Deck 8: Section 1: Qualitative Interviewing

Question 1

Research involving which group would not be receptive to the use of unstructured interviews?

A) criminals
B) police officers
C) judges
D) probation officers

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Qualitative interviews are important tools for producing thick description that helps reveal the richness of human experience.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

When it is necessary to study phenomenon in their natural setting, experiments are the best approach to take.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Theoretical sampling is not a part of this theory generating process.

Question 5

Which approaches are considered inappropriate for initiating field research among active offenders?

A) telephone survey, informal gatherings, and club meetings
B) focus group meetings and movies
C) letters, phone calls, and formal meetings
D) all forms of formal and informal contacts

Question 6

Sometimes, the only way to obtain the information that you need is through qualitative data collection.

Question 7

When examining qualitative data, there are many ways to find concepts that become higher-level themes.

Question 8

A researcher feels that he or she will need to ask questions of the subjects. Which field research technique is best to use?

A) complete observer
B) complete participant
C) a combination of observer and participant
D) surveys

Question 9

Which type of interview is the most natural, in-depth, and exploratory?

A) semi-structured interviewing.
B) structured interviewing.
C) unstructured interviewing.
D) focus group interviewing.

Question 10

Grounded theory is not built from qualitative field observations.

Question 11

Often developed through ____, grounded theory combines a naturalist approach with a positivist concern for a systematic set of procedures.

A) qualitative interviewing
B) focus groups
C) letters, phone calls, and meetings
D) None of the above are true.

Question 12

A focus group is a type of qualitative interview, and involves a directed discussion with a small group of people.

Question 13

Field research is a data collection method that involves the ____of phenomena in their natural settings.

A) direct observation
B) written records
C) grounded theory
D) accurate measure

Question 14

Reflexivity refers generally to one's subjectivity in the research process. Thus, the process of reflexivity requires that one be critically conscious of ____.

A) one's feelings
B) one's resources
C) who their subjects are
D) whether they will be using subjects in formal or informal organizations

Question 15

Missing data is a type of connector where you are alert for what participants are failing to mention.

Question 16

The main thing to keep track of with respect to focus group dynamics are ____.

A) spontaneity
B) the emergence of themes
C) groupthink and dominant group members
D) group dynamics

Question 17

A qualitative interview involves an interaction between an interviewer and a respondent

Question 18

Which activity would not be a logical crime to study using the field research techniques?

A) prostitution
B) shoplifting
C) embezzlement
D) drug use

Question 19

Field research is often associated with qualitative techniques.

Question 20

Qualitative field research is the preferred method for studying many ____.

A) subjects who change language
B) types of crimes
C) types of phenomena
D) types of active offenders

Question 21

Which statement is false regarding the use of field notes for recording observations?

A) field notes include what you are sure you have observed
B) field notes should not include unanticipated events
C) field notes should include what you think you observed
D) note taking can be done on standardized recording forms that you create prior to the start of the research

Question 22

What is an advantage to using unstructured interviewing techniques when conducting field research?

A) the researcher knows a lot about the subject under study
B) the researcher won't enter into casual conversation with the subject as a means of gathering data
C) the researcher and subject may have short fixed time for the interview
D) the researcher and subject may witness an event together

Question 23

Which factor is a serious consideration for researchers who adopt the role of complete participant when doing field research?

A) generalizability
B) ethics
C) validity
D) all of these answers are correct

Question 24

The reliability of quantitative field studies can be enhanced by ____.

A) By reviewing police records.
B) Reviewing by the director of the organization.
C) Contacting various personnel within the organization.
D) Careful attention to the details of observation.

Question 25

The qualitative interview can also be thought of as an) ____.

A) well-designed survey
B) difficult exercise
C) purposeful conversation
D) expensive venture

Question 26

Field notes should include all but which of the following?

A) specific names of those being studied and where events happen even if those being studied are criminals
B) what you specifically witnessed
C) what you think that you witnessed
D) your interpretations of what you witnessed

Question 27

A letter used to gain access to a formal organization should include all of the following topics except ____.

A) the purpose of your research
B) who is funding your research
C) the action that you request someone to do for you
D) name your sponsor within the organization

Question 28

A researcher engaged in interviewing would likely use _______________ data that is defined as observations that are not easily reduced to numbers.

