Question 1

What is a disadvantage of using "big data" as a source of unobtrusive data?

Accepted Answer

A) You may not be able to find enough accessible data to form any conclusions. 
B) You can approach a question from many different angles. 
C) You can observe dynamic processes in real time. 
D) You may not be able to find data that correspond exactly with the concepts you want to explore. 
E) You can decrease the researcher's impact on the phenomenon being studied. 
A) You may not be able to find enough accessible data to form any conclusions. 
B) You can approach a question from many different angles. 
C) You can observe dynamic processes in real time. 
D) You may not be able to find data that correspond exactly with the concepts you want to explore. 
E) You can decrease the researcher's impact on the phenomenon being studied.

Question 2

An example of unobtrusive data collection is:

Accepted Answer

A) an interview with college freshmen to determine why they selected a particular school. 
B) a laboratory experiment designed to learn whether people really prefer Pepsi or Coke. 
C) a mailed survey designed to discern students' attitudes toward a planned change in the school's calendar. 
D) a researcher who joins a fraternity to understand its rituals. 
E) examining the wear on the tires of squad cars to determine the extent of police patrols. 
A) an interview with college freshmen to determine why they selected a particular school. 
B) a laboratory experiment designed to learn whether people really prefer Pepsi or Coke. 
C) a mailed survey designed to discern students' attitudes toward a planned change in the school's calendar. 
D) a researcher who joins a fraternity to understand its rituals. 
E) examining the wear on the tires of squad cars to determine the extent of police patrols.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding comparative and historical research?

Accepted Answer

A) It is often regarded as a qualitative technique. 
B) It can use quantitative methods. 
C) It assumes that the documented history coincides with what actually happened. 
D) It sometimes uses time-series data to monitor changing conditions over time. 
E) It is used to examine societies over time and to compare them to each other. 
A) It is often regarded as a qualitative technique. 
B) It can use quantitative methods. 
C) It assumes that the documented history coincides with what actually happened. 
D) It sometimes uses time-series data to monitor changing conditions over time. 
E) It is used to examine societies over time and to compare them to each other.

Question 4

When performing a content analysis, looking at what is suggested or insinuated is performing:

Accepted Answer

A) manifest coding. 
B) latent coding. 
C) concrete coding. 
D) subversive coding. 
E) technical coding. 
A) manifest coding. 
B) latent coding. 
C) concrete coding. 
D) subversive coding. 
E) technical coding.

Question 5

Existing statistics can be used appropriately to prove or disprove theory.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

What is the difference between manifest and latent coding in content analysis? Give an example of when you might choose one coding technique over the other.

Accepted Answer

Manifest coding in content analysis refe

Question 7

Professor Perlman was interested in comparing two textbooks to determine whether one used more sexist language than the other. Perlman counted the number of times a gender reference (e.g., "he," "she," or "chairman")appeared in each book. Perlman was doing:

Accepted Answer

A) latent content coding. 
B) manifest content coding. 
C) quota sampling. 
D) the ecological fallacy. 
E) base counting. 
A) latent content coding. 
B) manifest content coding. 
C) quota sampling. 
D) the ecological fallacy. 
E) base counting.

Question 8

After examining the FBI Crime Reports for a 30-year period, Professor Hall claimed that the incidence of rape has increased. After examining the same reports, Professor Shine claimed that the reporting of rape, not the incidence of rape, has increased. This illustrates:

Accepted Answer

A) the problem of reliability in using existing statistics. 
B) the problem of validity in using existing statistics. 
C) the need to replicate existing statistics. 
D) the ecological fallacy. 
E) pretesting. 
A) the problem of reliability in using existing statistics. 
B) the problem of validity in using existing statistics. 
C) the need to replicate existing statistics. 
D) the ecological fallacy. 
E) pretesting.

Question 9

In the case of historical research corroboration is analogous to replication.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Many existing statistics can be found on the Internet.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

In which of the following analyses is content analysis LEAST likely to be useful?

