough. b. select it oneself based on a review of potential sample members. c. select it randomly. d. select people who follow directions well.
c
68. Asking your roommates to answer a survey you designed for your sociology class is problematic because: a. they have not given informed consent. b. they have been are paid to participate. c. they are not randomly selected. d. they have been coerced.
c
70. During which step of the research process do sociologists make their research discoveries? a. formulating a hypothesis b. collecting data c. data analysis d. presenting their conclusions
c
73. A researcher asks himself whether his results apply only to the people he studied or to the whole world. This researcher is questioning the of his research. a. reliability b. validity c. generalizability d. replication
c
8. A sociological study explores whether there is any truth to the stereotype that women are bad drivers. This study is based on which type of reasoning? a. inductive reasoning b. applied reasoning c. deductive reasoning d. conceptual reasoning
c
81. Which type of survey questions are analyzed qualitatively? a. closed-ended questions b. survey data c. open-ended questions d. observational data
c
92. When a researcher engaged in participant observation loses objectivity by becoming so involved that he or she is not longer an observer, this is referred to as . a. losing touch with reality b. going overboard c. going native d. losing one's identity
c
93. Controlled experiments are highly focused ways of collecting data and are especially useful for determining . a. respondent opinions b. qualitative information c. cause and effect d. subjective understandings
c
94. Experiments sometimes include measuring the variable/concept twice. This called . a. sample and population b. primary and secondary c. pretest and posttest d. control and experiment
c
11. Qualitative research is based on . a. survey data b. statistics c. replicated results d. interpretive observations
d
14. Which of the following is not a source of sociological research questions? a. past studies that one may want to expand further b. past research that one would like to develop a critique of c. an observation in everyday life d. All of these may be a source.
d
16. Which of these is not important when assessing whether or not information available on the Internet is valid? a. what kind of organization is responsible for the website b. what variables are discussed and whether a causal connection between the variables is stated c. if the research is based on a random sample, or if it is biased d. the date the website was last updated.
d
4. Sir Francis Bacon originally defined , which involves several steps of the research process. a. deductive reasoning b. inductive reasoning c. qualitative research d. scientific method
d
40. When variables are used in a research project in order to measure an abstract concept, these variables are called . a. dependent b. independent c. intervening d. indicators
d
51. Professor Stevens tells his students at the start of the class that he wants to measure how many pages of notes they take during class. Which of the following is of concern for Professor Stevens? a. the Observational Effect b. the Thomas Theorem c. Murphy's Law d. the Hawthorne Effect
d
75. If the research conclusions may be generalized to a broader population, what does that mean? a. Every member of the population has the same characteristics. b. The findings match theoretical findings. c. The research findings have direct application to policy. d. The findings from the sample can be applied to the population.
d
77. Which of these is not a survey? a. questionnaire b. interview c. telephone or internet poll d. experiment
d
80. When people must respond to a question from a fixed list of possible answers to a question, this a. makes the findings more valid. b. increases reliability. c. is an open-ended question. d. is a closed-ended question.
d
83. Which of the following is not a disadvantage of using surveys to gather data? a. What people say and what they do may be different. b. A survey may not be anonymous or confidential enough. c. Surveys are rigid in their design. d. Surveys are too subjective in their analyses
d
87. William Foote Whyte's "Street Corner Society" is an example of which kind of research? a. A survey b. An interview c. An experiment d. Participant observation
d
91. Which of these is not one of the disadvantages of using participant observation for sociological study? a. it may pose serious dangers for the researcher b. it is time-consuming c. the findings may not be generalizable d. it permits the researcher to use their own subjective experience
d
