Question 1

Xavier plans a materials-based study of Black Lives Matter protests over the last five years.Xavier uses news media to

Accepted Answer

A) point him to key sociological theories. 
B) document where and when protests occurred. 
C) substitute for scholarly sources,since the topic is contemporary and ongoing. 
D) understand governmental perspectives on policing. 
A) point him to key sociological theories. 
B) document where and when protests occurred. 
C) substitute for scholarly sources,since the topic is contemporary and ongoing. 
D) understand governmental perspectives on policing.

Question 2

Which of the following describes operationalization?

Accepted Answer

A) choosing which subjects or materials will be included in the study 
B) watching for the time when new data simply repeat and reinforce existing data 
C) the process of linking conceptualized variables to a set of procedures for measuring them 
D) creating a document that lists all possible categories for analysis 
A) choosing which subjects or materials will be included in the study 
B) watching for the time when new data simply repeat and reinforce existing data 
C) the process of linking conceptualized variables to a set of procedures for measuring them 
D) creating a document that lists all possible categories for analysis

Question 3

Consider this question: Why does poverty exist? Describe a type of material that could help answer this question,and explain why this source would be helpful.

Accepted Answer

The material chosen should be one of the

Question 4

A researcher needs to create a decision rule to

Accepted Answer

A) settle differences between multiple researchers analyzing a data set. 
B) assign difficult material to a category in a coding scheme. 
C) determine when sufficient data have been collected. 
D) decide that a coding scheme is complete. 
A) settle differences between multiple researchers analyzing a data set. 
B) assign difficult material to a category in a coding scheme. 
C) determine when sufficient data have been collected. 
D) decide that a coding scheme is complete.

Question 5

Describe a research project for which secondary data sets would be ideal.What would be one important caution,or potential drawback,of this secondary data set?

Accepted Answer

Secondary data sets are ideal for topics

Question 6

Why would a researcher conduct critical content analysis on materials such as speeches or journalistic reports?

Accepted Answer

A) to determine what really happened in history 
B) to identify societal blind spots 
C) as a supplement to big data approaches 
D) as a follow-up to purposive sampling 
A) to determine what really happened in history 
B) to identify societal blind spots 
C) as a supplement to big data approaches 
D) as a follow-up to purposive sampling

Question 7

Lorenzo follows the steps of the historical-comparative research process.He begins to write up his findings regarding the nuclear facility accident in Fukushima,Japan,in 2012.Which statement would come first in his paper?

Accepted Answer

A) This study yields important implications for nuclear facilities around the world. 
B) Existing literature regarding risk management in large-scale societies has significant gaps. 
C) My data show four patterns regarding risk management strategies in Fukushima. 
D) Fukushima provides a case for evaluating theories about risk management in large-scale societies. 
A) This study yields important implications for nuclear facilities around the world. 
B) Existing literature regarding risk management in large-scale societies has significant gaps. 
C) My data show four patterns regarding risk management strategies in Fukushima. 
D) Fukushima provides a case for evaluating theories about risk management in large-scale societies.

Question 8

A researcher wants to know whether stress influences time spent exercising.She wants to strengthen the validity of her measure,so she

Accepted Answer

A) increases the sample size. 
B) uses both qualitative and quantitative measures. 
C) relies on secondary data,because its validity has been proven by others. 
D) collects primary data,so she can control the accuracy of her measure. 
A) increases the sample size. 
B) uses both qualitative and quantitative measures. 
C) relies on secondary data,because its validity has been proven by others. 
D) collects primary data,so she can control the accuracy of her measure.

Question 9

Historical research methods and comparative research methods both

Accepted Answer

A) rely more on qualitative than quantitative methods. 
B) interpret macro social processes through critical examination of social organization. 
C) prioritize the past over the present as an interpretive lens for understanding society. 
D) reject big data in favor of a researcher collecting her own data and developing her own interpretation. 
A) rely more on qualitative than quantitative methods. 
B) interpret macro social processes through critical examination of social organization. 
C) prioritize the past over the present as an interpretive lens for understanding society. 
D) reject big data in favor of a researcher collecting her own data and developing her own interpretation.

Question 10

News media is particularly well-suited to providing sociologists with

Accepted Answer

A) facts that were reported at the time of an event or events. 
B) direction toward finding the strongest scholarly sources for a topic. 
C) lengthy and extensive expert analyses. 
D) annual reports of trends and statistics. 
A) facts that were reported at the time of an event or events. 
B) direction toward finding the strongest scholarly sources for a topic. 
C) lengthy and extensive expert analyses. 
D) annual reports of trends and statistics.

Question 11

A sociologist asks,"What sparks positive change in institutional structures?" Which of the following represents a materials-based methodology for this study?

