Deck 7: Section 1: Survey Research

Question 1

Inexperienced researchers tend to fear that their questionnaires will look too ____.

A) easy
B) complex
C) long
D) cluttered

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Surveys are best suited for studies that have which units of analysis?

A) individuals
B) groups
C) organizations
D) social artifacts

Answer 2

A

Question 3

National Crime Victimization Survey can be used to evaluate local crime prevention programs.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

When selecting a survey method, which factor is least likely to be a consideration?

A) cost
B) speed
C) clarity
D) question content

Question 5

Surveys may be used for ____.

A) exploratory, and applied research only
B) applied research only
C) descriptive research only
D) descriptive, explanatory, exploratory, and applied research only

Question 6

Face-to-face interviews are best for complex questions and other specialized needs.

Question 7

The subsequent questions in a series are called contingency.

Question 8

Which of the following represent targeted victims surveys?

A) Bureau of Justice Statistics
B) Uniform Crime reports
C) National Crime Victimization Survey
D) court records

Question 9

There are two basic options for researchers when asking questions: open-ended or closed-ended.

Question 10

General population surveys and surveys of offenders tend to present which types of difficulties?

A) recall error
B) systematic error
C) feasibility error
D) random error

Question 11

Focus groups usually consist of 15 to 20 people.

Question 12

Long items in a questionnaire are usually better than short ones

Question 13

It should go without saying that questionnaire items must be ____.

A) long
B) statements of purpose
C) clear
D) translated in different languages

Question 14

The term "questionnaire" suggests a collection of ____.

A) statements
B) concepts
C) conclusions
D) ideas

Question 15

Telephone surveys are relatively fast and low cost.

Question 16

Surveys may be used for descriptive, explanatory, and applied research.

Question 17

The essential characteristic of interviewers is that their presence in the data collection process must not have any effect on the responses given to questionnaire items.

Question 18

Questions that encourage respondents to answer in a particular way are called ____.

A) unfair
B) biased
C) double-barreled
D) short and clear

Question 19

The National Jail Census collects information every five years about federal prisons.

Question 20

It is usually best to begin a self-administered questionnaire with ____.

A) sensitive issues
B) age, gender, etc.
C) sexual behavior
D) the most interesting set of questions

Question 21

Which type of questions should be avoided on a questionnaire?

A) short items
B) contingency questions
C) ambiguous questions
D) matrix questions

Question 22

Which statement is accurate with respect to the construction of questionnaire items?

A) Use only questions, no statements.
B) Use long descriptions to clarify meaning.
C) Avoid negative items.
D) Ask questions that lead to a specific answer.

Question 23

A mock jury is an example of an) ____.

A) open ended question
B) interview
C) focus group
D) survey design

Question 24

Bias in questions can be established in which way?

A) questions that encourage particular responses
B) do not identify the name of either a prestigious or unpopular agency in the question
C) do not identify the name of either a prestigious or unpopular person in the question
D) questions that are unambiguous and clear

Question 25

Which of the following is not an advantage of the use of matrix questions?

A) they are faster to complete for respondents
B) they do not take much thought on the part of the respondents to answer
C) they use space efficiently
D) the format increases the comparability of responses given to different questions for the respondent as well as the researcher

Question 26

Which outcome is least likely when a questionnaire is incorrectly formatted?

A) Respondents may miss questions.
B) Respondents may finish the questionnaire too quickly.
C) Respondents may throw the questionnaire away.
D) Respondents may become confused about the nature of the data desired.

Question 27

If a researcher tries to assess criminal victimization of the poor and disadvantaged, which phrase is less biased than using the term "welfare" in her questionnaire?

A) assistance to the poor
B) the dole
C) the underclass
D) poverty

Question 28

Which statement is false with regard to surveys?

A) surveys are high on reliability
B) surveys are low on reliability
C) surveys are high on generalizability
D) surveys are low on validity

Question 29

All of the following may represent errors when constructing items for a questionnaire except for _____.

