Exam 5: How Sociologists Do Research

Dr. Zak is trying to determine what traits, if any, high-achieving students have that students who do poorly on his exams do not possess. To assess personal information from both groups of students, what research method should Dr. Zak probably use?

Jarod is conducting research on the homeless. For six weeks, he has lived among the homeless "24/7," sleeping on the street or at a shelter, and engaging in the same activities as the population he is studying. By doing so, Jarod has been able to gather a broad understanding of the homeless, their needs, and characteristics. In view of this, Jarod is using ________ as a method of gathering data.

What are the eight basic steps followed in scientific research?

What ethical violations occurred in Laud Humphreys' study of "tearooms"?

What is the advantage of using a stratified random sample over a sample gathered by selecting volunteers?

Of the following research topics, which most qualifies as research on the micro level?

Tiffany has a keen interest in the original theories of William Sheldon regarding the relationship between body type and juvenile delinquency. She has duplicated the study using Sheldon's original methodology to see if her results are compatible to Sheldon's. Such a study illustrates the concept of ________.

Not knowing who gathered the data or which research methods were employed to gather them are major issues to consider when using secondary analysis as a research method.

Every research method has its drawbacks. Which method often leads the current researcher to question the manner in which the data were gathered, the accuracy of the data, and the training of the original researchers?

Why did a number of sociologists think Laud Humphreys' research on tearooms was unethical?

Which sociologist argued that research without theory is simply a collection of unrelated "facts"?

What is a "spurious" relationship?

Discuss the eight steps in the research model.

In research, what is an operational definition? How is an operational definition different from a definition in the traditional sense?

When utilizing correlations to assess variables related to human behavior, the researcher will seldom find either a perfect positive correlation or a perfect negative correlation.

The mean is commonly the most representative measure of the average when comparing scores in a distribution.

Which of the following examination formats is most likely to incorporate closed-ended questions?

What is the greatest flaw in using self-administered questionnaires for a research study?

Researchers are violating people's privacy when gathering information from Facebook because the Internet is technically a private domain.

Steve and Naomi are counting the empty whiskey bottles in trashcans to measure the level of whiskey consumption in town. These researchers are using a method of research referred to as ________.