Exam 2: How Sociologists Do Research

Andreas wishes to study international students' association at his university. He now needs to decide if he will introduce himself as a researcher or pretend to be just another member. Which research consideration will most likely influence his decision?

Jamie believes that if she steps on a crack in the sidewalk on her way to an exam, she will fail the exam. What form of unscientific thinking is Jamie demonstrating?

What do you call the person who answers a researcher's survey questions?

In explaining his research to a potential participant, Aashiq tells her that he wants to study the influence of a specific government policy on household finances in order to understand purchasing decisions in the family. Aashiq is required to give this much detail in order to obtain which of the following?

What must an individual do in order to form a proposition?

Some students think that Introduction to Sociology is a difficult course. What would a scientist use to confirm whether or not this statement is accurate?

If a relationship is spurious, what will occur?

What kind of link exists between storks and babies in Scandinavia?

Imagine that you have been asked to conduct a research study on Internet porn website usage by university students. What research method(s) would you use and why? Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of your selected research method(s).

According to the textbook's discussion of concepts and variables, which of the following best describes the term "alienation"?

A researcher measures individual intelligence by the circumference of a person's head in centimetres. Which of the following statements best characterizes this measurement?

Suppose you are in a shopping mall and you agree to answer questions from an interviewer doing a survey of those who pass by. As a sociology student, you know that results of this survey will not be scientifically sound. Why?

Describe the strengths and limitations of experimental research in social sciences.

Which principle of research ethics makes debriefing of research participants mandatory in some studies?

Explain the arguments for and against compulsory participation in a census. What is your position?

How does sociological research relate to ideas and experience? Illustrate your answer with an example.

A researcher decides to measure happiness by the number of times a person smiles each hour. What process has she accomplished?

What political movement has forced sociologists to consider issues such as the division of labour in the household, violence against women, and the effects of child-rearing responsibilities?

Which of the following terms applies to a relationship between two variables that is not influenced by a third variable?

Which of the following best distinguishes quantitative research from qualitative?