Deck 3: Doing Sociological Research

Question 1

Briefly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a controlled experiment as a sociological research method.

Answer 1

Controlled experiments in sociological research have both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:
1. Causality: Controlled experiments allow researchers to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between variables. By manipulating one variable and observing the effect on another, researchers can determine the impact of specific factors on social phenomena.

2. Replicability: Controlled experiments can be replicated, allowing for the validation of findings and the generalization of results to larger populations. This increases the reliability of the research.

3. Control over variables: In a controlled experiment, researchers have the ability to control and manipulate variables, which helps in isolating the impact of specific factors on the outcome of interest.

Disadvantages:
1. Artificiality: Controlled experiments often take place in artificial settings, which may not accurately reflect real-world social interactions. This can limit the generalizability of findings to natural social environments.

2. Ethical concerns: Some sociological research questions may involve ethical considerations that make it difficult to conduct controlled experiments. For example, it may be unethical to manipulate certain variables or expose participants to potentially harmful conditions.

3. Limited scope: Controlled experiments may not capture the complexity and nuances of social phenomena, as they often focus on a narrow set of variables and conditions. This can limit the applicability of findings to real-world social situations.

In conclusion, while controlled experiments offer valuable insights into causal relationships and provide a high level of control over variables, they also have limitations in terms of generalizability and ethical considerations. As such, researchers should carefully consider the appropriateness of this method for their specific research questions and objectives.

Question 2

Explain sampling and why it is used in data gathering. Explain how one can use a sample for research and still be able to generalize the findings to a larger population; what factors determine if the results from a sample may be generalized to the population?

Answer 2

Sampling is the process of selecting a subset of individuals or items from a larger population in order to gather information and make inferences about the entire population. It is used in data gathering because it is often impractical or impossible to collect data from every single member of a population. By using a sample, researchers can still obtain valuable information and draw conclusions about the population as a whole.

In research, a sample can be used to generalize findings to a larger population through the process of random sampling. Random sampling involves selecting individuals from the population in such a way that every member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample. This helps to ensure that the sample is representative of the population, and therefore the findings from the sample can be generalized to the larger population.

Several factors determine if the results from a sample may be generalized to the population. One important factor is the size of the sample. Generally, larger samples are more likely to accurately represent the population than smaller samples. Additionally, the method of sampling used can impact the generalizability of the findings. Random sampling is generally the most reliable method for generalizing findings to a population.

Other factors that can impact the generalizability of findings from a sample to a population include the diversity of the sample, the presence of any biases in the sampling process, and the specific characteristics of the population being studied. By considering these factors and using appropriate sampling methods, researchers can ensure that their findings are applicable to the larger population.

Question 3

Explain the difference between quantitative and qualitative studies and the types of analysis that might be used for each.

Answer 3

Quantitative and qualitative studies are two different approaches to research that involve different methods of data collection and analysis.

Quantitative studies involve the collection of numerical data and the use of statistical analysis to draw conclusions. This type of research is often used to measure and quantify relationships between variables. Types of analysis that might be used for quantitative studies include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and regression analysis.

On the other hand, qualitative studies involve the collection of non-numerical data such as interviews, observations, and open-ended survey responses. This type of research focuses on understanding the underlying reasons, motivations, and attitudes behind behaviors. Types of analysis that might be used for qualitative studies include thematic analysis, content analysis, and narrative analysis.

In summary, quantitative studies focus on numerical data and use statistical analysis, while qualitative studies focus on non-numerical data and use qualitative analysis methods to draw conclusions. Both approaches have their own strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of which method to use depends on the research question and the nature of the data being collected.

Question 4

Explain the Hawthorne effect-what it is and where it originated-and give a brief example that illustrates it.

Question 5

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

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

Question 6

Your roommate, a physics major, confidently asserts that the social sciences, including sociology, are not "real science," not like physics is. What might you say in response to demonstrate that sociology is, in fact, a science?

Question 7

Suppose you were interested in studying attitudes of your fellow students toward immigration. What might you do to be sure that you surveyed a random sample of students? What would it mean for your research if you failed to do so?

Question 8

Describe how a researcher might develop a research question.

Question 9

Explain the importance of establishing a population when drawing a sample.

