Exam 2: Sociological Research Methods

In a hypothesis,the researcher presumes the __________ to be caused by another variable.

In Suicide,sociologist Emile Durkheim documented that a high suicide rate was symptomatic of a large-scale social problem.This research was in direct contradiction to the historically held notion that suicide was due to psychological illness.

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.

In an experiment,the __________ contains the subjects who are exposed to an independent variable to study its effect on them.

Define secondary analysis and discuss the strengths and weaknesses identified with it.

Content analysis is the systematic examination of cultural artifacts or various forms of communication to extract thematic data and draw conclusions about social life.

__________ are the most widely used research method in the social sciences because they make it possible to study things that are not directly observable (such as people's attitudes and beliefs) and to describe a population too large to observe directly.

The __________ approach attempts to answer questions through systematic collection and analysis of data.This approach is referred to as the conventional model,or the "scientific method," and is based on the assumption that knowledge is best gained by direct,systematic observation.

Quantitative research is often complex,involves a smaller number of cases,and provides a more holistic picture of some particular social phenomenon or human problem.

Which of the following was identified as a weakness of secondary analysis?

Describe survey research paying special attention to the different types of surveys.Explain the strengths and weaknesses of this type of research method.

In social science research,__________ are the most typical unit of analysis.

Compare and contrast the difference between the conventional research model and the qualitative research model.

The first step in qualitative research involves the researcher:

Interviews have specific advantages.Which of the following was NOT identified as an advantage of interviews?

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.

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

Sociologist Emile Durkheim emphasized that individual acts of suicide provide better explanations for suicide than do suicide rates.

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:

According to sociologist Emile Durkheim,__________ suicide occurs among individuals who are excessively integrated into society.