Question 1

________ is generally the best method available to the social scientist interested in collecting original data to describe a population too large to observe directly.
A) Survey research
B) Content analysis
C) Comparative research
D) An experiment

Accepted Answer

Survey research is the most effective method for collecting original data about a large population. It allows the social scientist to gather information from a representative sample of the population, which can be used to draw conclusions about the entire population. Surveys can be conducted through various means, such as phone interviews, online surveys, or mailed questionnaires, and can include closed-ended or open-ended questions. This method is particularly useful for studying attitudes, behaviors, and opinions of a large population.

Question 2

Harry's study compared how the posts on Craigslist of "men seeking women" differed from the posts of "women seeking men." What method was Harry using when he catalogued the traits mentioned in posts?
A) historical methods
B) comparative research
C) content analysis
D) interviews

Accepted Answer

Harry was using content analysis, which involves systematically examining and categorizing data from various sources, in this case, the posts on Craigslist.

Question 3

Charles is a sociologist studying a population of gay fathers in the United States.He interviews 200 men in his data collection.These 200 men constitute what researchers call a:
A) census.
B) case study.
C) sample.
D) participant observation.

Accepted Answer

The 200 men in Charles' study constitute a sample, which is a subset of a larger population. A census would involve studying every member of the population, which is often impossible or impractical. A case study involves in-depth examination of one or a few individuals, while participant observation involves the researcher observing and participating in the group or culture being studied.

Question 4

Which of the following methods involves collecting data from written reports or other artifacts in order to discover patterns in behaviors or attitudes dating to an earlier time period?
A) experiments
B) audit studies
C) panel surveys
D) historical methods

Accepted Answer

Historical methods involve collecting data from written reports or other artifacts to analyze behaviors or attitudes from a specific time period in the past. Experiments involve manipulating variables to observe their effect on an outcome, audit studies involve examining financial or other records for compliance or accuracy, and panel surveys involve collecting data from the same group of individuals over time.

Question 5

What is an important difference between correlation and causation? Which is harder to establish,and why? Use an example to explain your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is an important difference between correlation...

Question 6

A type of longitudinal study in which the same sample of respondents is tracked over a long period of time is known as:
A) an experiment.
B) participant observation.
C) the historical method.
D) a panel survey.

Accepted Answer

A panel survey involves following the same group of individuals over a prolonged period of time, collecting data at specific intervals. Therefore, the best choice for this type of study is D - a panel survey.

Question 7

You conduct a study of romantic love among college students.You ask one student to participate,and she says she is annoyed and offended that you asked her.You have caused her harm,but does this level of harm constitute an ethics violation?
A) No,because this harm is not physical.
B) No,because this harm is not greater than that which people encounter in everyday life.
C) Yes,because researchers should not annoy or offend people.
D) Yes,because in her subjectivity,this constitutes harm.

Accepted Answer

While it is unfortunate that the student was annoyed and offended, this level of harm is not greater than what people encounter in everyday life. An ethics violation would entail greater harm, such as physical harm or mental distress beyond what could be expected in daily life. However, researchers should still strive to obtain informed consent and avoid causing harm to participants whenever possible.

Question 8

The main reason that achieving high response rates and limiting selection bias are so important is that they:
A) increase generalizability.
B) decrease generalizability.
C) increase validity.
D) decrease validity.

Accepted Answer

Achieving high response rates and limiting selection bias increase the representativeness of the sample, making it more likely to be able to generalize the findings to a larger population. This improves the generalizability of the study.

Question 9

Roger Brubaker's study analyzed notions of citizenship in both France and Germany.His method of research is known as:
A) comparative research.
B) a case study.
C) an experiment.
D) content analysis.

Accepted Answer

As the question states that Brubaker analyzed notions of citizenship in both France and Germany, it indicates that he has used a method of comparing two entities, in this case, two countries. This method of research is known as comparative research.

Question 10

Which of the following is one of the golden rules of ethical conduct in social research?
A) Always remain completely objective and neutral.
B) Never interact directly with research subjects.
C) Do no harm.
D) Never debrief.

Accepted Answer

The golden rule of ethical conduct in social research is to do no harm to the research subjects. It is important to prioritize the well-being and safety of individuals participating in research.

Question 11

Compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative research methods.List and explain two points of comparison (similarity).List and explain two points of contrast (difference).

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative research...

Question 12

Jackson is using newspaper articles dating from the early 1950s to study unofficial attitudes toward working women post-World War II.Jackson is using what research method?
A) experimental
B) content analysis
C) comparative research
D) historical methods

Accepted Answer

Jackson is using historical methods, as they are analyzing newspaper articles from a specific time period to understand attitudes towards working women post-World War II.

Question 13

Define hypothesis.State a hypothesis of your own using,for example,the variables weight and eating habits or access to healthful foods and eating habits.Identify the independent variable (X).Identify the dependent variable (Y).

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define hypothesis.State a hypothesis of your own...

Question 14

A sociologist studies children at a day care center.She must get approval from an ethics board because children are a ________ population.
A) qualitative
B) census
C) protected
D) total

Accepted Answer

Protected populations refer to groups of people who are vulnerable or at risk, such as children or individuals with disabilities, and therefore require additional ethical considerations and protections in research. The fact that the sociologist needs to obtain approval from an ethics board indicates the need for ethical considerations when studying this population.