Accepted Answer

A) Themes in newspaper editorials 
B) The wording of this exam 
C) Topics covered in class lectures 
D) The theme of love as discussed in song 
E) Dating patterns among high school seniors 
A) Themes in newspaper editorials 
B) The wording of this exam 
C) Topics covered in class lectures 
D) The theme of love as discussed in song 
E) Dating patterns among high school seniors

Question 12

What are some sources of data that can be used for unobtrusive research? What are three challenges of using such data to answer research questions?

Accepted Answer

Some sources of data that can be used fo

Question 13

Identify at least two ethical issues that might be involved in doing unobtrusive research. How can researchers minimize the potential for ethical problems?

Accepted Answer

One ethical issue that might be involved

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT an example of using online unobtrusive data?

Accepted Answer

A) Examining the connection between social media use and the electoral success of politicians 
B) Conducting online surveys to examine attitudes about gay marriage 
C) Analyzing Facebook profiles to document the number of LGBTQ people in different states 
D) Reviewing blog posts for evidence of white supremacist messages 
E) Analyzing Twitter feeds for racial bias 
A) Examining the connection between social media use and the electoral success of politicians 
B) Conducting online surveys to examine attitudes about gay marriage 
C) Analyzing Facebook profiles to document the number of LGBTQ people in different states 
D) Reviewing blog posts for evidence of white supremacist messages 
E) Analyzing Twitter feeds for racial bias

Question 15

A researcher using official government documents need not be concerned about the reliability of those records.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

A famous example of applying unobtrusive measures to great success is:

Accepted Answer

A) Émile Durkheim's study of suicide 
B) Laud Humphreys "tearoom" study 
C) Stanley Milgram's human obedience research 
D) The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment 
E) Khayatt's "compulsory heterosexuality" study 
A) Émile Durkheim's study of suicide 
B) Laud Humphreys "tearoom" study 
C) Stanley Milgram's human obedience research 
D) The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment 
E) Khayatt's "compulsory heterosexuality" study

Question 17

According to Berg, which of the following statements is FALSE regarding negative case testing?

Accepted Answer

A) It can be used as a technique for qualitative hypothesis testing. 
B) It begins with an examination of the data to find a general hypothesis. 
C) It requires you to search your data to find all the cases that contradict your initial hypothesis. 
D) It requires you to reexamine all the cases that led you to form the initial hypothesis. 
E) It is an example of analytic induction. 
A) It can be used as a technique for qualitative hypothesis testing. 
B) It begins with an examination of the data to find a general hypothesis. 
C) It requires you to search your data to find all the cases that contradict your initial hypothesis. 
D) It requires you to reexamine all the cases that led you to form the initial hypothesis. 
E) It is an example of analytic induction.

Question 18

Only official government documents should be used in historical analyses.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

In a study of two magazines, Marie found that the first magazine had 150 uses of male pronouns (he, him, etc.)but only 75 uses of female pronouns (she, her, etc.). The second magazine had 200 uses of male pronouns and 205 uses of female ones. What can be concluded from her work?

Accepted Answer

A) Magazine 1 was twice as sexist as magazine 2. 
B) Magazine 2 was not sexist. 
C) Magazine 2 was half as sexist as magazine 1. 
D) Magazine 2 had 130 more female pronouns. 
E) Magazine 1 was sexist. 
A) Magazine 1 was twice as sexist as magazine 2. 
B) Magazine 2 was not sexist. 
C) Magazine 2 was half as sexist as magazine 1. 
D) Magazine 2 had 130 more female pronouns. 
E) Magazine 1 was sexist.

Question 20

Content analysis can be used on any product of human communication.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

What is a disadvantage of using "big data" as a source of unobtrusive data?

An example of unobtrusive data collection is:

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding comparative and historical research?

When performing a content analysis, looking at what is suggested or insinuated is performing:

Existing statistics can be used appropriately to prove or disprove theory.

What is the difference between manifest and latent coding in content analysis? Give an example of when you might choose one coding technique over the other.

