Question 1

Howard Becker told a story about a student who wanted to learn why mail carriers chose specific routes. His student thought mail carriers would choose their preferred routes based on safety concerns, but instead learned that mail carriers chose routes according to the how much uphill or downhill walking was required. This anecdote is a useful example of ________.
A) determining a participant's social ties to a neighbourhood
B) determining what research design is necessary
C) why asking what seem like straightforward questions in research is important
D) why quantitative research data are generalizable

Accepted Answer

This anecdote illustrates the importance of asking straightforward questions in research to uncover unexpected insights, such as the real reasons behind mail carriers' route choices, which were not initially considered.

Question 2

According to the textbook, research participants ________.
A) are usually involuntary subjects who are observed covertly in their social settings by researchers
B) are people who voluntarily welcome researchers to interview them, or join them in their social setting
C) include anyone who is involved in social research (such as researchers, research assistants, respondents, etc.)
D) only include those people who take part in experiments in laboratories

Accepted Answer

Research participants are typically individuals who voluntarily agree to be part of a study, allowing researchers to interview them or observe their behavior in social settings. This voluntary participation is crucial for ethical research practices.

Question 3

The best combination of the three central elements of the positivist tradition is ________.
A) realist perspective, trust in causal knowledge, reliance on deductive reasoning
B) focus on theory testing, no trust in causal knowledge, reliance on intuition
C) realist perspective, truth as an objective reality, reliance on intuition
D) trust in causal knowledge, systematic observation, reliance on inductive reasoning

Accepted Answer

The positivist tradition emphasizes a realist perspective, trust in causal knowledge, and reliance on deductive reasoning to test hypotheses and theories.

Question 4

Qualitative research began to re-emerge as a popular and mainstream method in ________.
A) the early 1960s
B) the early 2000s
C) the late 1920s
D) the late 1880s

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research began to re-emerge as a popular and mainstream method in the early 1960s, following a period where quantitative methods were more dominant. This resurgence was part of a broader methodological debate in the social sciences that recognized the value of qualitative approaches for understanding complex social phenomena.

Question 5

The sociological term verstehen ________.
A) means that if we define a situation to be real, it will be real in its consequences
B) means that the definition of an object constantly evolves and is mediated through shared understandings
C) is another way of saying "the looking-glass self"
D) means putting yourself in the "shoes" of your research subjects

Accepted Answer

Verstehen is a German term used in sociology that means understanding the social behavior of others by putting oneself in their place. It implies an empathetic or participatory understanding of the motives and contexts of human behavior, especially in qualitative research.

Question 6

Symbolic interactionism was first formulated by ________.
A) Howard Becker
B) Thomas Kuhn
C) W.I. Thomas
D) Herbert Blumer

Accepted Answer

Herbert Blumer is credited with coining the term "symbolic interactionism" and is considered a key figure in developing this sociological perspective, which emphasizes the role of symbols and language in human interaction.

Question 7

The textbook illustrates the concept of definition of the situation by referring to ________.
A) Will C. van den Hoonaard's experience of "baby talk" in Iceland
B) Thomas Kuhn's book The Structure of the Scientific Revolution
C) how studying widows prepared the author for dealing with her own father's death
D) the importance readers place on the interpretations made by researchers themselves

Accepted Answer

The concept of the definition of the situation is illustrated by Will C. van den Hoonaard's experience of "baby talk" in Iceland, which highlights how individuals interpret and define social situations.

Question 8

The self we define through seeing ourselves as "things" and defining ourselves through our interactions with others is associated with the sociological concept of ________.
A) verstehen
B) reflexivity
C) looking-glass self
D) methodological individualism

Accepted Answer

The concept of the "looking-glass self" is associated with how we see ourselves through the eyes of others and our interactions with them, influencing our self-concept.

Question 9

Harold Garfinkel developed the ethnomethodological approach, which ________.
A) recommends the use of causal experiments to uncover the truth of everyday interactions
B) understands social interaction as an outgrowth of the relationship between internal identities and external expectations
C) recommends the use of positivist theories as a foundation for the approach
D) understands how people go about their everyday lives in the absence of formal rules

Accepted Answer

Harold Garfinkel's ethnomethodological approach focuses on how people understand and produce the social order in everyday life, particularly how they make sense of their everyday activities and interactions in the absence of formal rules. This approach does not emphasize causal experiments, positivist theories, or the relationship between internal identities and external expectations as primary methods or foundations.

Question 10

Genevieve's qualitative methods instructor asked the class to perform a ________. The next day, whenever someone asked "how you are?" instead of responding with a simple "good, and you?" she responded with a further question such as "in regard to what-Life? School? Work?"
A) rulemaking experiment
B) breaching experiment
C) ethnomethodological study
D) norm deconstruction study

Accepted Answer

A breaching experiment involves violating social norms to analyze people's reactions, which is what Genevieve did by not responding in the expected manner to a common question.

Question 11

Qualitative researchers are least likely to use ________ to collect and analyze data.
A) interviews
B) document analysis
C) surveys
D) field methods

Accepted Answer

Qualitative researchers often prioritize methods that allow for in-depth exploration of phenomena, such as interviews, document analysis, and field methods. Surveys, while they can be open-ended, are generally more aligned with quantitative research due to their structured nature and emphasis on gathering measurable data.

