Question 1

The well-known sociologist Charles Tilly has studied the patterns and organization of large-scale social movements and social change.His data has been derived from which of the following sources?

Accepted Answer

Charles Tilly's data has been derived from existing documents and official statistics such as historical archives, government reports, newspapers, and other sources of written records. He is known for his use of quantitative methods and analysis in studying social movements and social change.

Question 2

What statistic are you calculating if you add the income of ten people and divide that sum by ten?

Accepted Answer

Adding the income of ten people and dividing by ten results in the calculation of the mean, which is a measurement of central tendency. The median is the middle value in a dataset, and the correlation coefficient is a measure of the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables. A rate involves a ratio between two quantities measured in different units.

Question 3

The whole point of using scientific research methods is to eliminate all bias from our observations and arrive at a completely objective perception of reality.

Accepted Answer

While scientific research methods aim to minimize bias as much as possible, it is impossible to completely eliminate all bias from our observations. Our perceptions of reality are always influenced by our individual perspectives and experiences, as well as the societal, cultural, and historical contexts in which we exist. Therefore, the objectivity of scientific research is always limited to some extent.

Question 4

If the association between two variables is accidental and not causal,the relationship between the variables is:

Accepted Answer

If the association between two variables is accidental and not causal, it is referred to as a spurious relationship. This means that the observed relationship is not true and exists simply by chance. Therefore, the best choice is D, spurious.

Question 5

Survey researchers make sure that the response options to every question in their survey reflect the full range of options available to both women and men.They are attempting to counter which traditional research problem?

Accepted Answer

Male-centeredness is the traditional research problem being countered when survey researchers ensure that response options reflect the full range of options for both women and men, aiming to avoid bias that centers or prioritizes male perspectives.

Question 6

A political movement that has forced sociologists to reconsider issues such as the division of labor in the household,violence against women,and the effects of child rearing responsibilities is known as:

Accepted Answer

Feminism is a political movement that has brought attention to issues such as the division of labor in the household, violence against women, and the effects of child rearing responsibilities. Feminists argue that these issues are deeply connected with gender inequality and that they require a fundamental restructuring of social and political relationships between men and women. Sociologists have been forced to reconsider many of their traditional assumptions about these issues in light of feminist criticisms and insights.

Question 7

If a sociological researcher includes gender as a variable in his research but is still using an exclusively male point of view in the construction of a survey,his research will suffer because it is:

Accepted Answer

The research is male-centered because it focuses primarily on the male perspective, potentially neglecting or misrepresenting female perspectives.

Question 8

Which statistic measures the strength of an association between two variables?

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables. The mean and median are measures of central tendency and rates are a type of proportion or ratio, none of which directly measure the strength of association between two variables.

Question 9

Which of the following statistic is also known as the average?

Accepted Answer

The mean is the most commonly used measure of central tendency and is often referred to as the average. The median and the correlation coefficient are not measures of central tendency, and a rate is not a statistical measure at all.

Question 10

If a researcher is interested in the effect of television viewing on behavior,and randomly selects research subjects who are male and female to determine the consequences of television viewing,gender is the:

Accepted Answer

Gender in this context is a control variable because the researcher is controlling for gender by selecting both male and female subjects to isolate the effect of television viewing on behavior, ensuring that any observed effects are not due to gender differences.

Question 11

If researchers approach sociological problems from an exclusively male point of view,their research is said to be:

Accepted Answer

When researchers approach sociological problems from an exclusively male point of view, their research is said to be male-centered. This means that their research is biased towards the male experience and may not take into account the experiences of women or other gender identities. It is important for research to be inclusive of all genders in order to have a complete understanding of societal issues.

Question 12

A researcher notes that when his nose gets cold,he is more likely to slip on the ice when leaving his office building.The researcher then writes a paper stating that there is an association between cold noses and falling down.This association is:

Accepted Answer

The association between a cold nose and a higher likelihood of slipping on ice is spurious, meaning it is a coincidence and not caused by any meaningful connection between the two factors. The researcher's personal experience does not provide evidence of a causal relationship, and the association is not supported by any other data.

Question 13

What kind of analysis associates specific social qualities (types and degrees of knowledge,attitude,and behavior)with discrete quantities (numbers)?

Accepted Answer

Quantitative analysis involves using numerical data to identify and measure social qualities such as knowledge, attitude, and behavior. This type of analysis is often used in surveys, experiments, and statistical analyses.

Question 14

The Rank of Countries by Four Measures of Well-Being,shown in Table 2.3 in the text,demonstrates the potential bias of official statistics because:

Accepted Answer

The Rank of Countries by Four Measures of Well-Being shows that different official statistics are used to measure the same variable (well-being) in different countries, indicating potential bias of official statistics.

Question 15

Because a mean may be influenced by high and low values,it may not be an accurate depiction of the "middle" of a set of scores.If you order the scores from lowest to highest and take the middle score,you may have a better sense of the midpoint of the distribution.If you do this,you will have calculated the:

Accepted Answer

Taking the middle score after ordering the scores from lowest to highest is the calculation of the median, which gives a better sense of the midpoint of the distribution. The other options listed (mean, correlation coefficient, rate) do not involve ordering scores and taking the middle value.

Question 16

What do most researchers do with their data files when they finish their research?

Accepted Answer

The best choice is to put the data files in an archive that allows other researchers to conduct further and secondary analysis. This is because preserving research data is important for the advancement of knowledge and allows other researchers to build on previous work. Keeping data files in private collections or destroying them would limit future research opportunities. Putting the data files on public display in nearby libraries or museums may not be feasible or necessary for all types of research data.

Question 17

Research is not of much use to the sociological community,the subjects of the research,or the wider society if the researchers do not:

Accepted Answer

If the results of the research are not publicized, then the knowledge derived from it cannot be disseminated to the wider community. Publicizing the results allows policymakers, stakeholders, and other researchers to build upon the findings and, therefore, improve society.

Question 18

The sixth step in the research cycle is:

Accepted Answer

The sixth step in the research cycle is typically publication, which involves sharing the results of the research with others through articles, reports, or presentations. This step is an important part of the research process as it allows others to review and evaluate the findings, ultimately contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field.

Question 19

In addition to participant observation,experiments,and surveys,sociologists also analyze:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In addition to participant observation,experiments,and surveys,sociologists also...

Question 20

What kind of analysis is usually aimed at understanding patterns of social relationships in small-scale social settings and the meanings people attach to those relationships?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative analysis is usually aimed at understanding patterns of social relationships in small-scale social settings and the meanings people attach to those relationships. It involves exploring the subjective experiences and perspectives of individuals through methods such as interviews, observations, and document analysis.

Quiz 2: How Sociologists Do Research