Question 1

Which of the following is an example of a linear variable?

Accepted Answer

Wealth in dollars is a linear variable because it can be measured along a continuum and can take on any value within a range, allowing for precise quantification and comparison.

Question 2

What kind of data does the General Social Survey yield?

Accepted Answer

The General Social Survey primarily yields quantitative data, as it collects and analyzes numerical data from surveys to understand and assess the attitudes, behaviors, and attributes of the general population.

Question 3

A continuous variable is also called

Accepted Answer

A continuous variable can take an infinite number of values within a given range and is often associated with measurements, making it closely related to linear variables in the context of linear relationships or scales. The other options refer to types of variables that categorize or rank data, which do not align with the definition of a continuous variable.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of nominal variables?

Accepted Answer

Nominal variables are variables that have no inherent order or ranking. They are simply categories or labels. In this case, "alive or dead" is a nominal variable because there is no inherent order to the two categories.

Question 5

A nominal variable is also called

Accepted Answer

A nominal variable is also called a categorical variable because it describes data that can be categorized into distinct groups without any order or ranking.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a continuous variable?

Accepted Answer

Continuous variables can take on an infinite number of values between any two values. Someone's age in years can be considered continuous because it can include fractions of years.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of an ordinal variable?

Accepted Answer

Ordinal variables are those that represent categories with a meaningful order but without a fixed interval between them. Choice B, which categorizes house sizes as smaller, larger, or the same size relative to neighbors' houses, is an example of an ordinal variable because it conveys an order (size) without specifying the exact difference between the categories.

Question 8

In which circumstances would a sociologist choose a qualitative over a quantitative project?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative research is chosen for its ability to provide detailed, in-depth insights into a particular subject or case, rather than producing numerical data or handling large sample sizes. This approach is ideal for exploring complex issues, understanding phenomena within their context, and gaining a deeper understanding of the experiences and perspectives of research participants.

Question 9

Why might a sociologist choose a quantitative over a qualitative project?

Accepted Answer

Quantitative research methods are chosen for their ability to gather data from a large number of subjects, allowing for statistical analysis and generalizations to be made from the data collected. This contrasts with qualitative methods, which are more focused on in-depth analysis of fewer subjects and often produce findings in words to capture the complexity of human behavior.

Question 10

What is a truism of qualitative research, according to Max Weber?

Accepted Answer

Max Weber emphasized the importance of Verstehen, or understanding, in social science. He argued that to comprehend why events happen or why people act in certain ways, researchers must understand the meanings and motivations from the perspective of those involved. This principle underlies the approach of qualitative research, which seeks to gain insights into people's behaviors, attitudes, and experiences through methods like interviews, observations, and analysis of texts and artifacts.

Question 11

In which of the following research questions is income a dependent variable?

Accepted Answer

In option A, income is the outcome being measured, influenced by the college GPA, making it the dependent variable.

Question 12

In which of the following research questions is income an independent variable?

Accepted Answer

In option A, parental income is considered as a factor that might influence a child's acceptance into a prestigious university, making it the independent variable because it is presumed to affect the dependent variable (child's acceptance into a prestigious university) without being affected by it.

Question 13

Dr. Locklear wants to study the impact of the hours spent on social media on high school students' hours spent studying. Which variable is the dependent variable and which is the independent variable?

Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the outcome of interest, which in this case is the hours spent studying, as it might be affected by the independent variable, the hours spent on social media.

Question 14

The speedometer in your old car is broken. Sometimes it accurately reports your speed, sometimes it reports a speed that is slower or faster than your actual speed, and sometimes it reports that you are not moving, even when you are. The speedometer lacks

Accepted Answer

The speedometer lacks reliability because its readings are inconsistent and do not reliably measure the actual speed of the car. Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure, and in this case, the speedometer's inconsistent readings indicate it is not reliable.

Question 15

Your thermometer consistently tells you that your temperature is 101 degrees-no matter if you have a fever or not. Your thermometer lacks

Accepted Answer

The thermometer lacks validity because it does not accurately measure what it is supposed to measure, which is the actual body temperature. If it always reads 101 degrees regardless of the actual temperature, it is not providing a valid measurement.

Question 16

The process of defining measures for a sociological study is

Accepted Answer

Operationalization is the process in sociology and other sciences where researchers define the variables they are studying in practical, measurable terms. This allows for the collection and analysis of data related to those variables.

Question 17

You are a sociologist studying the popularity of tobacco products. Any of the following ways would be a reasonable approach to operationalizing the concept "popularity of tobacco products" EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The number of new lung cancer diagnoses does not directly measure the popularity of tobacco products, as it is an indirect consequence of tobacco use and can be influenced by many other factors.

Question 18

In most cases, why can't sociologists study all members of their research population?

Accepted Answer

Research populations are often too large for sociologists to study every member, making it impractical to collect data from everyone.

Question 19

In which situation would a sociologist choose to study all those in a research population?

Accepted Answer

When the population is small, a sociologist might choose to study all those in the research population because it is feasible to include every member of the population in the study, allowing for a comprehensive analysis.

Question 20

What is one reason why convenience sampling is sometimes seen as an inferior approach to sampling?

Accepted Answer

Convenience sampling often results in samples that are not representative of the population because it involves selecting individuals who are easiest to access, leading to a lack of diversity within the sample.

Quiz 3: Doing Sociology: Research Methods and Critical Literacy