Question 15

The General Social Survey (GSS)is replicated yearly with a new sample of 2,000 respondents.This is an example of:
A) an experiment.
B) participant observation.
C) a repeated cross-sectional survey.
D) a census.

Accepted Answer

The GSS is a repeated cross-sectional survey because it collects data from a new sample each year, rather than following the same individuals over time (which would be a longitudinal study). An experiment involves manipulating variables to observe their effects, participant observation involves observing people in their natural settings, and a census involves collecting data from an entire population, not just a sample.

Question 16

Which of the following might be an advantage of participant observation research?
A) The researcher has considerable control over the conditions of the research.
B) The researcher can uncover what people do rather than simply what they say they do.
C) The researcher maintains objectivity by staying in the "white coat" role.
D) It is a useful method for studying large and diverse populations.

Accepted Answer

Participant observation research allows the researcher to observe people's behavior directly, which can uncover what people actually do as opposed to what they say they do. This can provide a more accurate understanding of social phenomena.

Answer:None of the other options are correct.
 Option A is incorrect because participant observation research often involves studying people in their natural environments, which limits the researcher's control over the conditions. Option C is incorrect because participant observation research often requires the researcher to participate in the activities being observed, which can blur the lines between the researcher and the participants. Option D is incorrect because participant observation research often involves studying small and specific populations in-depth rather than large and diverse ones.

Question 17

When cities such as Detroit requested adjustment of census data,why did this research issue become a political battle? Because:
A) an institutional review board took the case to federal court.
B) federal dollars are tied to census study results.
C) it is women,children,and minorities who are most often undercounted.
D) the mayor of Detroit had a PhD in sociology.

Accepted Answer

Federal dollars are often allocated based on census data, so adjustments to the data can have significant financial implications. As a result, politicians and interest groups may become involved in advocating for or against such adjustments. Choice A is not relevant since it pertains to an unrelated legal process. Choice C is true but doesn't fully explain why the issue became political. Choice D is also not relevant, as the educational background of the mayor of Detroit does not explain the political nature of the census data adjustment issue.

Question 18

If a sociologist collects data on only one high school in a study of the effectiveness of its parent-teacher association,he or she is using which of the following research methods?
A) experiment
B) case study
C) panel survey
D) content analysis

Accepted Answer

The sociologist is using a case study method because this approach involves an in-depth investigation of a single entity or instance—in this case, one high school—to explore its dynamics and characteristics.

Question 19

Research subjects have a right to know that they are participating in a study and what the study consists of.This is known as:
A) involuntary participation.
B) informed consent.
C) manifest content.
D) latent content.

Accepted Answer

The right of research subjects to be informed about the study and to provide their voluntary consent is a fundamental ethical principle in research, known as informed consent. This ensures that participants understand the purpose, risks, and benefits of the study, and gives them the opportunity to decide whether or not to participate. Involuntary participation (A) would be unethical, while manifest and latent content (C, D) are related to Freudian psychoanalysis and not relevant to research ethics.

Question 20

A potential shortcoming of survey research is that surveys:
A) tend to focus more on what people do than what they say.
B) rely on people's honesty and willingness to cooperate.
C) cannot reflect the total population.
D) cannot be used on large populations.

Accepted Answer

Survey research relies on people's honesty and willingness to cooperate. However, some people may not be truthful or may not want to participate, which can lead to biased or incomplete data.

Quiz 2: Methods

________ is generally the best method available to the social scientist interested in collecting original data to describe a population too large to observe directly.

Harry's study compared how the posts on Craigslist of "men seeking women" differed from the posts of "women seeking men." What method was Harry using when he catalogued the traits mentioned in posts?

Charles is a sociologist studying a population of gay fathers in the United States.He interviews 200 men in his data collection.These 200 men constitute what researchers call a:

Which of the following methods involves collecting data from written reports or other artifacts in order to discover patterns in behaviors or attitudes dating to an earlier time period?

What is an important difference between correlation and causation? Which is harder to establish,and why? Use an example to explain your answer.

A type of longitudinal study in which the same sample of respondents is tracked over a long period of time is known as:

You conduct a study of romantic love among college students.You ask one student to participate,and she says she is annoyed and offended that you asked her.You have caused her harm,but does this level of harm constitute an ethics violation?

The main reason that achieving high response rates and limiting selection bias are so important is that they:

Roger Brubaker's study analyzed notions of citizenship in both France and Germany.His method of research is known as:

Which of the following is one of the golden rules of ethical conduct in social research?

Compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative research methods.List and explain two points of comparison (similarity).List and explain two points of contrast (difference).

Jackson is using newspaper articles dating from the early 1950s to study unofficial attitudes toward working women post-World War II.Jackson is using what research method?

Define hypothesis.State a hypothesis of your own using,for example,the variables weight and eating habits or access to healthful foods and eating habits.Identify the independent variable (X).Identify the dependent variable (Y).

A sociologist studies children at a day care center.She must get approval from an ethics board because children are a ________ population.

The General Social Survey (GSS) is replicated yearly with a new sample of 2,000 respondents.This is an example of:

Which of the following might be an advantage of participant observation research?

When cities such as Detroit requested adjustment of census data,why did this research issue become a political battle? Because:

If a sociologist collects data on only one high school in a study of the effectiveness of its parent-teacher association,he or she is using which of the following research methods?

Research subjects have a right to know that they are participating in a study and what the study consists of.This is known as:

A potential shortcoming of survey research is that surveys: