Deck 12: Secondary Data Analysis and Mixed Methods

Question 1

Secondary data analysis is:

A) Collecting your own data and doing several different analyses.
B) The analysis of only quantitative data collected by someone else.
C) The analysis of prexisting qualitative and quantitative data.
D) Getting a second opintion about the analysis of data.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

One challenge in using secondary data for analysis is:

A) It allows the researcher to avoid data collection problem.
B) The variables may not be measured in a way that allows for the testing of the secondary data researcher's hypothesis.
C) There is competition for use of the data.
D) It is hard to find data sets to analyze.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which one of the following is not an advantage of secondary data analysis?

A) It saves time and money.
B) It facilitates comparison with other samples.
C) It often includes many more variables and a more diverse sample.
D) Data analysis is more straight forward than when collecting your own data.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

If you wanted to find monthly unemployment data, what source might you use?

A) The Census
B) Inter-University Consortium for Politicaland Social Research
C) Current Population Survey
D) Survey of Income and Program Participation

Question 5

The Current Population Survey:

A) Provides monthly employment information about the United States.
B) Is the Census conducted every ten years.
C) Is a convenience sample of American households.
D) Is a cohort study providing information about program particiaption.

Question 6

It is important to know how missing information was treated because:

A) You want to be able to link information.
B) You want to know if an operation was designed to insert responses for missing data.
C) You want to best understand how the goals of the study were related to missing data.
D) It has no impact on your analysis.

Question 7

Census data are reported for what units?

A) Individuals, families, and businesses
B) Primary schools, high schools, and universities
C) States, counties, and census tracts
D) Regulatory commissions, government agencies, and government departments

Question 8

Which is an advantage of secondary data analysis?

A) It saves time and money.
B) It avoids data colelction problems.
C) It often includes many more variables and a more diverse sample.
D) All of the above.

Question 9

Massive data sets produced by people that are accessible in computer readable form refers to:

A) Big data.
B) Secondary data.
C) Confirmatory data.
D) Multiphase data.

Question 10

An example for a source of big data is:

A) ICPSR
B) Current Population Survey
C) Facebook
D) U.S. Census

Question 11

Which one of the following is not a reason for mixing methods?

A) It takes advantage of the strengths of quantitative and qualitatie methods.
B) It offers additional methods for statistical analysis.
C) It provides additional insights not available in only one method.
D) Researcher can examine new phenomena and then test findings.

Question 12

In this type of design, the quantitative and qualitative methods are implemented at the same time and given equal importance.

A) Embedded design
B) Exploratory staged design
C) Explanatory staged design
D) Integrated design

Question 13

Two key decisions about mixed-methods designs are:

A) Sample and sequence.
B) Ample and priority.
C) Sequence and priority.
D) Explanation and priority.

Question 14

This design involves a series of quantitative and qualitative designs; each design and the findings inform the next phase.

A) Complex design
B) Embedded design
C) Stage design
D) Explanatory sequential design

Question 15

Methodological ________ believe that only qualitative or quantitative methods provide adequate tools for investigating the educational world.

A) Purists
B) Pragmatists
C) Pluralists
D) Professors

Question 16

Methodological _________ believe that different methods should be used to answer the questions to which they are most suited.

A) Purists
B) Pragmatists
C) Pluralists
D) Professors

Question 17

The primary method used in a mixed-methods project is written as:

A) QUAN or QUAL
B) Quan or qual
C) Quan + Qual
D) Quan(qual)

Question 18

QUAN + QUAL means that:

A) The two designs are done sequentially and have equal priority.
B) The two designs are done at the same time and have equal priority.
C) The two designs are done at the same time but the quantitative design is given priority.
D) The QUAL design is done at the ame time but has more priority.

Question 19

QUAL $\rightarrow$ quan means that:

A) The qualitative design comes first sequentually but the quantitative is the more important design.
B) The qualitative design and quantitative design are implemented at the same time but the qualitative design is more important.
C) The qualitative design and quantitatve design are implemented at the same time but the quantitative design is more important design.
D) The qualitative design comes first and is more important than the quantitative design.

Question 20

Secondary data analysis involves using huge data sets.

Question 21

Secondary data analysis can only be done with quantitative data. time.

Question 22

Secondary data analysis involves using prexisting data to answer a different research question that intended by the people who collected the data.

Question 23

Imputed data are often used for missing responses.

Question 24

Imputing responses is when an operation is devised to insert a response for one left blank.

Question 25

Big data and secondary data are one in the same thing.

Question 26

Big data is emerging as a way of understanding huge quantities of data.

Question 27

It is impossible to link an individual's responses to the individual when using big data.

Question 28

Participant confidentiality is not a problem in secondary data analysis.

Question 29

Because secondary data analysis does not involve contact with human beings, an IRB review is never necessary.

Question 30

Researchers may choose to use mixed methods when they want to explore new or understudied phenomena and then test findings from the qualitative research.

Question 31

An increasing number of social work researchers are turning to mixed methods to answer more sophisticated research questions.

Question 32

QUAN means that the design is given priority in importance.

Question 33

QUAL + QUAN means that the qualitative design comes first followed by the quantitative design.

Question 34

Discuss the views of methodological purists, methodological pluralists, and methodological pragmatists in regards to mixed methods.

Question 35

Discuss why researchers use mixed methods.

Question 36

Creswell (2010) has helped popularize a simple notational system for distinguishing different ways of mixing quantitative and qualitative methods. This system distinguishes the priority given to one method over the other and the sequence in which they are used in a research project. Give two examples of this system.

Question 37

Compare and contrast the different mixed-methods designs.

Question 38

What ethical issues do researchers face when conducting mixed methods?