Exam 2: Sociological Research Methods

In the 2010s,______________survey research has increased dramatically as software packages have made this type of research easier to conduct.

As a researcher collecting and analyzing data,you would be engaging in______________if you placed all the names of the population being observed or questioned into a rotating drum and conducting a drawing.

Sociologist Emile Durkheim used the degree of social integration in society to determine its influence on the rate of suicide.In this example,the "rate of suicide" is the______________variable.

As a researcher collecting and analyzing data,you would be engaging in______________if you included such factors as age,sex,race,ethnicity,and educational attainment in deciding what population will be observed or questioned.

If an experiment were conducted to examine whether viewing pornography increased the likelihood of committing rape,the group that did not view pornographic films would be considered the group.

If we use the______________approach to determine why people commit suicide,we start by formulating a theory about the "causes" of suicide and then test our theory by collecting and analyzing data (such as vital statistics on suicides).

Social scientists cite many causes for suicide including rapid social change,economic conditions,hopeless poverty,and lack of religiosity.This is an example of:

In sociologist Emile Durkheim's attempt to explain the rates of suicide,______________were the units of analysis.

Describe the major types of surveys and indicate their major strengths and weaknesses.

In their research,Middletown and Middletown in Transition,sociologists Robert Lynd and Helen Lynd lived for a number of years in Muncie,Indiana to research daily lives of town residents.This is an example of a(n):

The deductive approach proceeds as follows: (1)theories generate hypotheses, (2)hypotheses lead to observations (data gathering), (3)observations lead to the formation of generalizations,and (4)generalizations are used to support the theory,to suggest modifications to it,or to refute it.

Researchers in one study examined the effects of church membership,divorce,and migration on suicide rates in the United States and using complex statistical techniques,concluded that suicide rates are typically higher where divorce and migration rates are higher and church membership is lower.This is an example of:

Social scientists cite many causes for suicide including rapid social change,economic conditions,hopeless poverty,and lack of religiosity.This is an example of multicollinearity.

In an experiment,the______________contains the subjects who are not exposed to the independent variable.

Describe the primary differences between quantitative and qualitative research and give examples of each.

A(n)______________is a detailed study of the life and activities of a group of people by researchers who may live with that group over a period of years.

Researchers frequently select a representative sample (a small group of respondents)from a larger population (the total group of people)to answer questions about their attitudes,opinions,or behavior.

A(n)______________is a printed research instrument containing a series of items to which subjects respond.

As sociologist Emile Durkheim analyzed his data,he identified all except which of the following categories of suicide?

Researchers in one study systematically analyzed the contents of the notes of suicide victims to determine recurring themes,such as feelings of despair or failure.They hoped to determine if any patterns could be found that would help in understanding why people might kill themselves.This is an example of: