Question 1

Briefly explain two innovations in unobtrusive research that researchers have developed to find new ways to study things that already exist.

Accepted Answer

First, visual sociology recognizes the richness in images to contribute to our understanding of social life. Visual sociologists use images as data sources. The method stems from cultural studies, a discipline where researchers use items such as magazines, movies, and websites to identify representations of culture and analyze images in the media to uncover changing social attitudes.
Second, researchers have used the virtual world, particularly blogs and social media, in their research. The textbook looks at a variety of research studies that examine the blogosphere and social media platform Twitter. Students should talk about how online data is an easily accessible and significant data source, anonymity, the challenges associated with such a large dataset, and the impact of online worlds and social media on society

Question 2

________ is best known for using pre-existing statistical records.

Accepted Answer

A)  Norbert Elias 
B)  Karl Marx 
C)  Max Weber 
D)  Émile Durkheim 
A)  Norbert Elias 
B)  Karl Marx 
C)  Max Weber 
D)  Émile Durkheim D

Question 3

To trace changes in pediatricians' self-perceptions and understanding of their profession, Dorothy Pawluch ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  conducted in-depth interviews with them 
B)  examined the content in their professional journals 
C)  conducted an ethnography of a children's hospital 
D)  asked 30 of them to keep journals and then analyzed their content 
A)  conducted in-depth interviews with them 
B)  examined the content in their professional journals 
C)  conducted an ethnography of a children's hospital 
D)  asked 30 of them to keep journals and then analyzed their content B

Question 4

Timothy Diamond's study of life in nursing homes is an example of ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  analyzing statistical records 
B)  analyzing diaries 
C)  institutional ethnography 
D)  institutional content analysis 
A)  analyzing statistical records 
B)  analyzing diaries 
C)  institutional ethnography 
D)  institutional content analysis

Question 5

Beatrice is a visual sociologist who wants to design a study of technologies that are so ubiquitous they are often overlooked because of their banality. In doing so, Beatrice wants to gain a deeper understanding of the consequences and complex meanings that technologies have in our everyday lives. Beatrice wants to study ________ technology.

Accepted Answer

A)  profane 
B)  mundane 
C)  digital 
D)  analog 
A)  profane 
B)  mundane 
C)  digital 
D)  analog

Question 6

Unobtrusive measures ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  are another way of saying "standardized interviews" 
B)  are always covert and hidden from respondents 
C)  involve a researcher going into a field setting and become a complete observer 
D)  are ways of collecting data without interacting with research participants 
A)  are another way of saying "standardized interviews" 
B)  are always covert and hidden from respondents 
C)  involve a researcher going into a field setting and become a complete observer 
D)  are ways of collecting data without interacting with research participants

Question 7

Of the four studies presented in the section of the textbook that deals with analyzing news media, pick three and discuss how these studies demonstrate the usefulness of news media sources in sociological research.

Accepted Answer

Altheide and Michalowski studied the use

Question 8

One of the reasons that analyzing pre-existing documents is so effective as a research method is that groups represent themselves through the documents they produce.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

In highly literate societies, written texts provide particularly telling windows into social worlds.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

As Jeff Ferrell would argue, trash such as bronzed baby shoes, diplomas, and wedding photos represent the residue of significant life changes.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Provide arguments for the claim that studying people's trash is not unobtrusive research and violates some principles of ethical research.

Accepted Answer

Students are asked to apply what they ha

Question 12

Kristen Gilchrist used ________ to explore the differences in how local print media covered stories of missing and murdered Indigenous and white women.

Accepted Answer

A)  pre-existing statistical data 
B)  field research 
C)  interpretive content analysis 
D)  in-depth interviews with journalists 
A)  pre-existing statistical data 
B)  field research 
C)  interpretive content analysis 
D)  in-depth interviews with journalists

Question 13

Jeff Ferrell's close ethnography of objects lost and found allowed him to develop a grounded understanding of contemporary consumption patterns. His research involved ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  thousands of interviews with sanitation workers 
B)  an ethnography of men and women who appeared in TV ads 
C)  a narrative analysis of homeless youth 
D)  dumpster diving, trash picking, and street scavenging 
A)  thousands of interviews with sanitation workers 
B)  an ethnography of men and women who appeared in TV ads 
C)  a narrative analysis of homeless youth 
D)  dumpster diving, trash picking, and street scavenging

Question 14

Define identity foreclosure, and then contextualize this concept within relevant examples from this chapter.

Accepted Answer

Identity foreclosure is a sensitizing co

Question 15

The ________ content of a document or artifact is that which is easily observed and immediately evident.

Accepted Answer

A)  intended 
B)  implicit 
C)  manifest 
D)  latent 
A)  intended 
B)  implicit 
C)  manifest 
D)  latent

Question 16

Explain why some people might think that no ethical challenges arise when conducting unobtrusive research. Why might they be incorrect in their assumption?

Accepted Answer

Students are asked to apply what they ha

Question 17

Through the use of letters and autobiographies, W.I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki of the Chicago School conducted research on Polish immigrants, which contributed to the identification of the concept of social disorganization.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

You turn on the TV to watch the evening news, and watch a report suggesting that crime rates are at an all-time high. As an informed university student, you know this is unlikely but you acknowledge that the media have used certain ________ to influence public perception.

Accepted Answer

A)  frames 
B)  announcers 
C)  scare tactics 
D)  subliminal images 
A)  frames 
B)  announcers 
C)  scare tactics 
D)  subliminal images

Question 19

Researchers who examined exit rituals on three types of US reality shows carried out ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  a visual ethnography 
B)  an ethnographic content analysis 
C)  in-depth interviews with producers of the shows 
D)  in-depth interviews with contestants on the shows 
A)  a visual ethnography 
B)  an ethnographic content analysis 
C)  in-depth interviews with producers of the shows 
D)  in-depth interviews with contestants on the shows

Question 20

The wear and tear of floor tiles provides little information regarding the use of public spaces.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Briefly explain two innovations in unobtrusive research that researchers have developed to find new ways to study things that already exist.

________ is best known for using pre-existing statistical records.

To trace changes in pediatricians' self-perceptions and understanding of their profession, Dorothy Pawluch ________.

Timothy Diamond's study of life in nursing homes is an example of ________.

Unobtrusive measures ________.

Of the four studies presented in the section of the textbook that deals with analyzing news media, pick three and discuss how these studies demonstrate the usefulness of news media sources in sociological research.

One of the reasons that analyzing pre-existing documents is so effective as a research method is that groups represent themselves through the documents they produce.

In highly literate societies, written texts provide particularly telling windows into social worlds.

As Jeff Ferrell would argue, trash such as bronzed baby shoes, diplomas, and wedding photos represent the residue of significant life changes.

Provide arguments for the claim that studying people's trash is not unobtrusive research and violates some principles of ethical research.

Kristen Gilchrist used ________ to explore the differences in how local print media covered stories of missing and murdered Indigenous and white women.

Jeff Ferrell's close ethnography of objects lost and found allowed him to develop a grounded understanding of contemporary consumption patterns. His research involved ________.

Define identity foreclosure, and then contextualize this concept within relevant examples from this chapter.

The ________ content of a document or artifact is that which is easily observed and immediately evident.

Explain why some people might think that no ethical challenges arise when conducting unobtrusive research. Why might they be incorrect in their assumption?

Through the use of letters and autobiographies, W.I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki of the Chicago School conducted research on Polish immigrants, which contributed to the identification of the concept of social disorganization.

You turn on the TV to watch the evening news, and watch a report suggesting that crime rates are at an all-time high. As an informed university student, you know this is unlikely but you acknowledge that the media have used certain ________ to influence public perception.

Researchers who examined exit rituals on three types of US reality shows carried out ________.

The wear and tear of floor tiles provides little information regarding the use of public spaces.

Introduction

Asking Questions and Identifying Goals

Strategies for Designing Research

Ethics on the Ground: A Moral Compass

Observing Social Life Through Field Research

In-Depth Interviewing

Focus Groups

Trust the Process: Analyzing Qualitative Data

Writing up Qualitative Research

Filters

Exam 8: Unobtrusive Research

Briefly explain two innovations in unobtrusive research that researchers have developed to find new ways to study things that already exist.

________ is best known for using pre-existing statistical records.

To trace changes in pediatricians' self-perceptions and understanding of their profession, Dorothy Pawluch ________.

Timothy Diamond's study of life in nursing homes is an example of ________.

Unobtrusive measures ________.

Of the four studies presented in the section of the textbook that deals with analyzing news media, pick three and discuss how these studies demonstrate the usefulness of news media sources in sociological research.

One of the reasons that analyzing pre-existing documents is so effective as a research method is that groups represent themselves through the documents they produce.

In highly literate societies, written texts provide particularly telling windows into social worlds.

As Jeff Ferrell would argue, trash such as bronzed baby shoes, diplomas, and wedding photos represent the residue of significant life changes.

Provide arguments for the claim that studying people's trash is not unobtrusive research and violates some principles of ethical research.

Kristen Gilchrist used ________ to explore the differences in how local print media covered stories of missing and murdered Indigenous and white women.

Jeff Ferrell's close ethnography of objects lost and found allowed him to develop a grounded understanding of contemporary consumption patterns. His research involved ________.

Define identity foreclosure, and then contextualize this concept within relevant examples from this chapter.

The ________ content of a document or artifact is that which is easily observed and immediately evident.

Explain why some people might think that no ethical challenges arise when conducting unobtrusive research. Why might they be incorrect in their assumption?

Through the use of letters and autobiographies, W.I. Thomas and Florian Znaniecki of the Chicago School conducted research on Polish immigrants, which contributed to the identification of the concept of social disorganization.

You turn on the TV to watch the evening news, and watch a report suggesting that crime rates are at an all-time high. As an informed university student, you know this is unlikely but you acknowledge that the media have used certain ________ to influence public perception.

Researchers who examined exit rituals on three types of US reality shows carried out ________.

The wear and tear of floor tiles provides little information regarding the use of public spaces.

Introduction

Asking Questions and Identifying Goals

Strategies for Designing Research

Ethics on the Ground: A Moral Compass

Observing Social Life Through Field Research

In-Depth Interviewing

Focus Groups

Trust the Process: Analyzing Qualitative Data

Writing up Qualitative Research

Filters