Deck 9: Nonreactive Research: Content Analysis and Existing Documentsstatistics

Question 1

In quantitative ______________,a researcher uses objective and systematic counting and recording procedures to produce a numerical description of the symbolic content in a text.

A)text
B)content analysis
C)content analysis
D)unobtrusive observation

Answer 1

C

Question 2

__________________ is another name for nonreactive measures that emphasizes how the people being studied are not aware of it because the measures do not intrude

A)archival material
B)nonreactive data
C)unobtrusive measures
D)physical traces

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Equivalence reliability in content analysis with multiple content coders that require a high degree of consistency across coders is called:

A)Intercoder reliability
B)stability reliability
C)manifest coding
D)fallacy of misplaced concreteness

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Nonreactive research is the second most common research method used in crime and justice studies.

Question 5

Using too many digits in a quantitative measure in an attempt to create the (mis)impression that data are accurate is known as:

A)Intercoder reliability
B)stability reliability
C)manifest coding
D)fallacy of misplaced concreteness

Question 6

Content analysis is reactive because the process of placing words,messages,or symbols in a text to communicate to a reader or receiver occurs while also influencing the researcher who analyzes its content.

Question 7

________________ is a general name for a communication medium from which symbolic meaning is measured in content analysis.

A)text
B)content analysis
C)content analysis
D)unobtrusive observation

Question 8

Coding the visible,surface content in a text is called _____________.For example,a researcher counts the number of times a phrase or word (e.g. ,red)appears in written text,or whether a specific action (e.g. ,a kiss)appears in a photograph or video scene.

A)Intercoder reliability
B)stability reliability
C)manifest coding
D)fallacy of misplaced concreteness

Question 9

Measurement in content analysis uses ___________________: systematic,careful observation based on written rules.The rules explain how to categorize and classify observations.

A)manifest coding
B)structured coding
C)coding system
D)structured observation

Question 10

__________________ is another name for nonreactive measures that emphasizes how the people being studied are not aware of it because the measures do not intrude.

A)text
B)content analysis
C)content analysis
D)unobtrusive observation

Question 11

A clear weakness of using existing documents/data is their scarce availability for many crime and justice research topics.

Question 12

____________ is a type of content analysis coding in which a researcher first develops a list of words,phrases,or symbols and then locates them in a communication medium.

A)manifest coding
B)structured coding
C)coding system
D)structured observation

Question 13

___________ are the physical remains of human activity.

A)archival material
B)nonreactive data
C)unobtrusive measures
D)physical traces

Question 14

Text includes books,newspaper or magazine articles,advertisements,speeches,official documents,
films or videotapes,musical lyrics,photographs,articles of clothing,or works of art.

Question 15

______________ are a class of data that are collected in such a way that the people being studied are unaware that they are part of a study.

A)archival material
B)nonreactive data
C)unobtrusive measures
D)physical traces

Question 16

______________ is a technique that checks to see whether the coding is stable or changing.

A)Intercoder reliability
B)stability reliability
C)manifest coding
D)fallacy of misplaced concreteness

Question 17

________________ is a technique for gathering and analyzing the content of text.

A)text
B)content analysis
C)content analysis
D)unobtrusive observation

Question 18

Unobtrusive measures involve collecting what are known as nonreactive data.

Question 19

A collection of documents or artifacts that a researcher can use as data is referred to as _______________.

A)archival material
B)nonreactive data
C)unobtrusive measures
D)physical traces

Question 20

Constructs in content analysis must be operationalized with a ___________________, a set of instructions or rules on how to systematically observe and record content from text.

A)manifest coding
B)structured coding
C)coding system
D)structured observation

Question 21

______________ is the strength or power of a message in a direction.For example,the characteristic of unintelligence can be minor (e.g. ,not being able to remember simple things)or major (e.g. ,not being able to understand simple words).

A)Direction
B)Intensity
C)Frequency
D)Space

Question 22

In addition to written rules for coding decisions,a content analysis researcher creates a recording sheet (also called a coding sheet)on which to record information.

Question 23

Explain the categories of unobtrusive measures.

Question 24

________________ simply means counting whether or not something occurs and,if it occurs,how often.

A)Direction
B)Intensity
C)Frequency
D)Space

Question 25

Perhaps the single most indispensable source of existing statistics from criminologists in the United States is the annual Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics.

Question 26

_______________is noting the direction of messages in the content along some continuum (e.g. ,positive or negative,supporting or opposed).

A)Direction
B)Intensity
C)Frequency
D)Space

Question 27

______________ in written text is measured by counting words,sentences,paragraphs,or area on a page (e.g. ,square inches).

A)Direction
B)Intensity
C)Frequency
D)Space

Question 28

Careful measurement is crucial in content analysis because a researcher takes diffuse and murky symbolic communication and turns it into precise,quantitative data.

Question 29

Existing documents and data sets are trouble free because a government agency or other source gathered the original data.

Question 30

Researchers may choose to use probability or nonprobability sampling,depending
largely on the specifics of the research question.

Question 31

Nonreactive methods,particularly content analysis,are somewhat in line with interpretive social science in that they discern the meaning of text.

Question 32

Nonreactive variables often have stronger validity because they do not measure the construct of interest.

Question 33

Latent coding tends to be more reliable than manifest coding.

Question 34

Explain the four characteristics of content identified in coding systems.

Question 35

What are the strengths of unobtrusive research?