Question 1

As an individual increases his or her intake of fatty foods, the individual's cholesterol levels steadily increase. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A)  Positive association 
B)  Negative association 
C)  No association 
D)  Increased association 
E)  Neutral association

Question 2

Panel designs allow researchers to take a look at individuals' change over time. However, panel designs are difficult to complete due to the following except:

Accepted Answer

A)  Subject fatigue 
B)  Attrition 
C)  Repetition 
D)  Expense 
E)  All of the above are problems pertaining to panel designs

Question 3

A theory is a tentative statement about empirical reality including a relationship between two or more variables.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

How does descriptive research differ from inductive and deductive research? In what circumstances is descriptive research commonly found?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does descriptive research differ from inductive...

Question 5

Propose four different research designs that study juvenile delinquency using cross-sectional designs, panel designs, repeated cross-sectional designs, and cohort designs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Propose four different research designs that study...

Question 6

A cohort has which of the following characteristics?

Accepted Answer

A)  Random selection from the general population 
B)  A common starting point 
C)  Values or beliefs in common 
D)  Inability to consent to participation in social research 
E)  An occupational category in common

Question 7

Kai Erikson went to Buffalo Creek, West Virginia, in 1972 following a highly destructive flood. After interviewing residents and spending considerable time in Buffalo Creek, Erikson theorized that the damage to the social ties in the community caused by the flood were just as destructive as the physical damage to the community. Erikson's study is a good example of what kind of research?

Accepted Answer

A)  Descriptive 
B)  Exploratory 
C)  Explanatory 
D)  Deductive 
E)  Inductive

Question 8

Megan's research found that City H had a much higher median income than City L. Can she assume that an individual selected for a survey of the City H will have a higher income than an individual selected from City L?

Accepted Answer

A)  Yes, because of sample generalizability. 
B)  No, because of cross-population generalizability. 
C)  Yes, because of reductionism. 
D)  No, because of an ecological fallacy. 
E)  Yes, but only if she uses systematic sampling.

Question 9

Panel studies are distinguished by which of the following designs?

Accepted Answer

A)  Data are collected from individuals in the same room. 
B)  Data are collected from the same individuals at multiple points in time. 
C)  Data are collected at only one point in time. 
D)  Data are collected from different samples in the same population. 
E)  Data are collected from control and experimental groups.

Question 10

To maintain participants' confidentially, a researcher should:

Accepted Answer

A)  Give each participant a consent agreement that outlines protection of privacy 
B)  Lock records in a safe place 
C)  Create special identifying codes 
D)  Only allow designated research personnel to look at participant data 
E)  All of the above

Question 11

Most sociological and psychological studies use which unit of analysis?

Accepted Answer

A)  Institution 
B)  Group 
C)  Artifact 
D)  Aggregate 
E)  Individual

Question 12

An example of a cohort study would be to conduct a survey of people born in the 1950s at one point in time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Based on Sherman and Berk's (1984) study of the affect on arrest on domestic abuse, propose in separate paragraphs a deductive research project, an inductive research project, and a descriptive research project. Each proposal should build on the work of Sherman and Berk or the follow-up studies. Specify how each proposal would add to the research they conducted.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on Sherman and Berk's (1984) study...

Question 14

The Gallup Poll, which takes different samples from the U.S. population and asks them similar questions at different points in time, is a good example of which kind of research design?

Accepted Answer

A)  A panel study 
B)  A fixed sample design 
C)  A cohort study 
D)  A trend study 
E)  An event-based design

Question 15

To say that research questions should be both scientifically relevant and socially important is to recommend a balance between science for its own sake and science strictly to resolve social problems. In your opinion, which of these two criteria should be more important when formulating research questions, or are they both of equal importance? Justify your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of To say that research questions should be...

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a negative direction of association?

Accepted Answer

A)  As number of hours of TV watched per week increases, number of hours spent reading per week decreases. 
B)  The more extracurricular activities in which a student participates, the more likely the student will describe his or her school experience as positive. 
C)  As an individual's income decreases, so does likelihood that he or she will vote. 
D)  The higher an individual's score on a depression index, the more likely that he or she will attempt suicide. 
E)  Students with GPAs below 2.0 will score lower on standardized tests (such as the SAT) than will students with GPAs above 3.0.

Question 17

Longitudinal research collects data at more than one point in time.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

According to Erving Goffman, interactions among individuals cannot be units of analysis in social research.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of a positive direction of association in a hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  As an individual's level of education increases, prejudice decreases. 
B)  The more sexual partners a person has, the more likely he or she is to be exposed to sexually transmitted diseases. 
C)  As computer literacy increases, amount of social interaction declines. 
D)  As household income decreases, percent of income devoted to housing increases. 
E)  As an individual's age increases, his or her criminality decreases.

Exam 2: The Process and Problems of Social Research

As an individual increases his or her intake of fatty foods, the individual's cholesterol levels steadily increase. This is an example of:

Panel designs allow researchers to take a look at individuals' change over time. However, panel designs are difficult to complete due to the following except:

A theory is a tentative statement about empirical reality including a relationship between two or more variables.

How does descriptive research differ from inductive and deductive research? In what circumstances is descriptive research commonly found?

Propose four different research designs that study juvenile delinquency using cross-sectional designs, panel designs, repeated cross-sectional designs, and cohort designs.

A cohort has which of the following characteristics?

Megan's research found that City H had a much higher median income than City L. Can she assume that an individual selected for a survey of the City H will have a higher income than an individual selected from City L?

Panel studies are distinguished by which of the following designs?

To maintain participants' confidentially, a researcher should:

Most sociological and psychological studies use which unit of analysis?

An example of a cohort study would be to conduct a survey of people born in the 1950s at one point in time.

The Gallup Poll, which takes different samples from the U.S. population and asks them similar questions at different points in time, is a good example of which kind of research design?

Which of the following is an example of a negative direction of association?

Longitudinal research collects data at more than one point in time.

According to Erving Goffman, interactions among individuals cannot be units of analysis in social research.

Which of the following is an example of a positive direction of association in a hypothesis?