Accepted Answer

A) an anonymous online survey of organizational leaders 
B) observation of organizational leaders at work 
C) analysis of meeting agendas and minutes 
D) interviewing organizational leaders who are retired 
A) an anonymous online survey of organizational leaders 
B) observation of organizational leaders at work 
C) analysis of meeting agendas and minutes 
D) interviewing organizational leaders who are retired

Question 12

Geographic information systems (GIS)take bits of data and associate them with maps to create visual images of how

Accepted Answer

A) qualitative data may be portrayed in a quantitative way. 
B) roadways may be navigated more efficiently. 
C) reports,records,media,and physical materials fit together. 
D) social phenomena are unfolding. 
A) qualitative data may be portrayed in a quantitative way. 
B) roadways may be navigated more efficiently. 
C) reports,records,media,and physical materials fit together. 
D) social phenomena are unfolding.

Question 13

In the context of materials-based methods,the word materials refers to

Accepted Answer

A) preexisting information that can be used as data in a study. 
B) written materials produced by a subject at the researcher's request. 
C) the physical devices and resources needed by the researcher. 
D) physical data,as opposed to verbal or observational data. 
A) preexisting information that can be used as data in a study. 
B) written materials produced by a subject at the researcher's request. 
C) the physical devices and resources needed by the researcher. 
D) physical data,as opposed to verbal or observational data.

Question 14

David conducts a historical-comparative study of the terrorist attacks on September 11,2001.When he considers counterfactuals,he

Accepted Answer

A) lays out conflicting accounts of the events of the day. 
B) describes all the false facts,both intentional and unintentional,that developed after the event. 
C) thinks about what would have happened in society if the terrorist attacks had not occurred. 
D) asks another sociologist to review his study,looking for bias and errors of fact. 
A) lays out conflicting accounts of the events of the day. 
B) describes all the false facts,both intentional and unintentional,that developed after the event. 
C) thinks about what would have happened in society if the terrorist attacks had not occurred. 
D) asks another sociologist to review his study,looking for bias and errors of fact.

Question 15

Dr.San collected data from numerous data sets regarding behaviorally challenged third graders.He has data from three levels: student,school,and state.What is the strongest way for him to analyze these data? He

Accepted Answer

A) must analyze all three levels separately because there is no way to bring them together. 
B) may triangulate the data,using the same method to look at the three levels and check for consistency of findings. 
C) may merge data across units of analysis,developing a single data file. 
D) should shift to qualitative analysis,because this would allow for an interpretive approach to three data sets that don't fit together. 
A) must analyze all three levels separately because there is no way to bring them together. 
B) may triangulate the data,using the same method to look at the three levels and check for consistency of findings. 
C) may merge data across units of analysis,developing a single data file. 
D) should shift to qualitative analysis,because this would allow for an interpretive approach to three data sets that don't fit together.

Question 16

Dr.Stevens wants to study processes of government reconstruction following civil war.She chooses a materials-based approach for this type of macro-sociological topic because

Accepted Answer

A) civil war affects so many people that it would be impossible to develop an adequate sample. 
B) war is traumatizing,so it is likely unethical to interview people about it. 
C) the topic is so much larger than any individual,so data such as reports,media,and expert analyses would offer better insight. 
D) it is too difficult to access government elites for interviews,so materials-based methods are the next best option. 
A) civil war affects so many people that it would be impossible to develop an adequate sample. 
B) war is traumatizing,so it is likely unethical to interview people about it. 
C) the topic is so much larger than any individual,so data such as reports,media,and expert analyses would offer better insight. 
D) it is too difficult to access government elites for interviews,so materials-based methods are the next best option.

Question 17

Organizations may sometimes provide false or biased information.Researchers should,therefore,

Accepted Answer

A) only use archival data as a last resort. 
B) carefully evaluate material from any archive for bias and accuracy. 
C) consider governmental data to be generally superior to data that comes from other organizations. 
D) seek data sets from organizations that do not have a bias or an agenda. 
A) only use archival data as a last resort. 
B) carefully evaluate material from any archive for bias and accuracy. 
C) consider governmental data to be generally superior to data that comes from other organizations. 
D) seek data sets from organizations that do not have a bias or an agenda.

Question 18

How do researchers typically access data sets?

Accepted Answer

A) by asking the researchers who collected the data 
B) by asking professors or research advisers 
C) through government and academic websites 
D) Researchers must create their own data sets. 
A) by asking the researchers who collected the data 
B) by asking professors or research advisers 
C) through government and academic websites 
D) Researchers must create their own data sets.

Question 19

Quantitative content analysis by Janice McCabe and her colleagues,which systematically reviewed 101 years of children's books,supported which hypothesis about the presence of girls in children's literature?

Accepted Answer

A) When the economy was growing,more girls appeared. 
B) When the economy was struggling,more girls appeared. 
C) When feminist mobilization weakened,fewer girls appeared. 
D) When feminist mobilization weakened,more girls appeared. 
A) When the economy was growing,more girls appeared. 
B) When the economy was struggling,more girls appeared. 
C) When feminist mobilization weakened,fewer girls appeared. 
D) When feminist mobilization weakened,more girls appeared.

