Question 1

Which of the following studies is an example of demography?
A) Rathjie's Garbage Project
B) Kmec's study of the role of race and social networks in job turnover
C) Logan and Stults' study of changes in US residential segregation
D) Kearney and Levine's study of the impact of 16 and Pregnant on teen childbearing

Accepted Answer

Demography is the study of human populations and their characteristics, such as size, growth, and distribution. Logan and Stults' study of changes in US residential segregation is an example of demography because it focuses on population characteristics and changes over time. The other studies listed are not examples of demography. The Garbage Project is a study of waste management, Kmec's study focuses on job turnover and social networks, and Kearney and Levine's study examines the impact of a television show on teen childbearing.

Question 2

Which of the following research questions was addressed by Kearney and Levine in their study of the impact of MTV's 16 and Pregnant?
A) Was the show popular among pregnant women?
B) Was the show popular among 16-year old viewers?
C) Were women more likely to watch the show than men?
D) Was there substantial exposure to the show?

Accepted Answer

Kearney and Levine's study was focused on determining whether there was substantial exposure to MTV's 16 and Pregnant, rather than measuring its popularity among certain demographics. They collected data on search trends and Nielsen ratings to assess the show's reach and influence.

Question 3

Which of the following sequences most accurately describes the process of analyzing existing statistics?
A) Obtain data $\rightarrow$ measure variables $\rightarrow$ evaluate and adjust the data$\rightarrow$analyze the data
B) Measure variables $\rightarrow$ obtain data $\rightarrow$ analyze data $\rightarrow$evaluate and adjust the data
C) Obtain data $\rightarrow$ evaluate and adjust the data $\rightarrow$ analyze the data $\rightarrow$ measure variables
D) Measure variables $\rightarrow$ obtain data $\rightarrow$ evaluate and adjust the data $\rightarrow$ analyze the data

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence for analyzing existing statistics starts with obtaining data, followed by measuring variables, then evaluating and adjusting the data, and finally analyzing the data.

Question 4

Users of existing statistics are well advised to
A) let the availability of data dictate the research question or hypothesis to be addressed.
B) carefully reconstruct the process by which the data were originally assembled.
C) so far as possible, restrict themselves to official data sources where the accuracy and consistency of the data can be assumed.
D) search for the best single indicator rather than rely on multiple indicators of a concept.

Accepted Answer

It is important for users of existing statistics to understand the methods used to collect and analyze the data they are using. By carefully reconstructing the process by which the data were originally assembled, users can better understand any potential biases or limitations in the data that may impact their analysis. This will help ensure that their conclusions are based on accurate and reliable information.

Question 5

According to Box 10.1, which of the following studies is the best example of the use of big data?
A) Logan and Stults' use of U.S. census data to study changes in racial segregation
B) Kearney and Levine's use of Twitter to trace teen interest in birth control and abortion
C) Lindner's content analysis of news articles by journalists covering the Iraq War
D) Campbell and Schoenfeld's comparative historical analysis of mass imprisonment

Accepted Answer

Kearney and Levine's use of Twitter to trace teen interest in birth control and abortion is the best example of the use of big data because they collected and analyzed a large dataset (over 950,000 tweets) and used machine-learning algorithms to classify the tweets. The study also demonstrates the potential for using big data to understand complex social issues. The other studies mentioned in the question do not involve the analysis of as large or complex datasets as the Twitter study.

Question 6

According to Box 10.1, in addition to consisting of unusually large datasets, big data
A) are collected digitally.
B) take a long time to process.
C) take years to accumulate.
D) describe social units such as cities, states, and nations.

Accepted Answer

Big data refers to datasets that are too large and complex to be processed by traditional data processing tools. These datasets are typically collected digitally, which is what distinguishes them from other large datasets that may be collected through traditional methods such as surveys. While big data may take time to process, this is not a defining characteristic of it. Similarly, big data may describe social units, but it is not limited to this kind of data.

Question 7

According to Box 10.1, the analysis of big data has emerged primarily as a result of
A) the accumulation of large datasets over time.
B) the enhanced capacity of computers to handle large datasets.
C) the rapid growth of quantitative analysis in the social sciences.
D) the digitization of social life.

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Box 10.1, the analysis of...

Question 8

Which of the following is not an issue with respect to Kearney and Levine's measurement of teen use of birth control and abortion?
A) Use of only one data source to measure the use of birth control and abortion
B) Lack of information about the age of those searching or tweeting about birth control and abortion
C) The assumption that interest in birth control and abortion reflects actual use
D) Aggregate data for geographical areas may not correspond to individual actions of teens within those areas

Accepted Answer

Kearney and Levine's study does not rely on only one data source; they use multiple sources to measure teen use of birth control and abortion.

Question 9

Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War examined
A) how a journalist's vantage point affected coverage of the war.
B) the difference between U.S. and foreign news correspondents' coverage of the war.
C) how coverage of the Iraq War differed from coverage of the Vietnam War.
D) whether journalists' support for the war affected their coverage.

Accepted Answer

Lindner's content analysis focused on how a journalist's vantage point, such as being embedded with troops or reporting from a distance, affected their coverage of the Iraq War.

