Question 1

Describe how a researcher might develop a research question.

Accepted Answer

A researcher might develop a research qu

Question 2

Explain what a controlled experiment is, including what the variables in an experiment are called. Briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a controlled experiment as a research method.

Accepted Answer

A controlled experiment is a scientific

Question 3

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.

Accepted Answer

A)  validity 
B)  reliability 
C)  objectivity 
D)  abstraction 
A)  validity 
B)  reliability 
C)  objectivity 
D)  abstraction

Question 4

How is doing a replication study useful?

Accepted Answer

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 other researchers replicating the original study. 
D)  A replication is usually less expensive because most of the work has previously been done. 
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 other researchers replicating the original study. 
D)  A replication is usually less expensive because most of the work has previously been done.

Question 5

A literature review is not required when a researcher is using primary research.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

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?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Observational effect 
B)  The Thomas theorem 
C)  Murphy's law 
D)  The Hawthorne effect 
A)  The Observational effect 
B)  The Thomas theorem 
C)  Murphy's law 
D)  The Hawthorne effect

Question 7

An advantage of doing participant observation research is that it is very easy fast.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The benefit of participant observation is that it

Accepted Answer

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)  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.

Question 9

Which of these statements is the best description of a variable?

Accepted Answer

A)  A variable is something in which the researcher is not interested. 
B)  A variable is something that can have only one value. 
C)  A variable is something that can have more than one value or score. 
D)  A variable is a scientific statement of observation. 
A)  A variable is something in which the researcher is not interested. 
B)  A variable is something that can have only one value. 
C)  A variable is something that can have more than one value or score. 
D)  A variable is a scientific statement of observation.

Question 10

A researcher who lives among the homeless in an effort to understand their norms is carrying out:

Accepted Answer

A)  participant observation. 
B)  content analysis. 
C)  unobtrusive observation. 
D)  survey research. 
A)  participant observation. 
B)  content analysis. 
C)  unobtrusive observation. 
D)  survey research.

Question 11

Being completely objective while conducting research is probably not possible. Which of these influences a sociologist's research results?

Accepted Answer

A)  The subject 
B)  The research question 
C)  The research design 
D)  All of these influence the findings. 
A)  The subject 
B)  The research question 
C)  The research design 
D)  All of these influence the findings.

Question 12

Quantitative research is based on direct observation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Researchers use the term "serendipity" to refer to

Accepted Answer

A)  unexpected grant money. 
B)  findings that are unexpectedly found while analyzing the data for other findings. 
C)  any findings from their research that seem conclusive. 
D)  conclusions that support their hypothesis. 
A)  unexpected grant money. 
B)  findings that are unexpectedly found while analyzing the data for other findings. 
C)  any findings from their research that seem conclusive. 
D)  conclusions that support their hypothesis.

Question 14

Sociological research, especially quantitative research, is always value-free or completely objective.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of primary data?

Accepted Answer

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 
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

Question 16

A is a large collection of people, groups, or categories that a researcher studies and about which generalizations are made.

Accepted Answer

A)  collectivity 
B)  sample 
C)  population 
D)  subject pool 
A)  collectivity 
B)  sample 
C)  population 
D)  subject pool

Question 17

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 .

Accepted Answer

A)  an experiment 
B)  a survey 
C)  observation 
D)  searching university records 
A)  an experiment 
B)  a survey 
C)  observation 
D)  searching university records

Question 18

Sir Francis Bacon originally defined , which involves several steps of the research process.

Accepted Answer

A)  deductive reasoning 
B)  inductive reasoning 
C)  qualitative research 
D)  scientific method 
A)  deductive reasoning 
B)  inductive reasoning 
C)  qualitative research 
D)  scientific method

Question 19

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?

Accepted Answer

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 
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

Question 20

If a researcher is interested in studying all baseball teams, a randomly-selected team would represent a _.

Accepted Answer

A)  correlation 
B)  population 
C)  sample 
D)  primary data source 
A)  correlation 
B)  population 
C)  sample 
D)  primary data source

Describe how a researcher might develop a research question.

Explain what a controlled experiment is, including what the variables in an experiment are called. Briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a controlled experiment as a research method.

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.

How is doing a replication study useful?

A literature review is not required when a researcher is using primary research.

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?

An advantage of doing participant observation research is that it is very easy fast.

The benefit of participant observation is that it

Which of these statements is the best description of a variable?

A researcher who lives among the homeless in an effort to understand their norms is carrying out:

Being completely objective while conducting research is probably not possible. Which of these influences a sociologist's research results?

Quantitative research is based on direct observation.

Researchers use the term "serendipity" to refer to

Sociological research, especially quantitative research, is always value-free or completely objective.

Which of the following is an example of primary data?

A is a large collection of people, groups, or categories that a researcher studies and about which generalizations are made.

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 .

Sir Francis Bacon originally defined , which involves several steps of the research process.

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?

If a researcher is interested in studying all baseball teams, a randomly-selected team would represent a _.

The Sociological Perspective

Culture

Socialization and the Life Course

Social Structure and Social Interaction

Groups and Organizations

Deviance and Crime

Social Class and Social Stratification

Global Stratification

Race and Ethnicity

Gender

Sexuality

Families and Religion

Education and Health Care

Economy and Politics

Environment Population and Social Change

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Exam 3: Doing Sociological Research

Describe how a researcher might develop a research question.

Explain what a controlled experiment is, including what the variables in an experiment are called. Briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a controlled experiment as a research method.

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.

How is doing a replication study useful?

A literature review is not required when a researcher is using primary research.

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?

An advantage of doing participant observation research is that it is very easy fast.

The benefit of participant observation is that it

Which of these statements is the best description of a variable?

A researcher who lives among the homeless in an effort to understand their norms is carrying out:

Being completely objective while conducting research is probably not possible. Which of these influences a sociologist's research results?

Quantitative research is based on direct observation.

Researchers use the term "serendipity" to refer to

Sociological research, especially quantitative research, is always value-free or completely objective.

Which of the following is an example of primary data?

A is a large collection of people, groups, or categories that a researcher studies and about which generalizations are made.

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 .

Sir Francis Bacon originally defined , which involves several steps of the research process.

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?

If a researcher is interested in studying all baseball teams, a randomly-selected team would represent a _.

The Sociological Perspective

Culture

Socialization and the Life Course

Social Structure and Social Interaction

Groups and Organizations

Deviance and Crime

Social Class and Social Stratification

Global Stratification

Race and Ethnicity

Gender

Sexuality

Families and Religion

Education and Health Care

Economy and Politics

Environment Population and Social Change

Filters