Question 20

When social scientists use physical materials as data,they

Accepted Answer

A) categorize the research as archeology. 
B) may add the physical materials to a data set that also includes written or digitized materials. 
C) must be derived from a human institution (e.g. ,family or government),not nature. 
D) should be linked to a verbal first-person account. 
A) categorize the research as archeology. 
B) may add the physical materials to a data set that also includes written or digitized materials. 
C) must be derived from a human institution (e.g. ,family or government),not nature. 
D) should be linked to a verbal first-person account.

Xavier plans a materials-based study of Black Lives Matter protests over the last five years.Xavier uses news media to

Which of the following describes operationalization?

Consider this question: Why does poverty exist? Describe a type of material that could help answer this question,and explain why this source would be helpful.

A researcher needs to create a decision rule to

Describe a research project for which secondary data sets would be ideal.What would be one important caution,or potential drawback,of this secondary data set?

Why would a researcher conduct critical content analysis on materials such as speeches or journalistic reports?

Lorenzo follows the steps of the historical-comparative research process.He begins to write up his findings regarding the nuclear facility accident in Fukushima,Japan,in 2012.Which statement would come first in his paper?

A researcher wants to know whether stress influences time spent exercising.She wants to strengthen the validity of her measure,so she

Historical research methods and comparative research methods both

News media is particularly well-suited to providing sociologists with

A sociologist asks,"What sparks positive change in institutional structures?" Which of the following represents a materials-based methodology for this study?

Geographic information systems (GIS)take bits of data and associate them with maps to create visual images of how

In the context of materials-based methods,the word materials refers to

David conducts a historical-comparative study of the terrorist attacks on September 11,2001.When he considers counterfactuals,he

Dr.San collected data from numerous data sets regarding behaviorally challenged third graders.He has data from three levels: student,school,and state.What is the strongest way for him to analyze these data? He

Dr.Stevens wants to study processes of government reconstruction following civil war.She chooses a materials-based approach for this type of macro-sociological topic because

Organizations may sometimes provide false or biased information.Researchers should,therefore,

How do researchers typically access data sets?

Quantitative content analysis by Janice McCabe and her colleagues,which systematically reviewed 101 years of children's books,supported which hypothesis about the presence of girls in children's literature?

When social scientists use physical materials as data,they

The Art and Science of Social Research: An Introduction

Research Foundations: Linking Sociological Theory to Research

Ethical Issues in Social Science Research

From Concepts to Models: Hypotheses, Operationalization, and Measurement

Evaluating Research: Reliability and Validity

Sampling Strategies

Experimental Research

Evaluation Research

Ethnography

In-Depth Interviewing

Social Network Analysis

Univariate and Bivariate Analysis of Quantitative Data

Multivariate and Advanced Quantitative Methods

Analysis of Qualitative Data

Communicating Social Science Research Findings

Filters

Exam 12: Materials-Based Methods

Xavier plans a materials-based study of Black Lives Matter protests over the last five years.Xavier uses news media to

Which of the following describes operationalization?

Consider this question: Why does poverty exist? Describe a type of material that could help answer this question,and explain why this source would be helpful.

A researcher needs to create a decision rule to

Describe a research project for which secondary data sets would be ideal.What would be one important caution,or potential drawback,of this secondary data set?

Why would a researcher conduct critical content analysis on materials such as speeches or journalistic reports?

Lorenzo follows the steps of the historical-comparative research process.He begins to write up his findings regarding the nuclear facility accident in Fukushima,Japan,in 2012.Which statement would come first in his paper?

A researcher wants to know whether stress influences time spent exercising.She wants to strengthen the validity of her measure,so she

Historical research methods and comparative research methods both

News media is particularly well-suited to providing sociologists with

A sociologist asks,"What sparks positive change in institutional structures?" Which of the following represents a materials-based methodology for this study?

Geographic information systems (GIS)take bits of data and associate them with maps to create visual images of how

In the context of materials-based methods,the word materials refers to

David conducts a historical-comparative study of the terrorist attacks on September 11,2001.When he considers counterfactuals,he

Dr.San collected data from numerous data sets regarding behaviorally challenged third graders.He has data from three levels: student,school,and state.What is the strongest way for him to analyze these data? He

Dr.Stevens wants to study processes of government reconstruction following civil war.She chooses a materials-based approach for this type of macro-sociological topic because

Organizations may sometimes provide false or biased information.Researchers should,therefore,

How do researchers typically access data sets?

Quantitative content analysis by Janice McCabe and her colleagues,which systematically reviewed 101 years of children's books,supported which hypothesis about the presence of girls in children's literature?

When social scientists use physical materials as data,they

The Art and Science of Social Research: An Introduction

Research Foundations: Linking Sociological Theory to Research

Ethical Issues in Social Science Research

From Concepts to Models: Hypotheses, Operationalization, and Measurement

Evaluating Research: Reliability and Validity

Sampling Strategies

Experimental Research

Evaluation Research

Ethnography

In-Depth Interviewing

Social Network Analysis

Univariate and Bivariate Analysis of Quantitative Data

Multivariate and Advanced Quantitative Methods

Analysis of Qualitative Data

Communicating Social Science Research Findings

Filters