Deck 8: Research With Non-Reactive Measures

Question 1

In verifying data quality of existing statistics Mr.Marsh discovers that the definition of Ȉwork injuryȈ varies across different agencies and time.This is an example of

A)validity.
B)reliability.
C)topic knowledge.
D)ecological fallacy.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Use of official existing statistics raises ethical issues regarding

A)the fact that they are social and political products.
B)confidentiality.
C)discovery.
D)environmental loopholes.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following are things a researcher would do to conduct a study with physical evidence?

A)Identify a physical evidence measure of a behavior of interest.
B)Compare the two variables of the hypothesis using quantitative data analysis.
C)Systematically record the physical evidence.
D)All of the above

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What are the advantages of quantitative nonreactive research?

A)Researchers have control over the data collection methods.
B)It is less expensive.
C)It is often faster and easier to collect data.
D)It gives solid results.

Question 5

Content analysis is useful for

A)topics studied at a distance.
B)anyone who wants to learn about research.
C)only social scientists.
D)small,intricate details.

Question 6

Content analysis cannot

A)determine the truthfulness of an assertion.
B)be the basis of research.
C)validate the researcher.
D)perform statistics of itself.

Question 7

A limitation to use of the General Social Survey is

A)lack of photos.
B)infrequent publication.
C)General Social Survey questions are worded differently than a researcher wishes or has different answer choices.
D)All of the above

Question 8

Topic knowledge can limit research because

A)the topic is sports-related.
B)the researcher may get a lot of data that may lead to false interpretation.
C)the researcher quotes statistics in excess detail.
D)the researcher uses a lower unit than s/he should use.

Question 9

Secondary data analysis is similar to existing statistics research in that

A)the methods require an enormous vocabulary.
B)the researcher analyzes data that someone else collected.
C)no computers are required.
D)all work must be done covertly.

Question 10

What challenge(s)does a researcher face in doing existing statistics research?

A)paying for the data,which can be quite expensive
B)being creative in thinking about how to turn the data into variables that can answer research questions
C)locating subjects
D)None of the above

Question 11

Social indicator is a measure of social conditions and

A)should be avoided in research.
B)can be used in policy decisions.
C)has no real use.
D)is generally meaningless to the public.

Question 12

Dr.Mottle is comparing data across two cities.If she adjusts the measures by a common base,she is

A)creative.
B)standardizing the information.
C)is using ecological fallacy.
D)is using topic knowledge.

Question 13

Dr.Mottle is studying chiropractic journals to determine trends for use of ultrasound in chiropractic practice.As she researches this topic,she is counting the number of times that ȈultrasoundȈ appears in written text.What type of coding is she most likely using?

A)manifest coding
B)latent coding
C)content coding
D)reliability coding

Question 14

Identify one limitation of content analysis.

A)researcher competence
B)coderȇs attitude
C)interpret the contentȇs significance
D)define the details of the results

Question 15

Dr.Mottle is concerned that the information that was collected by one of the government agencies might have systematic errors in it limiting the___________of the information.

A)amount
B)reliability
C)validity
D)cost

Question 16

Text appears in all communication media,including

A)books.
B)speeches.
C)films.
D)All of the above

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a limitation when using existing statistics?

A)timeliness of the input
B)reliability
C)validity
D)missing data

Question 18

What is the first step in conducting content analysis research?

A)formulate a research question
B)decide on units of analysis
C)draw a sample
D)create a coding system

Question 19

If a researcher contemplates conduct of an existing statistics research study,it would be a good idea for him/her to talk with a(n)___________first.

A)physician
B)author
C)information professional
D)clergy member

Question 20

When measuring space in content analysis,a researcher

A)measures the size,volume,and amount of time or physical space.
B)does a topic analysis.
C)discusses the problem with another researcher.
D)does not use a coding system.

Question 21

Content analysis is useful in three research issues,why is it especially useful with topics studied at a distance?

Question 22

Content analysis is not done with visual material.

Question 23

Physical evidence measures

A)are direct.
B)measure a behavior or viewpoint of interest.
C)are the same as content analyses measures.
D)are part of all topic knowledge.

Question 24

Why is content analysis considered a nonreactive research technique?

