Question 1

Which of the following studies is an example of demography?

Accepted Answer

Demography is the study of human populations and their characteristics, such as size, growth, and distribution. Logan and Stults' study of changes in US residential segregation is an example of demography because it focuses on population characteristics and changes over time. The other studies listed are not examples of demography. The Garbage Project is a study of waste management, Kmec's study focuses on job turnover and social networks, and Kearney and Levine's study examines the impact of a television show on teen childbearing.

Question 2

Which of the following research questions was addressed by Kearney and Levine in their study of the impact of MTV's 16 and Pregnant?

Accepted Answer

Kearney and Levine's study was focused on determining whether there was substantial exposure to MTV's 16 and Pregnant, rather than measuring its popularity among certain demographics. They collected data on search trends and Nielsen ratings to assess the show's reach and influence.

Question 3

Which of the following sequences most accurately describes the process of analyzing existing statistics?

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence for analyzing existing statistics starts with obtaining data, followed by measuring variables, then evaluating and adjusting the data, and finally analyzing the data.

Question 4

Users of existing statistics are well advised to

Accepted Answer

It is important for users of existing statistics to understand the methods used to collect and analyze the data they are using. By carefully reconstructing the process by which the data were originally assembled, users can better understand any potential biases or limitations in the data that may impact their analysis. This will help ensure that their conclusions are based on accurate and reliable information.

Question 5

According to Box 10.1, which of the following studies is the best example of the use of big data?

Accepted Answer

Kearney and Levine's use of Twitter to trace teen interest in birth control and abortion is the best example of the use of big data because they collected and analyzed a large dataset (over 950,000 tweets) and used machine-learning algorithms to classify the tweets. The study also demonstrates the potential for using big data to understand complex social issues. The other studies mentioned in the question do not involve the analysis of as large or complex datasets as the Twitter study.

Question 6

According to Box 10.1, in addition to consisting of unusually large datasets, big data

Accepted Answer

Big data refers to datasets that are too large and complex to be processed by traditional data processing tools. These datasets are typically collected digitally, which is what distinguishes them from other large datasets that may be collected through traditional methods such as surveys. While big data may take time to process, this is not a defining characteristic of it. Similarly, big data may describe social units, but it is not limited to this kind of data.

Question 7

According to Box 10.1, the analysis of big data has emerged primarily as a result of

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Box 10.1, the analysis of...

Question 8

Which of the following is not an issue with respect to Kearney and Levine's measurement of teen use of birth control and abortion?

Accepted Answer

Kearney and Levine's study does not rely on only one data source; they use multiple sources to measure teen use of birth control and abortion.

Question 9

Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War examined

Accepted Answer

Lindner's content analysis focused on how a journalist's vantage point, such as being embedded with troops or reporting from a distance, affected their coverage of the Iraq War.

Question 10

Which of the following was coded as part of the independent variable in Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War?

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in Lindner's content analysis was whether a journalist was embedded with the troops, as it was used to determine the perspective and potential bias of the journalist in reporting on the Iraq War.

Question 11

In Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War, his sampling unit was _______ and his recording unit was _______.

Accepted Answer

Lindner's sampling unit was print articles, as he analyzed a total of 970 articles from 12 different U.S. newspapers. His recording unit was also print articles, as he coded various aspects of the articles themselves, including headlines, lead paragraphs, and content categories.

Question 12

In a content analysis of magazine advertisements, one researcher analyzed the presence of female stereotypes in selected issues of Time and Vogue. What would be the recording unit in this study?

Accepted Answer

The recording unit in this study would be magazine advertisements featuring women since the researcher is specifically analyzing the presence of female stereotypes in these advertisements. The other options (A, C, and D) are either too broad or too focused for the scope of this study.

Question 13

How did Lindner code variables in his study of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War?

Accepted Answer

Lindner coded variables by whether specific content appeared in a news article, focusing on the presence or absence of particular elements.

Question 14

Dictionaries for computer text analysis are analogous to _______ in manual content analysis.

Accepted Answer

Like a codebook in manual content analysis, dictionaries provide a standardized list of words or phrases that will be quantified and analyzed in computer-based text analysis.

Question 15

In what way is comparative historical research most like quantitative social research?

Accepted Answer

Comparative historical research, like quantitative social research, often emphasizes causal explanation, aiming to understand the cause-and-effect relationships between variables across different historical periods or contexts.

Question 16

Campbell and Schoenfeld's comparative historical analysis showed that mass incarceration

Accepted Answer

Campbell and Schoenfeld's comparative historical analysis showed that mass incarceration began to occur in the United States in the last quarter of the 20th century.

Question 17

Campbell and Schoenfeld used process analysis to show that

Accepted Answer

The answer of Campbell and Schoenfeld used process analysis to...

Question 18

Which of the following accurately describes a truth table?

Accepted Answer

A truth table is a table used in logic to represent all possible combinations of inputs and their corresponding outputs. In the table, all variables are coded as present or absent (usually represented as 1 or 0), which allows for all possible logical outcomes to be represented. The table does not add variable codes together nor represent cases or different outcomes on the dependent variable.

Question 19

The narratives in the method of narrative comparison refer to

Accepted Answer

The answer of The narratives in the method of narrative...

Question 20

Demographers rely mainly on private documents as sources of data.

Accepted Answer

Demographers rely on a variety of sources of data, including public records, surveys, and censuses, in addition to private documents such as diaries and family records.

Quiz 10: Existing Data Analysis: Using Data from Secondhand Sources