Question 1

________ refers to whether you get the same results if different researchers conduct the study again,whereas ________ refers to the accuracy or truthfulness of a measure.
A)Generalizability;probability
B)Probability;reliability
C)Validity;generalizability
D)Reliability;validity

Accepted Answer

Reliability refers to the consistency or stability of a measure, meaning that if the same measure is administered multiple times, it should yield similar results every time. This is the reason why we use the test-retest reliability method. On the other hand, validity refers to the accuracy or truthfulness of a measure, meaning that the measure should measure what it is intended to measure. Therefore, D is the best choice as it defines both reliability and validity correctly.

Question 2

List and describe two significant differences between semi-structured and unstructured interviews.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List and describe two significant differences between...

Question 3

It is difficult for in-depth interviewing to have high reliability because:
A)interviewees often do not show up for the interview.
B)interviews cannot be exactly replicated in future studies.
C)interview topics can be interpreted differently by each interviewee.
D)probability sampling is rarely used.

Accepted Answer

In-depth interviews are highly dependent on the skills, interests, and abilities of the interviewer and the interviewee. As such, it is difficult to exactly replicate the same interview in future studies, which can lead to differences in responses and lower reliability. However, measures can be taken to increase reliability, such as using standardized interview protocols and asking similar questions to all participants. The other options (A, C, D) are factors that can affect the validity of the in-depth interview, but not necessarily the reliability.

Question 4

Why might a vignette be helpful in an in-depth interview about sexual harassment?
A)Asking about this topic directly might be offensive.
B)A specific situation would help make the concept concrete.
C)The interviewee may not have studied enough sociology to discuss the topic well.
D)It makes the interview more cognitive and less emotional.

Accepted Answer

Vignettes provide specific, concrete situations that can help guide the discussion and make a potentially sensitive topic more approachable. It allows an interviewee to focus on the specifics of the situation rather than discussing the topic in the abstract.

Question 5

If you were conducting a study of how college students select seats in the dining hall,how would you organize the participants into effective focus groups? First,define the principle of homogeneity.Then,describe your focus group and how it would follow this principle.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you were conducting a study of...

Question 6

What is one element that makes a focus group different than an in-depth interview? Focus groups are ________;in-depth interviews are ________.
A)facilitated by several interviewers;facilitated by one interviewer
B)intended to capture interaction as well as content;intended to capture responses to questions
C)conducted in controlled settings;conducted in real-world settings
D)about more controversial subjects;about more personal subjects

Accepted Answer

Focus groups are designed to capture interaction among participants, while in-depth interviews aim to capture individual responses to questions.

Question 7

Dr.Lang is conducting a study of when and why adults eat candy.She studied Annette Laureau's Unequal Childhoods and sees that her study will have similar methodological challenges.Accordingly,Dr.Lang decides to use observation instead of interviews because
A)habits are so ingrained that it is difficult for people to describe or explain them.
B)people knowingly lie about topics like parenting or eating,so their bad habits won't be known.
C)people want to please the researcher,so they say what they think the researcher wants them to hear.
D)social media is so pervasive,people tend to repeat what they see and hear in the media,rather than reporting their actual experiences.

Accepted Answer

Since habits like eating candy can become automatic and ingrained, it can be difficult for people to describe or explain them accurately. This makes observation a more appropriate method for studying the behavior.

Question 8

What is case study logic,and how does it differ from the logic of probability sampling? Propose one study for which case study logic would be superior,and explain why.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is case study logic,and how does...

Question 9

If you were to conduct a life history interview,who would you interview,and about what topic? What would the purpose of your life history interview be,and how would this be different than if the same interview were conducted as an oral history?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you were to conduct a life...

Question 10

Who should NOT be monetarily compensated for participating in an interview?
A)children,because of labor laws
B)wealthy people,because researcher funding should go to more needy people
C)prisoners,because of institutional rules
D)people discussing extremely personal topics,because such topics should not be monetized

Accepted Answer

Prisoners are typically not allowed to be monetarily compensated for participating in interviews due to institutional rules.

Question 11

Margarite conducts a focus group about attitudes toward the ultra-wealthy.She follows the principle of homogeneity,so she
A)asks very tightly focused questions to keep the conversation on the same topic.
B)invites ultra-rich,rich,middle-class,and poor people to be part of the focus group.
C)invites only middle-class people to be part of the focus group.
D)asks broad and varied questions to prevent homogeneity of thinking.

Accepted Answer

The principle of homogeneity in focus groups involves gathering participants who have similar characteristics or backgrounds to ensure that the discussions are relevant and focused. By inviting only middle-class people, Margarite is adhering to this principle, ensuring that the group's composition is homogeneous in terms of economic status.

Question 12

Compare and contrast informant and respondent.Describe one way that they are similar and one way they are different.Offer one example of an informant and one example of a respondent.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare and contrast informant and respondent.Describe one...

