Deck 8: Analysis of Available Data

Question 1

The evaluations of inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment services of the Great Lakes Recovery Center, discussed in Research in Practice 8.1, used which source of data most extensively

A)extensive interviewing
B)qualitative observation
C)existing agency records
D)laboratory experimentation

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following would be an example of the type of data known as "available data"

A)administering a questionnaire to the college students available to the researcher in her classes
B)using information in the files of a social service agency to study the social factors associated with unwanted pregnancies
C)using an availability sample as a means of collecting subjects for an experiment
D)making unobtrusive observations of inmates of a prison during their recreation periods

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of the ways in which validity problems can arise in the use of available statistical data

A)Elements of the operation of organizations may not be measured directly by the data the organizations collect.
B)Operational definitions may be changed so that variables can be measured with the data available.
C)Procedures used in gathering data by an organization may change over time.
D)All of the answers represent ways in which validity problems can arise.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In the analysis of available data, a deductive approach is often impossible to use because:

A)there typically are no theories or hypotheses to be tested.
B)the unit of analysis used is the individual.
C)the data necessary to measure the variables derived from a theory were not included when the original data were collected.
D)theory verification is only possible when data are collected explicitly to test that theory.

Question 5

In available data analysis, it is preferable to use an existing coding scheme, if an appropriate one is available, rather than develop a new one because:

A)it makes the research project comparable with other studies that have used the same coding scheme.
B)it results in a considerable savings of time, energy, and money for the researcher.
C)it results in a higher level of measurement than would be possible otherwise.
D)it makes the research project comparable with other studies that have used the same coding scheme, and it results in a considerable savings of time, energy, and money for the researcher.

Question 6

The problem created by missing data in available data research is that:

A)it makes it impossible to develop hypotheses.
B)it throws into question the representativeness of the data.
C)it means that experimental research cannot be used.
D)it rules out the use of quantitative data analysis.

Question 7

In available data research, the hypotheses derived are often revised and modified in order to take into account the kind of data that is available. This means that the research tends to:

A)involve field research.
B)involve latent coding.
C)be deductive in nature.
D)be inductive in nature.

Question 8

One study used the audio-tapes from emergency 911 calls as data. This was used in the text as an example of:

A)content analysis.
B)field experimentation.
C)physical traces.
D)missing data.

Question 9

The re-analysis of data that was collected by someone else for some other research project is called:

A)secondary analysis.
B)data archives.
C)content analysis.
D)missing data.

Question 10

When using the single word as the unit of analysis in content analysis, it is often helpful to make use of a "context unit," which refers to:

A)the words surrounding the single word that help modify it and explain its meaning.
B)combining the single word with the theme as the unit of analysis.
C)a description by the researcher of the rules for placing a particular word into a particular category of the coding scheme.
D)the overall theme of a document that is used to interpret specific words.

Question 11

The Inter-University Consortium of Political and Social Research at the University of Michigan is used in the text as an example of:

A)content analysis in research.
B)the utility of field experiments.
C)a data archive.
D)coding schemes in content analysis.

Question 12

Which of the following would most clearly be a form of available data

A)surveys.
B)documents.
C)laboratory experiments.
D)latent coding.

Question 13

With the crime statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the pre-1979 statistics are not directly comparable to the post-1979 statistics because:

A)computerization of crime statistics occurred in 1979.
B)some of the pre-1979 data were lost.
C)arson was added to the list of index crimes in 1979.
D)assault was removed from the list of index crimes in 1979.

Question 14

According to the text, the problem of "missing data":

A)is found to some degree in practically all research.
B)is found only in the analysis of available data.
C)can lead to bias but not unrepresentative data.
D)is usually not found in available data that is received from a data archive.

Question 15

Which of the following is most clearly NOT a source of available statistical data

A)the data found in data archives
B)data collected by federal, state, and local agencies
C)the crime information collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation from local police jurisdictions
D)the field notes prepared by a participant observer

Question 16

One of the disadvantages of developing a new coding scheme rather than using an existing one is that:

A)you must accept a lower level of measurement than when using existing coding schemes.
B)new coding schemes generally have less reliability than existing ones.
C)new coding schemes generally have less validity than existing ones.
D)your results are not directly comparable to the studies using existing coding schemes.

Question 17

According to the text, coding schemes in content analysis should possess all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:

A)exhaustive categories.
B)theoretically relevant categories.
C)mutually exclusive categories.
D)interval-level categories.

Question 18

In terms of a full accounting of criminal activity, about what percentage of all violent crimes are actually included in the Uniform Crime Reports, as discussed in Research in Practice 8.2

A)95%
B)80%
C)60%
D)45%

Question 19

The method of transforming the symbolic content of a document into a quantitative, systematic form is called:

A)available data analysis.
B)content analysis.
C)missing data analysis.
D)data archive analysis.

Question 20

Data archives would be most clearly associated with which type of research

A)experimental research
B)field research
C)survey research
D)secondary analysis of data

Question 21

The reliability of a coding scheme in content analysis can be enhanced by:

A)having more alternatives in the coding scheme.
B)using jury opinion as a way of applying the coding scheme.
C)using the sentence or paragraph as the unit of analysis rather than the single word or theme.
D)providing thorough training for the coders.