Question 29

Probes are important tools for qualitative interviewing because they prompt participants to ____.

A) elaborate on responses by filling in more detail and depth
B) be careful when speaking
C) be concerned about others' feelings
D) be concerned about time

Question 30

Regardless of the techniques used to identify subjects from subcultures, there will be concerns. Which of the following is not one of them?

A) lack of probability sampling
B) selection bias
C) generally a small sample size
D) there are no concerns once you get an informant to introduce members of their subculture

Question 31

Generalizability of qualitative studies is often limited by ___.

A) representative of the population
B) of sufficient size
C) generalizable
D) of insufficient size

Question 32

Which element should NOT be in a letter that serves as a follow up to identification of the sponsor?

A) the name of your sponsor
B) a detailed description of your research
C) arranging a time and date for a phone call
D) identify that you want to meet and talk with the contact person

Question 33

Which statement is NOT a guideline for good field note taking?

A) don't trust your memory, write down as much as possible unobtrusively
B) develop your notes from sketchy to more detailed with rewrites
C) use only key words and phrases in your notes, you will remember the details at a later date
D) record as many details as you can right after each observation session

Question 34

Environmental surveys are used for which research purpose?

A) determining the grounded theory
B) planning police strategies in drug enforcement and to assess the impact of those strategies
C) developing notes on graffiti and vandalism damage in an urban area
D) finding out green environment

Question 35

After you have identified a sponsor and sent a letter to a formal organization stating your interest in research, a phone call is typically the next step in the process. You have agreed upon a time and day for the phone call and at the appointed time, you call. The director will not take your call. What should you do next?

A) forget that organization as a target of your research because if the director will not take your call now, you cannot expect much from him once the research begins
B) keep calling back until your call is taken by the director
C) ask to speak the director's assistant and make an appointment for a meeting
D) find another sponsor and see if you have better luck getting access to the director

Question 36

Audit trails consists of extensive logs of data, such as ____.

A) letters and phone calls
B) meetings
C) interviews
D) field notes and memos

Question 37

Which statement is false with regard to structured interviews?

A) they enable the researcher to generate numeric measures of observed conditions
B) they are best suited for studies where a researcher is expected to encounter a wide variety of situations
C) they are more reliable than other methods
D) they require careful training

Question 38

Qualitative research ____.

A) is unable to generate theory
B) being the basis of grounded theory
C) can be used to produce only quantitative data
D) is unreliable

Question 39

Which statement is false with regard to field research?

A) It has greater validity and reliability than survey research.
B) It often involves theory creation.
C) It often combines observation and asking questions.
D) It can provide both qualitative and quantitative data.

Question 40

To gain access to a formal criminal justice organization for the purpose of conducting qualitative interviewing, which step should be followed?

A) find an informant and then send a letter to gain access
B) find a sponsor, send a letter, follow up with a phone call and then set up a meeting
C) telephone the agency and speak with the director and set up a meeting
D) field research cannot be done in formal criminal justice organizations because only the use of written records is allowed

Question 41

Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of interviewing and survey research. Give specific attention to the topics of validity, reliability and generalizability.

Question 42

A theory that stems from an analysis of patterns, themes, and common categories discovered in data is referred to as an) _______________ theory.

Question 43

Describe the steps that would be necessary to gain access to a formal organization for the purposes of doing field research.

Question 44

List and discuss methods that can be used to record field observations, identifying their strengths and weaknesses.

Question 45

Qualitative research has covered the wide range of applications from highly structured counting to less structured field observations and _______________.

Question 46

The focus group moderator must guide the conversation and be aware of dominant group members and _______________.

Question 47

While planning qualitative interviews, think carefully about your
role as _______________.

Question 48

Why is it often necessary to supplement field research with other forms of data? Give examples of other types of data that are often used in criminal justice research and how each may be used as a link to field research.

Question 49

Transferability occurs when working hypotheses can be transferred from one _______________ to another.

Question 50

List and discuss the roles of interviewers in qualitative research. Offer an example of a research scenario that would be appropriate for each role.

Question 51

Theoretical sampling is part of generating an) _______________ theory.

Question 52

The semi-structured interview format allows asking a spontaneous question and discovering an) _______________.

Question 53

The ___________________ is the person who will assist you in gaining access to a subculture.