Question 1

Suppose you and your classmates were asked an identical set of questions through a systematic questionnaire or interview.In what kind of research would you be participating?

Accepted Answer

A systematic questionnaire or interview is a common method of data collection in a survey. Surveys are used to gather information about opinions, attitudes, behaviors or other characteristics from a large group of people, and often involve standardized questions. Therefore, if you and your classmates were asked an identical set of questions through a systematic questionnaire or interview, you would be participating in a survey research.

Question 2

Which of the following terms refers to a printed research instrument containing a series of items to which subjects respond?

Accepted Answer

A questionnaire is a printed research instrument containing a series of items to which subjects respond. A pre-test and post-test are types of research designs, while an observational device is a tool used to measure behavior in a specific setting.

Question 3

Which type of analysis can be carried out on existing data sources,such as public records,official reports,and surveys completed by other researchers?

Accepted Answer

Secondary analysis involves using existing data sources such as public records, official reports, and surveys completed by other researchers. In this method, researchers do not collect new data but analyze and interpret data that already exists.

Question 4

Suppose your instructor is evaluating your class in terms of political attitudes.One at a time,half of your class is selected to participate in the study.You are not chosen.Which term best describes the group you are in?

Accepted Answer

The population refers to the entire group that is being studied or evaluated, in this case the entire class in terms of their political attitudes. The sample refers to a smaller subset of the population that is selected for the study, so the group that was not chosen is still part of the population but not part of the sample. The pool typically refers to a group of people available for selection, but is not typically used in the context of evaluating attitudes. The aggregate refers to numerical data collected from various sources and combined together, and is not relevant to this scenario.

Question 5

Which type of analysis would be utilized in studying how the media portrayed Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath?

Accepted Answer

Secondary analysis would be the best choice in this case, as it involves analyzing pre-existing data sources such as news articles, television footage, and social media posts about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. This method would allow researchers to identify patterns and themes in the media's portrayal of the event without directly manipulating or influencing the data.

Question 6

According to the text,which of the following is an advantage of interviews over other methods?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text,which of the following...

Question 7

When Marcus chooses the sample for his research,he wants to ensure that the sample is a miniature version of the Canadian population as a whole.What type of sample is Marcus using?

Accepted Answer

A representative sample is a type of sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the population being studied. In this case, Marcus wants his sample to be a miniature version of the Canadian population as a whole, which means he is looking for a representative sample. Options A, C, and D do not necessarily ensure representativeness. A general sample could refer to a sample that includes a wide range of people or that is taken from a general population, but it does not ensure representativeness. A random sample is one in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected, but this does not necessarily ensure that the sample is representative. A stratified sample involves dividing the population into relevant subgroups and then selecting samples from each subgroup, but again, this does not necessarily ensure representativeness.

Question 8

Suppose a study researched suicide notes to establish what types of themes occur most frequently.Which term refers to this kind of research?

Accepted Answer

Content analysis involves examining a large quantity of documents or other forms of communication to identify patterns or themes. In this case, the researcher is analyzing suicide notes to identify recurring themes. Field research involves gathering data through direct observation of a group or phenomenon. Participant observation involves immersing oneself in a social setting to observe and participate in daily activities. Ethnography involves studying the customs and beliefs of a particular culture or society by living among its members.

Question 9

According to the text,what is a major weakness of survey research?

Accepted Answer

Survey research often suffers from low response rates, especially with online surveys, which can limit the generalizability of the findings.

Question 10

Suppose a team of researchers conducts a study of shopping preferences by sampling a group of mall patrons in a food court.What do sociologists call the people who participated in the interview or questionnaire?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists typically refer to people who participate in interviews or questionnaires as respondents. This is the most commonly used term in the field of social research. The other options (hypothetical subjects, interviewees, correspondents) are not as commonly used or precise in describing the participants in a research study.

Question 11

Which method of data collection listed below allows for comparisons between different groups of people?

Accepted Answer

Surveys allow researchers to gather data from multiple individuals in different groups and compare the results. Field research and experiments may also involve multiple groups of people, but may not allow for as direct comparisons as surveys. Secondary analysis involves analyzing existing data sets and may not allow for comparisons between specific groups of people.

Question 12

According to the text,what was the most interesting finding of Statistics Canada's study on charitable giving?

Accepted Answer

The text states that the most interesting finding of Statistics Canada's study on charitable giving was that a core group of Canadians did most of the altruistic activities of giving and volunteering. This suggests that charitable giving may not be evenly distributed among Canadians.

Question 13

Which classical theorist's insights about change and social solidarity were tested by Louis Zurcher in the real-life social laboratory provided by the Kansas tornado?

Accepted Answer

Durkheim's insights about change and social solidarity were tested by Louis Zurcher in the real-life social laboratory provided by the Kansas tornado. Zurcher found that communities with strong social bonds and a sense of collective consciousness were better able to recover from the disaster. This supported Durkheim's theory that social solidarity is a key factor in maintaining social order and promoting resilience in the face of change and disruption.

Question 14

In a random sample,which of the following conditions must be present?

Accepted Answer

A random sample must have the feature that every member of the entire population has the same chance of being selected. This ensures that the sample is not biased towards any particular group within the population. Options A and B may not be feasible or practical in all cases, and Option D goes against the basic principle of random sampling.

Question 15

Almyra has decided to buy a data set from Statistics Canada to use as the basis for her research for her Master's thesis.Which method of data collection is she using?

Accepted Answer

Almyra is using secondary analysis since she is obtaining data that has already been collected by Statistics Canada instead of collecting the data herself through primary analysis. The other answer choices are not applicable in this scenario - technical analysis refers to analyzing financial data, and quantitative analysis refers to analyzing numerical data.

Question 16

Which term refers to the group of people about whom sociological researchers want to be able to draw conclusions?

Accepted Answer

The term "population" refers to the entire group of people that researchers are interested in studying and drawing conclusions about.

Question 17

Which of the following forms of survey research produces the lowest response rate?

Accepted Answer

Questionnaires that are mailed out typically have the lowest response rate, as recipients may not see the survey or choose not to respond. Face-to-face encounters and telephone surveys provide more personal interaction and may result in higher response rates. Online surveys can also have low response rates if not promoted effectively or if the target audience is not tech-savvy.

Question 18

Suppose a researcher meets with the subjects of her study and asks each a series of questions.Which data collection method is she using?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is conducting an interview, as she is directly asking each subject a series of questions in person.

Question 19

Which of the following is a major disadvantage of self-administered questionnaires?

Accepted Answer

The major disadvantage of self-administered questionnaires is a low response rate. People may not respond due to lack of interest, time or motivation. This may result in a biased sample and incomplete data. Other options such as high cost, complexity, or respondent dishonesty may be possible disadvantages as well, but they are not as major as low response rate.

Question 20

Suppose a study compared rock music and rap music lyrics for themes related to romance and love.Which type of technique would this be referred to as?

Accepted Answer

Unobtrusive techniques involve studying social behavior without affecting it, such as analyzing existing texts or media like song lyrics for themes.

Quiz 2: Sociological Research