Question 13

Transcription should
A)be done by a professional transcriber.
B)result in a typed form of the interview,word for word.
C)be done within 24 hours of conducting the interview.
D)paraphrase the interview,with key analytic insights added.

Accepted Answer

Transcription involves converting spoken words into written text verbatim, capturing the exact words spoken in the interview.

Question 14

It might be easy to quickly judge middle-class parents for over-scheduling their children,but in-depth interviewing helped Hilary Levey Friedman understand why these parents do what they do.Why does this social practice exist?
A)In dual earner families,scheduled activities keep children occupied while parents are working.
B)Parents are seeking status with respect to their adult peers.
C)Parents are cultivating "competitive kid capital" that will help their children succeed in life.
D)Children demand competitive activities because of "youth mimicry," or peer pressure.

Accepted Answer

In her research, Hilary Levey Friedman found that middle-class parents are often motivated by the desire to cultivate what she terms "competitive kid capital" - in other words, skills, experiences, and abilities that will help their children succeed in life, particularly in college and career. This can include anything from sports and music to academic tutoring and language classes. Parents may believe that providing their children with a diverse range of competitive activities will give them an edge in an increasingly competitive and globalized society.

Question 15

Joel follows standard advice for recording interviews,so he
A)brings a research assistant along who can operate the recorder so Joel can focus on the interview.
B)takes notes by hand instead of audio recording,for privacy and ethics reasons.
C)audio and video records,in case methods of analysis require both.
D)audio records after asking permission,and turns the recording off if and when the interviewee requests it.

Accepted Answer

This is the standard advice for recording interviews - to ask permission to record and to turn it off if requested by the interviewee. This respects ethical considerations and allows for privacy concerns to be addressed. Option A may not be feasible for all situations, and option B may not be effective for capturing all of the details discussed in the interview. Option C may be unnecessary in many cases and could potentially raise privacy concerns if recordings are not properly secured.

Question 16

Write one "how" question and one "why" question.With reference to these questions,explain why in-depth interviews are better suited to "how" questions than to "why" questions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Write one "how" question and one "why"...

Question 17

Describe two significant threats to the validity of in-depth interviewing and how they can be reduced.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe two significant threats to the validity...

Question 18

You are planning a study about homeowners' use of pesticides on lawns.Explain why,and how,you would begin your study with cognitive interviews.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are planning a study about homeowners'...

Question 19

As a general rule,do interviewers need to pretest their interview schedules?
A)Sometimes when first learning to interview,but with experience,good questions can be written and used without pretesting.
B)No,because a simple thought experiment can serve the same purpose.
C)Yes,because what seems clear to the interviewer may not come across that way to an interviewee.
D)Yes,but only when the topic is sensitive.

Accepted Answer

Pretesting is important to ensure that the questions are clear and easy to understand for the interviewees. As the interviewer may be more familiar with the topic and language, they may not realize that the questions are not as clear to others. Pretesting can help in identifying and addressing such issues, leading to a more effective interview process.

Quiz 11: In-Depth Interviewing

refers to whether you get the same results if different researchers conduct the study again,whereas refers to the accuracy or truthfulness of a measure.

List and describe two significant differences between semi-structured and unstructured interviews.

It is difficult for in-depth interviewing to have high reliability because:

Why might a vignette be helpful in an in-depth interview about sexual harassment?

If you were conducting a study of how college students select seats in the dining hall,how would you organize the participants into effective focus groups? First,define the principle of homogeneity.Then,describe your focus group and how it would follow this principle.

What is one element that makes a focus group different than an in-depth interview? Focus groups are ;in-depth interviews are .

Dr.Lang is conducting a study of when and why adults eat candy.She studied Annette Laureau's Unequal Childhoods and sees that her study will have similar methodological challenges.Accordingly,Dr.Lang decides to use observation instead of interviews because

What is case study logic,and how does it differ from the logic of probability sampling? Propose one study for which case study logic would be superior,and explain why.

If you were to conduct a life history interview,who would you interview,and about what topic? What would the purpose of your life history interview be,and how would this be different than if the same interview were conducted as an oral history?

Who should NOT be monetarily compensated for participating in an interview?

Margarite conducts a focus group about attitudes toward the ultra-wealthy.She follows the principle of homogeneity,so she

Compare and contrast informant and respondent.Describe one way that they are similar and one way they are different.Offer one example of an informant and one example of a respondent.

Transcription should

It might be easy to quickly judge middle-class parents for over-scheduling their children,but in-depth interviewing helped Hilary Levey Friedman understand why these parents do what they do.Why does this social practice exist?

Joel follows standard advice for recording interviews,so he

Write one "how" question and one "why" question.With reference to these questions,explain why in-depth interviews are better suited to "how" questions than to "why" questions.

Describe two significant threats to the validity of in-depth interviewing and how they can be reduced.

You are planning a study about homeowners' use of pesticides on lawns.Explain why,and how,you would begin your study with cognitive interviews.

As a general rule,do interviewers need to pretest their interview schedules?