Question 1

When using agency records in their research, researchers keep in mind two general maxims:

Accepted Answer

A

Question 2

Units of communication, such as words, paragraphs, and books, are not the units of analysis in content analysis.

Accepted Answer

In content analysis, units of communication like words, paragraphs, and books can indeed be units of analysis, as the method involves quantifying and analyzing the presence, meanings, and relationships of such words and concepts within texts or sets of texts.

Question 3

The advantages and disadvantages of using secondary data are not the same as agency records.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

Which of the following would be an example of the data coming from the Census Bureau that have criminal justice applications?

Accepted Answer

The survey of inmates in local jails conducted by the Census Bureau would provide data with criminal justice applications, such as information on demographic characteristics of inmates, offenses committed, sentences imposed, etc. Court records of children in custody and self-report survey data, although related to criminal justice, are not collected by the Census Bureau. Similarly, a survey of all criminal justice professors would not provide data relevant to criminal justice applications, but rather insights into the opinions and perspectives of this particular group of professionals.

Question 5

Data collected by other researchers is often used to address new research questions.

Accepted Answer

This is true, as it is common for researchers to build on existing data sets in order to address new research questions.

Question 6

Understanding the details of how agency records are produced is the best guard against reliability and validity problems.

Accepted Answer

Understanding how agency records are created and maintained can help identify potential issues with reliability and validity, such as errors in data entry or biased recording practices. By understanding these details, researchers can better evaluate the quality of the data and adjust their analysis accordingly.

Question 7

Which of the following is not an example of nonpublic agency records?

Accepted Answer

The FBI's publication of the Uniform Crime Reports is a public record because it is released to the general public. The other options all involve records that are kept by nonpublic agencies and are not readily available to the public.

Question 8

Agency records, secondary data and content analysis do not require direct interaction with research subjects.

Accepted Answer

These research methods involve the use of pre-existing data and do not require direct engagement with research subjects.

Question 9

Nonpublic agency records are often made available to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Nonpublic agency records are often made available to criminal justice researchers for the purpose of conducting studies and analyses that can help improve the criminal justice system.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is not accurate concerning the use of published data in aggregate forms?

Accepted Answer

Published data is often used in criminal justice research, and it can be appropriate for measuring patterns or trends over time or for examining covariation in estimates of crime. However, obtaining published data may not always be easy, and it may not be appropriate for certain types of research questions. The statement in option A is inaccurate, as published data is often used in criminal justice research.

Question 11

The Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics is the most comprehensive Bureau of Justice Statistics publication.It includes a multitude of data including all of the following except _____.

Accepted Answer

The Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics compiles a wide range of data related to the criminal justice system, but it does not include complete crime data from all local police departments. This level of detail is beyond the scope of the publication, which focuses on broader statistics and trends within the criminal justice system.

Question 12

Data collected by or for public agencies is readily available and researchers have tight control over the actual data collection process.

Accepted Answer

While data collected by or for public agencies may be available to researchers, they often do not have tight control over the actual data collection process, as these processes are typically defined by the agencies collecting the data.

Question 13

Agency records and statistics published by agencies or governmental entities are most commonly used for which type of studies?

Accepted Answer

Agency records and statistics are generally used for descriptive studies, which aim to describe a phenomenon or population being studied. These studies use quantitative data, such as statistics and numbers, to provide a comprehensive picture of the topic being analyzed. Examples of studies that use agency records and statistics include population surveys, healthcare utilization studies, and crime rate analyses.

Question 14

Topics that lend themselves to the use of content analysis tend to focus upon the links between communication and _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Topics that lend themselves to the use...

Question 15

Most government organizations routinely collect and publish compilations of data , which we refer to collectively as:

Accepted Answer

The term "published statistics" specifically refers to data that is collected and published by government organizations, which is what the question is referring to. The other options may be applicable in certain contexts, but do not encompass the full range of data collected and published by governments.

Question 16

Social artifacts such as written documents or articles from newspapers represent which of the following types of data?

Accepted Answer

Social artifacts such as written documents or articles from newspapers represent data that can be analyzed through content analysis, which involves systematically analyzing the content of a text to identify patterns and themes. The other options (B) secondary analysis, (C) agency records, and (D) surveys, don't apply to this type of data.

Question 17

Content analysis involves the systematic study of agency records.

Accepted Answer

Content analysis is a research technique for systematically analyzing communication content, such as written works, speech, or media, rather than specifically focusing on agency records.

Question 18

Data and records produced by formal organizations may be the most common source of data in criminal justice research.

Accepted Answer

Formal organizations such as law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional institutions produce a significant amount of data and records that are used in criminal justice research.

Question 19

Secondary analysis can be cheaper and faster than collecting original data.

Accepted Answer

Secondary analysis involves analyzing data that has already been collected by someone else, which can often be obtained at a lower cost and with less time than collecting original data.

Question 20

It is relatively easy and common to have agencies modify their data collection forms in order to get information needed for a specific research project being conducted from someone outside the agency.

Accepted Answer

Agencies can modify their data collection forms to include specific questions for a research project being conducted by someone outside the agency. This is a common practice and is relatively easy to do.

Quiz 9: Agency Records, Content Analysis, and Secondary Data