Question 10

Define the terms research question, independent variable, and dependent variable; give a brief example of a research question and identify the independent and dependent variables within it.

Question 11

Explain what content analysis is and what types of questions it is most appropriate for. Describe the limitations of content analysis.

Question 12

State a sociological research question that is of interest to you. What sort of research design would you pick to answer that question? Why?

Question 13

What is the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning? Give an example of each.

Question 14

Explain the limitations of a controlled experiment for addressing real-life effects.

Question 15

Define two of the six methods that sociologists use to gather data. For each of the two you select, discuss an appropriate research problem and the potential advantages and disadvantages of the method for addressing that problem..

Question 16

Research that is exactly the same as a previous study but on a different group of people or in a different time or place is called a _____ study.

A) carbon
B) replication
C) reified
D) spurious

Question 17

Explain the difficulties involved in achieving completely "value-free" sociology. How might a researcher potentially add bias to the outcomes of the research? How do most sociologists resolve the issue of objectivity in research?

Question 18

Define inductive and deductive reasoning and explain how they are used in the research process.

Question 19

Explain what a concept is and describe the relationship between concepts and indicator variables.

Question 20

Explain the difference between validity and reliability. Why are they important in research?

Question 21

All concepts require indicators to allow researchers to measure them. Provide a measurable indicator variable for each of the following three concepts and explain your rationale. Social mobility Well-being Societal development

Question 22

Which of the following statements about hypothesis testing is true?

A) All sociological research follows the model of hypothesis.
B) A hypothesis is a demonstration of fact.
C) A hypothesis may be either accepted or rejected.
D) Only qualitative studies use hypotheses.

Question 23

Which of these statements can be said of all soundly conducted sociological research?

A) It is all quantitative.
B) It is all qualitative.
C) It always has a plan for the collection of data.
D) It always follows the model of hypothesis.

Question 24

Would participation observation be a useful research method with a large group, such as a rally or a march of thousands of individuals? Explain your reasoning.

Question 25

A characteristic that may have more than one value or score is called a(n)

A) variable.
B) value.
C) hypothesis.
D) observation.

Question 26

If Mary wants to take an in-depth, nuanced look at how mothers and daughters interact, what type of research would she most likely be doing?

A) Qualitative
B) Quantitative
C) Content
D) Historical

Question 27

The research technique in which the sociologist is the researcher but is also involved in the activities being studied is called

A) subjective analysis.
B) participant observation.
C) actor-action research.
D) ethnography.

Question 28

Why is the controlled experiment particularly suited for determining cause and effect?

Question 29

To study the difference in academic achievement between male and female athletes, one might look at rates of graduation among university students involved in sports. This is an example of _____ research.

A) quantitative
B) qualitative
C) inductive
D) nonscientific

Question 30

How are most hypotheses stated?

A) An outline of steps that will take place
B) A list of possible outcomes
C) If-then statements
D) A logical argument with evidence presented

Question 31

When a researcher uses numerical analysis, she is most likely engaging in _____ research.

A) qualitative
B) quantitative
C) deductive
D) historical

Question 32

Provide an example of a measure that is reliable but not valid. How would this affect research conclusions?

Question 33

When developing a research question, it is important to

A) identify available funding.
B) explore possible conflicts of interest.
C) review the relevant literature.
D) have it reviewed by an ethics committee.

Question 34

If sociology is an empirical science and thus based on observation, how can sociologists study concepts that cannot be observed? Provide a specific example of a concept and discuss how it could be studied.

Question 35

How is doing a replication study useful?

A) A replication study can demonstrate the reliability of the original findings and indicate what changes have occurred since the original study was conducted.
B) A replication study is useful only if the first study was conducted incorrectly or if there are other reasons to be suspicious of the results.
C) Unless there is a well-founded suspicion of deliberate fraud, there is no reason to replicate a study.
D) A replication is usually less expensive because most of the work has previously been done.

Question 36

In the discussion of the use of statistics in sociology, the text lists six "mistakes" that can be made. List and briefly describe ways in which data and research outcomes can be distorted or misrepresented, accidentally or intentionally.

Question 37

Why is content analysis a valuable research method for sociology? What can it be used to demonstrate?

Question 38

Suppose a sociologist wants to study the social processes involved participation in acts of terrorism. What sociological research method would be least appropriate? Explain your reasoning.

