Deck 2: Sociological Research

Question 1

Corey wants to survey prisoners about their experience with violence inside the penitentiary. In Corey's study, prisoners are the:

A) population
B) independent variable
C) dependent variable
D) cohort

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What can arise when people recognize a problem and take action to deal with it?

A) Triangulation
B) Social Policy
C) Operationalization
D) Ethnography

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Michelle is examining the eating habits of students at the local university. Which of the following would be an example of triangulation?

A) She conducts several surveys at different times of the day.
B) She uses the quantitative data of food sales purchased as well as qualitative data from in-depth interviews with students.
C) She interviews students, teachers, and the people who work at the cafeteria.
D) After collecting her data she calculates various statistics and presents the results in a table.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Imani is conducting research on car accidents in Canada. Imani finds that as the number of hours that local bars stay open increases, the number of car accidents also increases. As such, the relationship between car accidents and bar hours involves a:

A) positive correlation
B) negative correlation
C) spurious correlation
D) reliable correlation

Question 5

Rosa is conducting cross-sectional research on the exercise habits of pet owners in Ottawa. How might she collect her data?

A) By interviewing pet owners in Ottawa over a 10-year period
B) By surveying a sample of pet owners in Ottawa
C) By collecting existing data from a variety of sources
D) By reading similar studies conducted in other cities

Question 6

Which term refers to the scientific procedures that sociologists use to conduct research and collect data about a particular topic?

A) Reliability
B) Validity
C) Research methods
D) Objectivity

Question 7

Lance is conducting research on the employment-seeking skills of homeless people in Vancouver. Lance poses as a volunteer at a homeless shelter so that he can study homeless people in their natural environment. This is an example of which type of field research?

A) Participant observation
B) Case study
C) Experiment
D) Survey

Question 8

Dr. Lergo selected a sample of 250 Canadian truck drivers and interviewed them on their use of driving log books. Dr. Lergo takes the findings from the sample and applies them to all truck drivers in Canada. This is an example of:

A) oversampling
B) triangulation
C) operationalization
D) generalization

Question 9

Jessica is interested in the number of females in leadership positions in Fortune 500 companies. Jessica's research is:

A) longitudinal
B) qualitative
C) ethnographic
D) quantitative

Question 10

Martin has decided to do a study of how much students spend on textbooks. Which of the following would be the most reliable measure of the cost of a student's textbooks?

A) Looking at their bookstore receipt
B) Asking the students how much they spent on books
C) Calculating an average cost of books per discipline
D) Counting the number of books bought by each student

Question 11

Dr. Crumbly measured student success using grade point average (GPA). Because GPA actually measures student success, Mr. Crumbly's research has:

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

Question 12

Bobby wants to ensure that his sample looks like the population that he is studying. Bobby should use:

A) oversampling
B) triangulation
C) a random sample
D) a case study

Question 13

Lila is studying the relationship that develops between drug users and drug dealers. Lila wants to understand the behaviours and attitudes of the subjects from the actors' point of view. According to Max Weber, Lila is practicing:

A) objectivity
B) causation
C) reliability
D) verstehen

Question 14

Dr. Yi's research examines how attitudes towards the Canadian government have changed over a 30-year period. Dr. Yi's project is an example of a(n) ____________________ study.

A) longitudinal
B) cross-sectional
C) comparative
D) experimental

Question 15

Professor Pettigrew's class will be conducting social research. Their first step is to:

A) review the literature
B) develop a hypothesis
C) decide on a topic
D) collect data

Question 16

David is studying the behaviour of fans during college football games. David conducts this research in the stadium, the natural setting for football games. This is an example of____________________.

A) survey research
B) field research
C) secondary data analysis
D) an experiment

Question 17

Carlos is studying the relationship between cheating and divorce among married couples. He wants household income to be a control variable. Which is the best way for Carlos to do this?

A) Only select couples where both spouses work.
B) Select couples with a range of different household incomes.
C) Select couples with the same household income.
D) Only select couples where one of the spouses works.

Question 18

Samir is studying income and voting behaviour. Which of the following is an example of a hypothesis for this study?

A) People should take more interest in local politics.
B) Why do people vote in elections?
C) The higher a person's income, the more likely he/she is to vote in local elections.
D) People vote for all kinds of reasons.

Question 19

Erika is doing a survey on people's opinions about abortion. Although Erika is opposed to abortion, she does not allow her personal biases to prejudice her research. This suggests that Erika is practicing:

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

Question 20

Professor Herchak is researching the study habits of students at the college where he teaches. Which of the following is an example of a convenience sample?

A) Half the students registered at the college
B) All the students in his two sections of Introduction to Sociology
C) Thirty students randomly selected from the registrar's list of all students
D) Only the full-time students at the college.

