Exam 2: Research Methods

Carly believes that,contrary to the stereotype of silent men and chatty women,men chat as often-if not more-as women do when they're eating.For four months,Carly eats her lunch in the university cafeteria,recording the talking time of males and females in couples and in groups during their food breaks.What type of study is Carly conducting?

What is the basic logic of experimentation in science? Why don't social scientists use experiments as often as natural scientists?

Who bears the primary ethical responsibility in university-based academic research?

Using the Internet for a survey collection of data from the general population is problematic since it is next to impossible to establish a sampling frame,which then creates problems of external validity.

The method of participant observation typically employs random samples of individuals or groups.

Tony is doing research on alcoholism and the effects it has on individuals and their families.Which of the following would Tony NOT use in his ethnographic study?

According to research outlined in the text,which statement best describes the relationship between education,income,and gender?

Scientists can conclusively declare solar flares and the resulting radiation knocks out satellite transmissions.What can ultimately be said about these two events?

Tessa (a chemistry major)and Samantha (a sociology major)are roommates and one evening when studying for their midterms,Tessa asserted that sociologists don't "do" science.Samantha disagreed,saying that sociologists do science,but with one major difference.What is the primary difference that Samantha would cite?

What must exist for a scientific explanation to be judged adequate?

What is external validity?

Summarize the basic principles of the logic of experimentation.Use an example to demonstrate the relationship between independent and dependent variables.

What is random-digit-sampling?

Donna was studying her research data and said to fellow researcher Carl that she believed she had discovered a causal relationship.What would Carl expect Donna to provide as support for her assertion?

In studying how ethnicity influences social interaction,Foschi and Buchan were careful to assign their subjects to each of the experimental conditions.Which process did they use?

Paul was conducting research into the causal linkages between age,income,education level attained,and intimate partner abuse.What type of statistical analysis would Paul conduct?

As a sociologist,I decide to study the social phenomenon of suicide;I am not value-free in choosing this topic,as I had a cousin who took his own life.What will I have to be mindful of when conducting my research?

Heidi observed children playing in a controlled setting,limiting toys and adult interaction.When the findings were compared with children studied playing in their homes,many findings were the same.As a result,what can first experiment be said to have?

Having studied Stanley Milgram's experiments on obedience to authority,which were conducted in the early 1960s,Thomas wanted to see if people were still as willing to obey authority.Using the same methodology,Thomas conducted his experiments and found that the average obedience rates were remarkably similar.What can be said about Milgram's original experimental results?

When are measurements in research considered reliable?