Question 10

Which of the following was coded as part of the independent variable in Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War?
A) Journalist's nationality
B) Civilian casualties
C) Property damage
D) Whether a journalist was embedded with the troops

Accepted Answer

The independent variable in Lindner's content analysis was whether a journalist was embedded with the troops, as it was used to determine the perspective and potential bias of the journalist in reporting on the Iraq War.

Question 11

In Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War, his sampling unit was _______ and his recording unit was _______.
A) print articles; article headlines
B) journalists; print articles
C) print articles; print articles
D) journalists; article headlines

Accepted Answer

Lindner's sampling unit was print articles, as he analyzed a total of 970 articles from 12 different U.S. newspapers. His recording unit was also print articles, as he coded various aspects of the articles themselves, including headlines, lead paragraphs, and content categories.

Question 12

In a content analysis of magazine advertisements, one researcher analyzed the presence of female stereotypes in selected issues of Time and Vogue. What would be the recording unit in this study?
A) Selected issues of Time and Vogue
B) Magazine advertisements featuring women
C) Presence or absence of stereotypic images of women
D) Stereotypic images of women

Accepted Answer

The recording unit in this study would be magazine advertisements featuring women since the researcher is specifically analyzing the presence of female stereotypes in these advertisements. The other options (A, C, and D) are either too broad or too focused for the scope of this study.

Question 13

How did Lindner code variables in his study of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War?
A) In terms of the amount of space or words devoted to a topic
B) By whether specific content appeared in a news article
C) In terms of how frequently a topic appeared in a news article
D) By whether coverage was positive, neutral, or negative

Accepted Answer

Lindner coded variables by whether specific content appeared in a news article, focusing on the presence or absence of particular elements.

Question 14

Dictionaries for computer text analysis are analogous to _______ in manual content analysis.
A) communication sources
B) recording units
C) a codebook
D) a quantitative summary

Accepted Answer

Like a codebook in manual content analysis, dictionaries provide a standardized list of words or phrases that will be quantified and analyzed in computer-based text analysis.

Question 15

In what way is comparative historical research most like quantitative social research?
A) It emphasizes causal explanation.
B) It studies a sample of cases.
C) It analyzes numerical data.
D) Interviewing is one possible source of data.

Accepted Answer

Comparative historical research, like quantitative social research, often emphasizes causal explanation, aiming to understand the cause-and-effect relationships between variables across different historical periods or contexts.

Question 16

Campbell and Schoenfeld's comparative historical analysis showed that mass incarceration
A) is a worldwide phenomenon.
B) occurs mostly in third-world nations.
C) began to occur in the United States in the last quarter of the 20th century
D) is the product of high crime rates.

Accepted Answer

Campbell and Schoenfeld's comparative historical analysis showed that mass incarceration began to occur in the United States in the last quarter of the 20th century.

Question 17

Campbell and Schoenfeld used process analysis to show that
A) national politics influenced state politics which influenced crime policy.
B) national politics accounted directly for mass incarceration.
C) there were multiple determinants of mass incarceration.
D) mass incarceration occurred over an extended period of time.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Campbell and Schoenfeld used process analysis to...

Question 18

Which of the following accurately describes a truth table?
A) Variable codes are added together
B) All variables are coded as present or absent
C) Rows of the table represent different outcomes on the dependent variable
D) Columns represent cases

Accepted Answer

A truth table is a table used in logic to represent all possible combinations of inputs and their corresponding outputs. In the table, all variables are coded as present or absent (usually represented as 1 or 0), which allows for all possible logical outcomes to be represented. The table does not add variable codes together nor represent cases or different outcomes on the dependent variable.

Question 19

The narratives in the method of narrative comparison refer to
A) personal stories or accounts.
B) alternative explanations of the same historical event.
C) historical sequences of events.
D) hypothesized historical outcomes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The narratives in the method of narrative...

Question 20

Demographers rely mainly on private documents as sources of data.

Accepted Answer

Demographers rely on a variety of sources of data, including public records, surveys, and censuses, in addition to private documents such as diaries and family records.

Quiz 10: Existing Data Analysis: Using Data from Secondhand Sources

Which of the following studies is an example of demography?

Which of the following research questions was addressed by Kearney and Levine in their study of the impact of MTV's 16 and Pregnant?

Which of the following sequences most accurately describes the process of analyzing existing statistics?

Users of existing statistics are well advised to

According to Box 10.1, which of the following studies is the best example of the use of big data?

According to Box 10.1, in addition to consisting of unusually large datasets, big data

According to Box 10.1, the analysis of big data has emerged primarily as a result of

Which of the following is not an issue with respect to Kearney and Levine's measurement of teen use of birth control and abortion?

Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War examined

Which of the following was coded as part of the independent variable in Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War?

In Lindner's content analysis of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War, his sampling unit was _ and his recording unit was _.

In a content analysis of magazine advertisements, one researcher analyzed the presence of female stereotypes in selected issues of Time and Vogue. What would be the recording unit in this study?

How did Lindner code variables in his study of journalistic accounts of the Iraq War?

Dictionaries for computer text analysis are analogous to _______ in manual content analysis.

In what way is comparative historical research most like quantitative social research?

Campbell and Schoenfeld's comparative historical analysis showed that mass incarceration

Campbell and Schoenfeld used process analysis to show that

Which of the following accurately describes a truth table?

The narratives in the method of narrative comparison refer to

Demographers rely mainly on private documents as sources of data.