Question 1

Identify two of the five major qualitative approaches treated in your text and discuss their disadvantages.

Accepted Answer

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-Qualitative interviews
-interviewer effect
-Focus groups
-possibility of groupthink
-a polarization effect exists
-only a few topics can be addressed in a focus group session
-moderator may affect outcome
-produces fewer ideas than individual interviews
-Field research
-group may change behaviour if members know they are being studied
-accessing some groups may be difficult
-Historical research
-limited by the availability and quality of documents and data
-sources may be biased
-context of meanings within times in history must be taken into account
-Qualitative content analysis
-fairly limited range of research questions can be addressed with this technique
-qualitative coding technique subject to interpretations
-coding procedures subject to interpretation

Question 2

Identify two of the four major quantitative approaches treated in your text and discuss their advantages.

Accepted Answer

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-Survey research
-possible to cover large populations
-can cover a large range of topics
-questions from respondent to respondent are comparable because they are asked in the same way and order
-Quantitative content analysis
-nonreactive
-possible to use probability sampling techniques
-data can be rechecked and reanalyzed to check for accuracy
-often inexpensive
-Existing statistics/documents and secondary analysis
-data are often free and fairly easy to access
-using existing sources frees up the immense amount of time that the data collection procedure can take
-many better known,nationally represented data sets (i.e., NLSCY,GSS,Labour Force Survey)are highly reputable and are unlikely to have serious flaws
-Experimental research
-the only technique that allows causation to be demonstrated

Question 3

What is one of the major advantages of field research compared to other qualitative approaches?

Accepted Answer

Field research allows the researcher to immerse themselves in the environment of the group being studied, leading to a deep understanding of the group and its members. This is a major advantage compared to other qualitative approaches such as interviews or surveys, which may not allow for the same level of immersion and understanding.

Question 4

What is one of the major disadvantages of using field research compared to other qualitative forms of data collection?

Accepted Answer

One of the major disadvantages of field research is that subjects may alter their behavior if they are aware that they are being observed. This can lead to inaccurate or biased data. The other options are not necessarily disadvantages of field research. For example, the sample can be diverse and not limited to undergraduates, there is potential for a broad range of research questions to be addressed, becoming familiar with the data is a natural part of the research process, and the conditions can be made as natural as possible.

Question 5

Compare and contrast the development of theory in mixed methods research.What determines how theory is generated in sequential mixed methods studies and in concurrent mixed methods studies?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

What happens if,while using a mixed methods research design,a researcher obtains conflicting results in the qualitative and quantitative parts of a mixed methods study? What possibilities exist for a researcher if the results appear to be contradictory or do not agree with each other?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

What are the strengths and limitations of mixed methods research incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches? Do you think a researcher should strive to use mixed methods research? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

What is one of the major advantages of survey research compared to other quantitative approaches?

Accepted Answer

Survey research allows researchers to cover a large population in a relatively simple and straightforward way. This helps in collecting data from a large sample size, making the results more representative and reliable. Other quantitative approaches such as experiments, quasi-experiments, and observational studies may not offer such advantages.

Question 9

What is one of the major advantages of using focus groups compared to other qualitative forms of data collection?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is one of the major advantages...

Question 10

Identify two of the four major quantitative approaches treated in your text and discuss their disadvantages.

Accepted Answer

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Question 11

________ approaches assume that facts are objective,that they can be collected by value-free researchers,and that the pursuit of truth can be achieved through the testing of causal hypotheses.

Accepted Answer

The description given matches closely with the positivist approach, which emphasizes the collection of objective, quantifiable data and the testing of causal relationships between variables.

Question 12

What is considered to be a principal advantage of using quantitative methods as an approach to doing social research?

Accepted Answer

One of the principal advantages of using quantitative methods is that concepts can be standardized, making it easier to compare and analyze data. This is not possible with subjective experiences or deeper meanings, which are better studied through qualitative methods.  A, C, D, and E all refer to aspects of social research that are better addressed through qualitative methods.

Question 13

For which type of quantitative social science research is the "interview(er)effect" most likely to be a problem?

Accepted Answer

The "interviewer effect" is most likely to be a problem in survey research because the presence or behavior of the interviewer can influence the responses of participants, potentially leading to biased or inaccurate data.

Question 14

What are the major advantages and disadvantages common to all quantitative approaches?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

Which of the following statements most closely describes the term triangulation?

Accepted Answer

Triangulation refers to the use of more than one qualitative or quantitative technique to gather data and increase the validity and reliability of research findings. Therefore, option D is the most appropriate statement to describe triangulation. Options A, B, C, and E do not accurately define the concept of triangulation.

Question 16

Discuss the kinds of decisions a researcher must make in terms of sequential and concurrent data collection and analysis when designing a mixed methods study.What procedures must be followed?

Accepted Answer

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Question 17

Identify two of the five major qualitative approaches treated in your text and discuss their advantages.

Accepted Answer

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Question 18

What is one of the major advantages of experimental research compared to other quantitative approaches?

Accepted Answer

Experimental research is the only approach that allows for causation to be demonstrated because it involves manipulating the independent variable and observing the resulting changes in the dependent variable. Other quantitative approaches, such as correlational or survey research, only show associations between variables and cannot establish causality.

Question 19

What are the major advantages and disadvantages common to all qualitative approaches?

Accepted Answer