Question 1

Which of the following is not an advantage of survey research?

Accepted Answer

Surveys are not good at revealing information about people's hidden, secretive, and embarrassing events in their lives. This type of information is often difficult to obtain and may require other research methods, such as interviews or observations.

Question 2

Which of the following terms is used currently in studying one's self?

Accepted Answer

Auto-ethnography is a term used in contemporary research to describe the process of studying one's self and the culture or society they belong to. It involves a combination of personal experience and cultural analysis to better understand the experiences and perspectives of individuals within a larger social context. Autobiography is a related term, but it typically refers to a more personal and subjective account of one's own life, while auto-interpretation and autonomic reflex are not commonly used in this context.

Question 3

When conducting ethnographic research, the Adlers advocate which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Adlers advocate for all three of these approaches in conducting ethnographic research. Including the voices of the full spectrum of respondents ensures a comprehensive view of the culture being studied, direct observation allows for accurate depiction of behaviors and actions, and personal reflections of the ethnographer's changes of self is important for a reflexive approach to research. Therefore, the best choice is D, "all of the above".

Question 4

According to Schuman, surveys tap into which of the following human inclinations?

Accepted Answer

Schuman mentions that surveys tap into two human inclinations: the inclination to gather information by asking questions and the inclination to learn about one's environment by examining a small part of it. Therefore, both options A and B are correct.

Question 5

Which of the following is not one of the crucial stages of the ethnographic process, as described by Adler and Adler?

Accepted Answer

Data input is not considered a crucial stage in the ethnographic process according to Adler and Adler. The three crucial stages are data gathering, data analysis, and data presentation. Data input might be a necessary part of the process, but it is not considered a distinct and essential stage.

Question 6

When ethnographers get too close to their subjects so that they no longer can critically evaluate other people's perspectives, it is called

Accepted Answer

"Going native" refers to when ethnographers become so involved and immersed in the culture of their research subjects that they lose their ability to objectively evaluate and analyze it. They start to see things only from the perspective of the culture they are studying, leading to a loss of critical distance and potentially compromising the validity of their research.

Question 7

Explain why the following statement is not true: "The larger the sample size, the more accurate the results." What are some of the measures that survey researchers should check to assure the accuracy of their results?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain why the following statement is not...

Question 8

Describe the way that the Literary Digest and George Gallup conducted their surveys on the presidential election of 1936. Why was one so much more accurate than the other? What can this tell you more generally about how to conduct an accurate survey?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the way that the Literary Digest...

Question 9

Which of the following is not a problem with surveys, as discussed by Schuman?

Accepted Answer

Schuman does not discuss surveys being a weak method because they are poor at generalizing.

Question 10

What is the name of the principle that states that if questions are held constant over time, differences over time are not seriously affected by specific question wording?

Accepted Answer

The principle of form-resistant correlations suggests that if the questions in a survey or study remain consistent over time, then any observed changes or differences in responses over time are not significantly influenced by the specific wording of the questions. This principle is important in longitudinal studies and surveys to ensure that observed changes reflect actual changes in attitudes, opinions, or behaviors rather than changes in how questions are phrased.

Question 11

Which of the following might be a problem with a survey that is taken for a telephone sample of people in the telephone directory?

Accepted Answer

A survey that is taken for a telephone sample of people in the telephone directory may not be representative of the general population because not all people are listed in the telephone directory and not all people have telephones. Therefore, both options A and B are problems with this type of survey.

Question 12

Which of the following is a characteristic of all research methods, according to Schuman?

Accepted Answer

According to Schuman, the need to interpret the results is a characteristic of all research methods, whereas the need to measure social variables and ask large percentages of the population may not apply to all research methods. Therefore, option A is the best choice.

Question 13

Which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

The accuracy of survey results is dependent on how random the population is. A larger sample size can increase precision, but not necessarily accuracy. A smaller sample size can lead to larger errors and less accurate results. Therefore, choice A and B are incorrect.

Question 14

About how many people would have to be surveyed to assure that an accurate percentage of left-handed people in the United States were represented?

Accepted Answer

To ensure an accurate representation of left-handed people in the United States, a sample size of around 1000 is generally considered sufficient for most population surveys. This size balances the need for statistical accuracy with practical considerations of time and cost. Smaller samples might not capture the diversity of the population, while much larger samples offer diminishing returns on accuracy improvement.

Question 15

In 1936, two polls were conducted by to predict the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. What was the name of the magazine that incorrectly predicted the winner?

Accepted Answer

The magazine that incorrectly predicted the winner of the U.S. presidential election in 1936 was Literary Digest.

Question 16

How does question wording affect survey results? What are some of the safeguards that survey researchers must use to assure that their wording is not overly affecting the results?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does question wording affect survey results?...

Question 17

Ethnography differs from other research methods in which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

Ethnography requires the researcher to be in the field for long hours for a relatively long period of time, which distinguishes it from other research methods that may not require this level of immersion and duration in the research setting.

Question 18

Which of the following phrases would be the best translation of the meaning of the word 'ethnography?"

Accepted Answer

Ethnography is a method of studying and documenting the culture and social interactions of a particular group of people. It involves observing and recording their daily lives, customs, beliefs, and traditions. Therefore, the phrase "a portrait of the people" best encapsulates the essence of ethnography.

Question 19

When comparing interviewing done in ethnography with interviewing done in survey research, which of the following is more central to the ethnographic enterprise?

Accepted Answer

In ethnography, gaining trust with the respondents, developing rapport with the respondents, and establishing in-depth relationships with the respondents are all essential components of the research process. This is because ethnography emphasizes the importance of understanding social and cultural phenomena from the perspective of the people being studied, and this requires building relationships of trust and understanding with participants. Survey research, on the other hand, typically focuses more on collecting quantitative data from a large number of participants using standardized methods, which may not involve as much emphasis on building relationships or understanding the perspectives of individual participants.

Question 20

The Gallup Poll gained famed because of which of the following reasons?

Accepted Answer

The Gallup Poll gained fame for correctly predicting the outcome of the 1936 presidential election using a quota sampling technique, which was a relatively new approach at the time.

Quiz 1: Sociological Odyssey: Contemporary Readings in Introductory Sociology