A) the researcher uses long and complicated items
B) the negation of a question
C) the researcher uses short items
D) the researcher uses a combination question when they only want a single answer

Question 30

Closed ended questions are useful because they ____.

A) provide varied responses
B) responses can be transferred directly into a data file
C) can be altered to fit the needs
D) are more easily processed

Question 31

Which factor is a problem when using self-report crime questions in general population surveys?

A) social desirability
B) norm deviance
C) human bias
D) technical error

Question 32

Which of the following have been identified as disadvantage of the use of computer-assisted interviewing?

A) respondents seem to sense a greater degree of confidentiality
B) get more "productive" answers to questions dealing with topics such as drug use
C) increase the speed and efficiency of the responses
D) It can be difficult to print and archive a complex questionnaire used in CAI.

Question 33

Which of the following are necessary in the construction of closed-ended questions?

A) the response categories may be mutually exclusive
B) the response categories must be exhaustive
C) the researcher must focus on expanding responses
D) the response categories must be dichotomous

Question 34

A respondent who is asked to personally answer questions rather than selecting one of the assigned answers is answering _______________ questions.

Question 35

When follow-ups are planned with mail surveys, ____.

A) response bias is not an issue
B) the anonymity of respondents is not guaranteed
C) the response rate increases
D) the response rate decreases

Question 36

Contingency questions are appropriate when _____.

A) certain questions are clearly relevant to only some of the respondents and irrelevant to others
B) you want the respondents to write out an answer
C) you want the respondents to rank their answers on a scale
D) you want to impress the respondents with your questions

Question 37

Focus groups are most useful ____.

A) when precise generalization to a larger population is essential and the focus groups participants and the larger population are relatively heterogeneous
B) when precise generalization to a larger population is essential and the focus groups participants and the larger population are relatively homogeneous
C) when precise generalization to a larger population is not necessary and the focus groups participants and the larger population are relatively homogeneous
D) when precise generalization to a larger population is not necessary and the focus group participants and the larger population are relatively heterogeneous

Question 38

Which of the following would be considered an appropriate method for increasing the response rate in mailed surveys?

A) go to the respondent's home and pick up the questionnaire
B) targeting a narrowly defined population
C) send one dollar along with the questionnaire
D) send out only one original mailing with no follow ups

Question 39

On a questionnaire, a respondent is asked: "What do you feel is the most important crime problem facing the police in your city today?" Which type of question is being asked?

A) closed-ended question
B) open-ended question
C) contingency question
D) matrix question

Question 40

Which statement represents a negative item?

A) Drugs such as marijuana should not be legalized.
B) It is fair to say that marijuana is a drug.
C) Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not make the user mean.
D) Drugs have negative effect.

Question 41

Write sample questions dealing with the relationship between gender and criminal activity. Create questions in the following forms:
a. open-ended
b. closed-ended
c. matrix
d. contingency

Question 42

_______________ questionnaires are generally the least expensive and easiest to complete.

Question 43

A respondent who must select an answer from among a list provided by the researcher is answering _______________ questions.

Question 44

If you want to ask several questions that have the same set of answer categories, an efficient type of question to use is the ________________.

Question 45

One technique used in both criminal justice and market research is the _______________ which uses somewhere between 8 and 15 people.

Question 46

What is CATI? What advantages and disadvantages does it offer for researchers?

Question 47

When a question asks respondents for a single answer to a multi-part question, the question is said to be _______________.

Question 48

Compare and contrast in-person interviews and telephone surveys in terms of the role of the researcher and the types of questions appropriate for each.

Question 49

Subsequent questions in series are called contingency questions because whether they are to be asked and answered is _______________ on the response to the first question in the series.

Question 50

Surveys tend to be high on reliability and generalizability, but _______________ can be a weak point.

Question 51

Respondents may develop an) _______________ or fixed pattern of answering when answering matrix questions.

Question 52

Identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each of the following:
a. open-ended questions
b. closed-ended questions

Question 53

Identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses, in general, of survey research.

Question 54

When we ask people for information, they will often respond using a filter of what will make them look good. This is known as _______________.