Professor Perlman was interested in comparing two textbooks to determine whether one used more sexist language than the other. Perlman counted the number of times a gender reference (e.g., "he," "she," or "chairman")appeared in each book. Perlman was doing:

After examining the FBI Crime Reports for a 30-year period, Professor Hall claimed that the incidence of rape has increased. After examining the same reports, Professor Shine claimed that the reporting of rape, not the incidence of rape, has increased. This illustrates:

In the case of historical research corroboration is analogous to replication.

Many existing statistics can be found on the Internet.

In which of the following analyses is content analysis LEAST likely to be useful?

What are some sources of data that can be used for unobtrusive research? What are three challenges of using such data to answer research questions?

Identify at least two ethical issues that might be involved in doing unobtrusive research. How can researchers minimize the potential for ethical problems?

Which of the following is NOT an example of using online unobtrusive data?

A researcher using official government documents need not be concerned about the reliability of those records.

A famous example of applying unobtrusive measures to great success is:

According to Berg, which of the following statements is FALSE regarding negative case testing?

Only official government documents should be used in historical analyses.

In a study of two magazines, Marie found that the first magazine had 150 uses of male pronouns (he, him, etc.)but only 75 uses of female pronouns (she, her, etc.). The second magazine had 200 uses of male pronouns and 205 uses of female ones. What can be concluded from her work?

Content analysis can be used on any product of human communication.

Human Inquiry and Science

Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research

The Ethics and Politics of Social Research

Research Design

Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement

Indexes, Scales, and Typologies

The Logic of Sampling

Experiments

Survey Research

Qualitative Field Research

Evaluation Research

Qualitative Data Analysis

Quantitative Data Analysis

The Logic of Multivariate Analysis

Statistical Analyses

Reading and Writing Social Research

Filters

Exam 11: Unobtrusive Research

What is a disadvantage of using "big data" as a source of unobtrusive data?

An example of unobtrusive data collection is:

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding comparative and historical research?

When performing a content analysis, looking at what is suggested or insinuated is performing:

Existing statistics can be used appropriately to prove or disprove theory.

What is the difference between manifest and latent coding in content analysis? Give an example of when you might choose one coding technique over the other.

Professor Perlman was interested in comparing two textbooks to determine whether one used more sexist language than the other. Perlman counted the number of times a gender reference (e.g., "he," "she," or "chairman")appeared in each book. Perlman was doing:

After examining the FBI Crime Reports for a 30-year period, Professor Hall claimed that the incidence of rape has increased. After examining the same reports, Professor Shine claimed that the reporting of rape, not the incidence of rape, has increased. This illustrates:

In the case of historical research corroboration is analogous to replication.

Many existing statistics can be found on the Internet.

In which of the following analyses is content analysis LEAST likely to be useful?

What are some sources of data that can be used for unobtrusive research? What are three challenges of using such data to answer research questions?

Identify at least two ethical issues that might be involved in doing unobtrusive research. How can researchers minimize the potential for ethical problems?

Which of the following is NOT an example of using online unobtrusive data?

A researcher using official government documents need not be concerned about the reliability of those records.

A famous example of applying unobtrusive measures to great success is:

According to Berg, which of the following statements is FALSE regarding negative case testing?

Only official government documents should be used in historical analyses.

In a study of two magazines, Marie found that the first magazine had 150 uses of male pronouns (he, him, etc.)but only 75 uses of female pronouns (she, her, etc.). The second magazine had 200 uses of male pronouns and 205 uses of female ones. What can be concluded from her work?

Content analysis can be used on any product of human communication.

Human Inquiry and Science

Paradigms, Theory, and Social Research

The Ethics and Politics of Social Research

Research Design

Conceptualization, Operationalization, and Measurement

Indexes, Scales, and Typologies

The Logic of Sampling

Experiments

Survey Research

Qualitative Field Research

Evaluation Research

Qualitative Data Analysis

Quantitative Data Analysis

The Logic of Multivariate Analysis

Statistical Analyses

Reading and Writing Social Research

Filters