Question 25

List four types of nonreactive quantitative research techniques.

Question 26

This particular limitation happens when a researcher quotes statistics in excessive detail.

A)topic knowledge
B)snowball theory
C)fallacy of misplaced concreteness
D)validity

Question 27

Coding (by assistants)is typically consistent so there is no need for measuring reliability.

Question 28

To make sure that assistant coders are consistent,a researcher should

A)have the coders code the same text independent of one another and check for consistency.
B)should only have one assistant coder.
C)circle errors and have the coders redo the work.
D)None of the above

Question 29

Creativity has no place in nonreactive research.

Question 30

People are not aware that they are being studied in nonreactive research.

Question 31

A symbol can have complex,multilayered meanings,and researchers must make qualitative judgments about how to code images.

Question 32

Privacy is not an issue in nonreactive data collection.

Question 33

The Statistical Abstract of the United States contains large amounts of data; however,it is too much information for a researcher and should be avoided.

Question 34

Many measures in large bureaucratic organizations are social indicators.

Question 35

When a researcher uses excessive detail in expressing a number or statistics report to give the impression of scientific rigor,he may be adding information that is not accurate.For example,using 1,899,312 to express population in a city instead of using 1.9 million people.This data quality limitation is known as

A)reliability.
B)validity.
C)topic knowledge.
D)fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Question 36

Disadvantages of quantitative nonreactive research include possible limited control over how the data are collected,and the data are very easy to interpret.

Question 37

When a researcher uses coding s/he turns aspects of text content into quantitative variables.

Question 38

Identify five characteristics of variables that are coded in text content.

Question 39

Give two examples of content in the context of content analysis,i.e.words...

Question 40

The primary ethical concern of physical evidence analysis is

A)the researcherȇs bias.
B)time for discussion.
C)privacy and confidentiality of data.
D)lack of research methodology.

Question 41

______________________problems develop when official definitions or methods of collecting information vary over time.

Question 42

Give an example of a publicly available social indicator.

Question 43

______________________can only describe what is in the text and reveal patterns in it.

Question 44

To operationalize variables in content analysis,a researcher creates a___________system.

Question 45

Content analysis is a___________technique that lets a researcher explore both hidden and visible content in communication messages.

Question 46

The primary ethical concern of physical evidence analysis is to protect peopleȇs
and___________of the data.

Question 47

What is of most ethical concern when conducting physical evidence analysis?

Question 48

An issue that occurs when a scientist quotes statistics in excessive detail is called___________(4 words).

Question 49

______________________involves analyzing previously collected public data to answer new research questions.

Question 50

When measuring space,the researcher measures size,volume,amount of time or
on a page.

Question 51

______________________measures are measures that do not intrude or disturb a person,so the person is unaware of them.

Question 52

______________________involves adjusting a measure by dividing it by a common base to make comparison possible.

Question 53

Primary data research focuses on collecting data but secondary focuses on
analyzing data.

Question 54

A limitation of___________(3 words)is that General Social Survey questions are worded differently than the researcher wishes.

Question 55

Give an example of the kinds of physical evidence that have been used in the past to create nonreactive measures of variables.

Question 56

When government agencies stop collecting certain types of data,it can limit existing statistics and the data is then considered___________,one of the limitations of existing statistics research.

Question 57

______________________reliability is a measure of consistent measurements in content analysis across multiple coders.

Question 58

The___________is the single most valuable source of statistical information in the United States.

Question 59

What is the difference between manifest coding and latent coding?

Question 60

A limitation of physical evidence measures are that they are indirect.What does this mean?

Question 61

Compare and contrast manifest coding with latent coding.Which is more time consuming?

Question 62

Why is intercoder reliability important? What can be done about it?

Question 63

Name and discuss five measurable characteristics of variables in content analysis.

Question 64

Describe three limitations to content analysis.

Question 65

Dr.Van Offer is using official existing statistics to support a theory that he has proposed.He has met the Governor of the state where is research is being conducted,and is very surprised when she calls and asks him to use the statistic in a different way that will not be ȈdamagingȈ to her.
Discuss the ethical concerns in this incident and other nonreactive research.