Question 12

Qualitative researchers most often follow an inductive approach. This means that ________.
A) they begin with a theory and then test the theory in the social world
B) they begin with a theory and adjust it based on what they observe in the social world
C) they test a theory and then write a critical analysis on how well it matches social reality
D) they start with the social world and then develop a theory that is consistent with what they see

Accepted Answer

Qualitative researchers typically start with observations, interactions, or interviews in the social world and then develop theories that explain their findings, which is an inductive approach.

Question 13

The textbook author describes her trip to China and, more specifically, a tour she took to the Great Wall. According to her own assessment and supporting statements, this tour could best be characterized as ________ in nature and approach.
A) quantitative
B) interactionist
C) realist
D) qualitative

Accepted Answer

The answer of The textbook author describes her trip to...

Question 14

The textbook suggests that qualitative research ________.
A) is flexible and open to change
B) seeks to unearth statistical significance
C) tends to be atheoretical
D) relies on objective experiments and subjectively doubts the validity of respondents' viewpoints

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research is known for its flexibility and openness to change, allowing researchers to adapt their methods as they delve deeper into the subject matter.

Question 15

When a researcher no longer learns anything new in a research setting, she or he has reached a stage of ________.
A) ethnographic overkill
B) "going native"
C) theoretical saturation
D) verstehen

Accepted Answer

The correct term is "theoretical saturation." This occurs when additional data collection no longer contributes to discovering anything new about the conceptual categories being investigated.

Question 16

According to the textbook, a "mixed-methods" research entails ________.
A) using positivist and quantitative methods and integrating them into two different studies
B) simultaneously using qualitative and quantitative methods in two parallel studies
C) using both qualitative and quantitative methods and integrating them into a single study
D) combining inductive and deductive approaches to a given research topic

Accepted Answer

Mixed-methods research involves the combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods into a single study to provide a comprehensive analysis of the research question.

Question 17

The textbook suggests that one of the biggest challenges for mixed-methods research is ________.
A) ensuring that the research is qualitative and quantitative in precisely equal ways
B) finding ways to truly to integrate the findings so that the qualitative components do not disappear in the analysis
C) reporting on generalizability and experiences "in the field"
D) finding a research topic amenable to mixed-methods approaches

Accepted Answer

The primary challenge in mixed-methods research is integrating the findings from both qualitative and quantitative components in a way that neither overshadows the other, ensuring a balanced and comprehensive analysis.

Question 18

Dmitri is researching a northern community that does not conceive of what it means to be a person in this individualistic way. Rather, they see the self as connected to other human beings, to the land, ancestors and animals. The type of approach most in line with the community under study here is ________.
A) realist methodologies
B) ethnomethodologies
C) indigenous methodologies
D) positive methodologies

Accepted Answer

Indigenous methodologies are most aligned with the community's view as they emphasize the interconnectedness of people with their environment, ancestors, and community, reflecting a holistic and relational understanding of identity and knowledge.

Question 19

In his research on how medical students they felt about patients, Howard S. Becker found that ________.
A) medical students and physicians held a shared definition of a particular concept
B) medical students could not wait to become physicians
C) medical students held a shared definition of a particular concept and that this definition reflected their own interest
D) the interests of medical students had nothing to do with how they defined a particular concept

Accepted Answer

Howard S. Becker's research highlighted that medical students shared a common definition of a particular concept, which was significantly influenced by their own interests. This finding suggests that their professional perspectives and attitudes towards patients were shaped by their personal motivations and goals within the medical field.

Question 20

Maria is conducting research on a group of team of sledge hockey players. In her research report, Maria writes about her research participants' "different abilities," rather than referring to the participants as "handicapped." Maria refers to her participants this way because ________.
A) she recognizes that athletes should be described differently than other groups
B) she recognizes that language is an essential mechanism for meaningful knowing and acting
C) recent legislation demands that she use this language
D) university research protocols demand that she use this language

Accepted Answer

Maria uses the term "different abilities" to emphasize the importance of language in shaping perceptions and understanding, recognizing that how we talk about individuals and groups can influence attitudes and actions.

Quiz 2: Asking Questions and Identifying Goals

According to the textbook, research participants ________.

The best combination of the three central elements of the positivist tradition is ________.

Qualitative research began to re-emerge as a popular and mainstream method in ________.

The sociological term verstehen ________.

Symbolic interactionism was first formulated by ________.

The textbook illustrates the concept of definition of the situation by referring to ________.

The self we define through seeing ourselves as "things" and defining ourselves through our interactions with others is associated with the sociological concept of ________.

Harold Garfinkel developed the ethnomethodological approach, which ________.

Genevieve's qualitative methods instructor asked the class to perform a ________. The next day, whenever someone asked "how you are?" instead of responding with a simple "good, and you?" she responded with a further question such as "in regard to what-Life? School? Work?"

Qualitative researchers are least likely to use ________ to collect and analyze data.

Qualitative researchers most often follow an inductive approach. This means that ________.

The textbook author describes her trip to China and, more specifically, a tour she took to the Great Wall. According to her own assessment and supporting statements, this tour could best be characterized as ________ in nature and approach.

The textbook suggests that qualitative research ________.

When a researcher no longer learns anything new in a research setting, she or he has reached a stage of ________.

According to the textbook, a "mixed-methods" research entails ________.

The textbook suggests that one of the biggest challenges for mixed-methods research is ________.

In his research on how medical students they felt about patients, Howard S. Becker found that ________.

Maria is conducting research on a group of team of sledge hockey players. In her research report, Maria writes about her research participants' "different abilities," rather than referring to the participants as "handicapped." Maria refers to her participants this way because ________.