Question 21

What is the mean of the following numbers: 20, 30, 100?

A) 20
B) 30
C) 50
D) 75

Question 22

Tawanda just learned that there are numerous processes used by researchers to find information. Tawanda just learned about __________________.

A) ethics
B) samples
C) research designs
D) cohorts

Question 23

Mohamed is conducting research on the relationship between education and fertility. Muhammad finds that the more education a woman has, the fewer children she is likely to have because educated women spend much of their childbearing years in school or climbing the career ladder. This suggests that there is a _____________________ between education and fertility.

A) positive correlation
B) spurious correlation
C) negative correlation
D) reliable correlation

Question 24

Dr. Mead studied a random sample of 50 social science students at her college. Her findings can be generalized to which population?

A) All social science students in Canada
B) All students at her college
C) All social science students at her college
D) All students at any college

Question 25

Naomi wants to study the crime rates in various European countries. Which research method would be the easiest to use?

A) Experiment
B) Field research
C) Survey
D) Secondary analysis

Question 26

Takaya is conducting research on the stigma of obesity in Canada. He is currently reading relevant academic articles and information. Takaya is in which stage of social research?

A) Develop a hypothesis
B) Review the literature
C) Collect data
D) Analyze results

Question 27

Garret is interested in the speeding behaviour of student drivers. He selects 700 students as a subset of the group that he is interested in studying. The 700 students that Garret selects make up a:

A) population
B) research topic
C) cohort
D) sample

Question 28

Professor Joftis is teaching his students about the scientific procedures that sociologists use to conduct research and develop knowledge about a particular topic. Professor Joftis is discussing:

A) objectivity
B) correlation
C) research methods
D) variables

Question 29

Norton is conducting research that involves interviewing people about their commuting habits. This is an example of which type of social research method?

A) Participant observation
B) Case study
C) Secondary data analysis
D) Survey

Question 30

The sale of Christmas trees and the number of suicides are increasing. The increase in Christmas tree sales and death by suicide are probably both explained by the holiday season. During this time of year, a large number of people purchase trees to decorate their homes. Also, during this season, a large number of people become depressed and commit suicide. This suggests that there is a _________________ between Christmas tree sales and suicide.

A) positive correlation
B) negative correlation
C) spurious correlation
D) unreliable correlation

Question 31

Lorenzo's hypothesis suggests that the more religious a teenager is, the less likely they are to have sexual intercourse before marriage. Lorenzo measures religiosity by the number of times a week a person prays and sexual experience by the number of sexual partners that a person has had. By turning these abstract concepts into something measureable, Lorenzo is involved in:

A) operationalizing
B) theorizing
C) hypothesizing
D) triangulation

Question 32

The grade point average (GPA) of students participating in an experiment on academic achievement rose over the course of the academic year. The students worked harder to do better in school because they knew they were being studied. This is an example of:

A) selection effects
B) the Hawthorne effect
C) central tendency
D) spuriousness

Question 33

The Student Health Care Centre is conducting research on the use of prescription medications by 250 students over a period of four years. The students used in this longitudinal study are called a(n):

A) cohort
B) independent variable
C) dependent variable
D) population

Question 34

Jason wants to know if student grades are impacted by being involved in a romantic relationship. In Jason's study, grades are the:

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) control variable
D) spurious variable

Question 35

What is a good way to avoid ethical dilemmas in social science research?

A) Read the Tri-Council policy statement on ethical conduct.
B) Make sure to follow the scientific method.
C) Only use statistical analysis.
D) Get participants' consent.

Question 36

Serena is conducting a research project on a student who takes classes during the day and works as a stripper during the night. This detailed investigation of a single person that is carried out in order to shed light on a complex issue is an example of which type of field research?

A) Participant observation
B) Case study
C) Ethnography
D) Triangulation

Question 37

Quincy is conducting research on how males and females are portrayed in story books for children. He reads the children's stories looking for themes suggesting that females depend on men to care for them and save them. This type of qualitative research is called:

A) secondary data analysis
B) participant observation
C) ethnography
D) content analysis

Question 38

Ronnie interviewed 35 prostitutes in Montreal in an effort to gain an understanding of the social perspectives and cultural values of street walkers. This is an example of which type of field research?

A) Ethnography
B) Content analysis
C) Case study
D) Experiment

Question 39

Okim wants to know about the number of text messages sent and received by ten of his friends each day. He knows that most of his friends send and receive many messages each day. However, one of his friends does not own a cell phone, and therefore does not send any messages. Which would be the best measure of central tendency for Okim to use?