Question 39

Based on what you read, you think that people whose parents are divorced are more likely to become divorced themselves. As you begin your research, you state your belief explicitly, in a testable way. This explicit, testable statement is a

A) research design.
B) statement of causality.
C) hypothesis.
D) generalized conclusion.

Question 40

What does the term research design refer to?

A) A systematic summary of previously conducted research related to the proposed study
B) A diagram of the causal logic of the proposed study
C) The overall logic of the research project, including what observational method will be used
D) A statement of the underlying theory and how it is applied

Question 41

If research clearly established that "study time determines the grades that a student earns," grades are the _____ variable.

A) dependent
B) independent
C) control
D) intervening

Question 42

Which of the following is an example of a concept?

A) Power
B) Income
C) Educational attainment
D) Age

Question 43

In the statement "Diet determines one's life expectancy," diet is the _____ variable.

A) dependent
B) independent
C) intervening
D) control

Question 44

What is the Hawthorne effect?

A) Researcher bias when interpreting results of data collection
B) People acting according to what they believe to be true
C) Subjects of research altering their behavior if they know they are being studied
D) Believing something will happen actually causing it to happen

Question 45

Which of the following is an example of primary data?

A) The research results from another sociologist's study
B) Police reports of crime being used by an outside researcher
C) The results of a one's own sociological survey
D) Birth data from the Bureau of Vital Statistics being analyzed by university researchers

Question 46

When multiple indicators of a single concept give similar results, it is likely that the measures are providing a _____ depiction of the concept.

A) reliable
B) valid
C) reactive
D) reflective

Question 47

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

A) A variable is something the researcher believes is irrelevant to the research outcome.
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 48

When a researcher is measuring levels of well-being, the variables "life expectancy" and "educational attainment" are referred to as _____ because they reflect an abstract concept.

A) dependent variables
B) indicators
C) constructs
D) intervenors

Question 49

A student is given the same survey three times, each time sitting alone in a room. The student's results on the survey are different each time. This is an indication that the survey

A) lacks reliability.
B) lacks validity.
C) doesn't cover the material it was supposed to.
D) is biased.

Question 50

Whether a measurement gives the same results when it is repeated under the same conditions is an indication of the measurement's

A) validity.
B) reliability.
C) certainty.
D) specificity.

Question 51

Variables used to measure an abstract concept are called

A) constructs.
B) confounders.
C) specious.
D) indicators.

Question 52

Which of these statements explains why indicator variables are necessary to study concepts?

A) Sociologists are not interested in concepts.
B) Concepts cannot be observed directly.
C) Concepts cannot be included as variables in a study.
D) Indicators are more easily defined.

Question 53

Which of these statements about variables is true?

A) A variable must always be very concrete and straightforward.
B) A variable must always be as abstract as possible.
C) Research is often designed to discover how variables influence each other.
D) Only two variables may be included in any particular study.

Question 54

In the example of the UN Human Development Index, life expectancy and educational attainment are used as _____ for level of well-being, which is a(n) _____.

A) independent variables; dependent variable
B) indicators; concept
C) concepts; indicator
D) control variables; experimental variable

Question 55

When a researcher is concerned if a measure gives consistent results, he or she is focused on

A) reliability.
B) validity.
C) ethics.
D) specificity.

Question 56

Concepts are

A) empirically testable hypotheses.
B) abstract ideas that are potentially measurable.
C) ideas that can be directly seen.
D) characteristics of a person of a group.

Question 57

The steps of _____ include observation, hypothesis testing, analysis of data, and drawing conclusions.

A) deductive reasoning
B) abstract reasoning
C) the inductive method
D) the scientific method

Question 58

At the start of class, Professor Stevens tells students that she wants to measure how many pages of notes they take during class. At the end of the class, Professor Stevens finds that the students have taken a remarkable amount of notes-clearly more than they usually would have. Which of the following is of concern for Professor Stevens?

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

Question 59

How do sociologists ensure that their measurement of a concept is valid?

A) They stick to a single indicator for a particular concept in order to avoid confusion.
B) They use more than one indicator for a particular concept.
C) They avoid using concepts at all because they are too abstract.
D) They replicate studies multiple times.

Question 60

In what way does sociological knowledge differ from philosophy and personal belief?