Question 22

The Eye on Ethics section discusses how modern information technologies impact on ethical issues in research based on available data. In this context, the ethical issue that the text discusses as most affected by these technologies is:

A)scientific advocacy.
B)scientific misconduct and fraud.
C)privacy.
D)deception.

Question 23

One reason that available data analysis is often less costly than other research methods is that:

A)the major expense of data gathering is usually borne by people other than the researcher.
B)issues of reliability and validity are easier to address.
C)manifest coding can replace latent coding.
D)computers do most of the data gathering.

Question 24

When coding documents, what level of intercoder reliability is considered acceptable

A)35% or better agreement between coders
B)55% or better agreement between coders
C)75% or better agreement between coders
D)95% or better agreement between coders

Question 25

Coding the more objective or surface content of a document is called:

A)latent coding.
B)manifest coding.
C)content coding.
D)symbolic coding.

Question 26

Which of the following is true of studies of the persistence of prejudice and stereotyping that use available data

A)They are limited to analysis of text.
B)They have used the frequency and type of images in books and magazines as variables.
C)They are generally biased because minorities are under-represented in the media.
D)They have shown that stereotyping is no longer evident in most books and magazines.

Question 27

The Information Technology in Research section suggests that, for most research purposes, it is most desirable to have:

A)access to reports that have been prepared that analyze some available data.
B)access to only parts of a data set.
C)access to the complete raw data set.
D)access to the manifest coding rather than the latent coding.

Question 28

In selecting a sample of articles from a daily newspaper for content analysis, suppose articles are taken from every 14th issue of the newspaper. Such a sample would contain a problem because of:

A)reliability.
B)periodicity.
C)missing data.
D)lack of pretesting.

Question 29

The most commonly used assessments of validity in content analysis are based on:

A)criterion validity.
B)predictive validity.
C)content validity.
D)construct validity.

Question 30

In content analysis, "validity" most clearly refers to:

A)the level of agreement between different coders.
B)whether the coding categories are meaningful indicators of what they are intended to measure.
C)the proportion of latent coding to manifest coding.
D)the extent to which theories, hypotheses, and operational definitions have to be modified to fit the data.

Question 31

According to the text, intercoder reliability in content analysis is likely to be highest with which unit of analysis

A)the single word
B)the theme
C)the sentence
D)the paragraph

Question 32

A coding scheme is designed to classify short stories in terms of whether its genre is mystery, romance, science fiction, or historical. The unit of analysis of this coding scheme is:

A)word.
B)theme.
C)major character.
D)sentence.

Question 33

When combining available statistical data from a number of different agencies or states, the best way to protect people's privacy, according to the text, would be:

A)to use a "de-identified" data set.
B)to use a "limited" data set.
C)to use a representative sample.
D)to use an "inaccessible" data set.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of available data analysis

A)documents contain much less bias than do other types of data.
B)available data analysis is less costly than other forms of research.
C)available data are nonreactive.
D)through documents we can study people, such as past generations, who are inaccessible by other research techniques.

Question 35

According to the text, in content analysis, the nature of the variable being measured:

A)puts an upper limit on the level of measurement that can be reached.
B)puts a lower limit on the level of measurement that can be reached.
C)is irrelevant to the level of measurement that can be reached.
D)cannot be determined.

Question 36

One of the disadvantages of available data analysis is that:

A)it is very costly compared to other types of research.
B)it is limited to studying people who are still alive.
C)the quality of documents used in available data analysis is quite variable.
D)it is highly reactive.

Question 37

In content analysis, which of the following sampling procedures could be inappropriate

A)simple random sampling
B)stratified sampling
C)multistage sampling
D)all of the answers identify sampling procedures that could be appropriate

Question 38

In content analysis, a measure that yields consistent results each time that it is used is called:

A)a valid measure.
B)an accurate measure.
C)a reliable measure.
D)a manifest measure.

Question 39

A research project needs to measure the social power of each character in a television situation comedy. Each coder must rank each character on a seven-point scale from "low social power" to "high social power." This is an illustration of which type of coding

A)axial coding
B)manifest coding
C)descriptive coding
D)latent coding

Question 40

The most complex and difficult rating system in content analysis is:

A)measures of intensity of expressions in documents.
B)the theme.
C)the amount of space devoted to an element.
D)frequency counts of elements in documents.

Question 41

Discuss problems relating to missing data when using available statistical data.

Question 42

Discuss the issue of validity as it relates to content analysis.
6 Discuss the issue of reliability as it relates to content analysis.

Question 43

Discuss the issue of sampling as it relates to content analysis.

Question 44

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using available data for human service research.

Question 45

What is a coding scheme and how would one be used in content analysis

Question 46

Describe how available data has been used to conduct research on issues of gender and racial stereotyping.

Question 47

Identify the four units of analysis typically used in content analysis.

Question 48

Discuss these issues in terms of level of measurement in content analysis: presence or absence, frequency of occurrence, amount of space, and intensity.

Question 49

Describe the three general sources of available statistical data discussed in the text.