A) Mean
B) Median
C) Average
D) Centre

Question 40

Hadassah develops a comprehensive and systematic explanation of male domination of females around the world. Her explanation results in the development of testable predictions concerning violence, housework, income, and power in male-female relationships. Hadassah's explanation is an example of a:

A) sample
B) cohort
C) theory
D) hypothesis

Question 41

Compare and contrast the three measures of central tendency. Explain when it is best to use each measure.

Question 42

Define field research and discuss the three common methods of field research.

Question 43

Martin wants to know how often restaurant employees wash their hands. He is concerned about the Hawthorne effect. Which research method could Martin use to make sure the Hawthorne effect does not influence his findings?

A) Participant observation
B) Survey
C) Experiment
D) Interviews

Question 44

At which stage of the research cycle are ethics most likely to be a concern?

A) Select a research design and collect data
B) Decide on a topic
C) Develop a hypothesis
D) Analyze results

Question 45

Discuss objectivity and verstehen. Describe an example in which a researcher employs these concepts.

Question 46

Who conducted a series of experiments to test a subject's ability to reject the orders of a perceived superior?

A) Stanley Milgram
B) Morris Freilich
C) Eileen Barker
D) Steven Stack

Question 47

Describe the different sampling methods and the issues to think about when sampling.

Question 48

Panagiotis wants to know if males are more likely than females to skip classes. In this study, which is the independent variable?

A) Skipping
B) Sex
C) Males
D) Females

Question 49

Professor Larocque noticed that on the last test she gave, two students had extremely low grades. In this situation, which would be the best measure of central tendency for Professor Larocque to use?

A) Median
B) Mode
C) Mean
D) Average

Question 50

Make a list of variables and describe how you would operationalize them.

Question 51

Describe three sociological research studies that you would do. For each study, identify the research method that you would use, and explain why you prefer that method.

Question 52

Compare and contrast hypothesis, concept, and theory.

Question 53

Eddie wants to know if participating in sports at school influences the self-esteem of teenage girls. In Eddie's study, participating in sports is the:

A) independent variable
B) dependent variable
C) control variable
D) spurious variable

Question 54

Explain the similarities and differences between causation and correlation. Discuss the three types of correlation.

Question 55

In Canada, researchers or institutions that receive funding from any of the main federal research funding agencies are obliged to use:

A) the Tri-Council Policy Statement
B) the Canadian Ethics Manual
C) the Research Legitimacy Document
D) the Federal Research Guide

Question 56

Describe the six steps of social research.

Question 57

Ricardo is exploring the academic achievement of children in loving families. Because "academic achievement" is a characteristic that can be measured, it is a:

A) variable
B) concept
C) cohort
D) hypothesis

Question 58

Nader wants to know if Muslim students study more than students from other religious backgrounds. In this study, which is the dependent variable?

A) Religion
B) Muslim
C) Time spent studying
D) Other religious backgrounds

Question 59

Explain the purpose of the independent variable, dependent variable, and control variable. Develop an example of a research project and identify each variable.

Question 60

Melissa is researching changes in the Canadian crime rate by using data from Statistics Canada. Melissa is using:

A) surveys
B) field research
C) experiments
D) secondary data analysis

Question 61

Peter is studying the relationship between physical activity and health. He is worried that older people may exercise less and have more health problems, so he only surveys people aged 18-25. In this study, age is a variable.

Question 62

A(n) is a comprehensive and systematic explanation of events that lead to testable predictors.

Question 63

If you wanted to study tuition fees in the ten provinces, this would be a(n) study.

Question 64

Amina is researching political opinions on campus. She decides to use the attributes "liberal" and "conservative" to measure her variable. This process is called .

Question 65

Correlation proves that one variable causes the other variable.

Question 66

What research issues arise when comparing drug-related crime rates from different countries?

Question 67

Participant observation increases the chances of the Hawthorne effect.

Question 68

Describe how you would conduct research to study the relationship between music and suicide.

Question 69

Discuss the relationship between research methods and the four sociological paradigms.

Question 70

The mean cannot be calculated for qualitative data.

Question 71

Evaluate Stanley Milgram's obedience study by using the three core principles in research ethics.

Question 72

Ethical concerns are most likely to arise when deciding on a topic.

Question 73

Discuss the similarities and differences in comparative studies, cross-sectional studies, and longitudinal studies.

Question 74

Two researchers can look at the same data and come to different conclusions.

Question 75

Large samples are always reliable.

Question 76

Dependent variables are kept constant in experiments.

Question 77

Reliable means that you're actually measuring the thing you set out to measure in the first place.

Question 78

Symbolic interactionists prefer qualitative data.

Question 79

Non-numerical data is qualitative data.

Question 80

Martin conducted surveys and also interviewed some participants in his research on internet use. Using multiple approaches is an example of .