A) In sociological research, the theory must be testable.
B) Sociology focuses only on social problems.
C) Sociology is never humanistic.
D) Philosophy and personal beliefs are based on empirical evidence.

Question 61

How do sociologists know if the sample they are using is representative?

A) If the people in the sample freely volunteered to serve as representatives
B) If the sample has an even number, decided by the researcher, of people from several different categories or backgrounds
C) If the sample has the same mix of people, in the same proportions, as the population being studied
D) If the participants have been interviewed to reveal possible bias

Question 62

When selecting a research method, what is the first question a sociologist should ask?

A) What sociological question is being investigated?
B) Which research method is most popular now?
C) Is funding available to use the method of interest?
D) What sample size will be needed?

Question 63

_____ is the best way to make sure a sample is representative of the population being studied.

A) Relying on volunteers
B) Individual selection
C) Random selection
D) Selection based on availability

Question 64

During which step of the research process do sociologists make their research discoveries?

A) Formulation of a hypothesis
B) Collection of data
C) Data analysis
D) Presentation of conclusions

Question 65

When Dr. Baker, a professor at a university, uses data from the United States Department of Agriculture's  Census of Agriculture on farm size, he is using _____ data.

A) primary
B) secondary
C) content
D) historical

Question 66

Which of these is not a type of survey?

A) A mailed-out questionnaire asking people about the characteristics of their neighborhood
B) An in-person interview conducted with unemployed young adults
C) A telephone or Internet poll asking about intention to vote in an upcoming election
D) An experiment in which passersby are asked for help by individuals of varying appearances

Question 67

A sociologist wants to find out what the attitudes toward drinking are among the students at the university where she works. What would be the population for this study?

A) All the students at that university who consume alcohol
B) The entire student body at that university
C) All of the university students in the United states
D) Everyone on that university campus, including students and nonstudents

Question 68

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

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

Question 69

What is necessary in order to draw the most accurate conclusions about a population while studying only part of it?

A) A sample of at least 10 percent of the population
B) A representative sample
C) It is not possible to draw accurate conclusions about a population by studying only part of it.
D) A sample that is at least half of the population

Question 70

Researchers use the term serendipity to refer to

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 71

Which of the following would be considered a serendipitous research finding?

A) One that contradicted the researcher's original hypothesis
B) One that was unanticipated or outside the scope of the original research
C) One that was inconsistent with prevailing sociological theories
D) One that could not be replicated by other researchers

Question 72

A sociological study explores whether there is any truth to the stereotype that women are bad drivers. Which of the following types of reasoning would be used in this type of study?

A) Inductive reasoning
B) Applied reasoning
C) Deductive reasoning
D) Conceptual reasoning

Question 73

When used as data for sociological analysis by a researcher not involved in the original data collection, national opinion polls and Census data are considered

A) invalid.
B) unreliable.
C) secondary data.
D) primary data.

Question 74

What is a sample?

A) Any subset of people of a population being studied
B) Another term for the population under study
C) The set of data that comes in response to a survey
D) A statistical method used for data analysis

Question 75

Which type of survey questions are typically analyzed qualitatively?

A) Closed-ended questions
B) Yes-no questions
C) Open-ended questions
D) Questions that ask about age, weight, or similar variables

Question 76

Dr. Khan conducted a study of responses to homeless individuals in a large East Coast city. He wonders whether the same results would be obtained in midwestern, southern, or West Coast cities. Dr. Khan is wondering about

A) generalizability.
B) validity.
C) reliability.
D) proving causality.

Question 77

Akasha creates a survey for her sociology course and gives it to her classmates. When she writes up her findings, she generalizes to all college students. Her generalization is unwarranted because her sample was

A) not properly consented.
B) not paid to participate.
C) not randomly selected.
D) coerced.

Question 78

A(n) _____ question  is one that requires the respondent to select one from a fixed set of possible answers.

A) objective
B) subjective
C) open-ended
D) closed-ended

Question 79

Which of these is an example of secondary data?

A) The results of a researcher's questionnaire
B) Information on the population obtained from the Census Bureau
C) The results of one's sociological telephone survey
D) Data gathered from doing participant observation

Question 80

In sociological research, a _____ is a large collection of people, groups, or categories from which a researcher will select those to be studied.

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