Question 1

Critical sociology both studies society and tries to bring about social change.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

A smaller number of people used to represent an entire population is called a:

Accepted Answer

A)  target group. 
B)  sample. 
C)  closed-format group. 
D)  sampling frame. 
A)  target group. 
B)  sample. 
C)  closed-format group. 
D)  sampling frame.

Question 3

Qualitative research has special appeal to investigators who favor which theoretical approach?

Accepted Answer

A)  the structural-functional approach 
B)  the symbolic-interaction approach 
C)  the social-conflict approach 
D)  All of the above are correct. 
A)  the structural-functional approach 
B)  the symbolic-interaction approach 
C)  the social-conflict approach 
D)  All of the above are correct.

Question 4

What makes science a special "way of knowing"? What are important traits of scientific sociology? How does interpretive sociology differ from scientific sociology?

Accepted Answer

Science is a special "way of knowing" be

Question 5

A closed-ended questionnaire format generally makes it easier to analyze results compared to an open-ended questionnaire format.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Thinking about measuring a variable, how is reliability different from validity? Which concept implies the other?

Accepted Answer

Reliability and validity are both import

Question 7

One disadvantage of conducting interviews is that this research method:

Accepted Answer

A)  does not permit follow-up questions. 
B)  does not allow subjects' answers to be detailed. 
C)  results in a very low response rate. 
D)  may easily allow the researcher to influence subjects' responses. 
A)  does not permit follow-up questions. 
B)  does not allow subjects' answers to be detailed. 
C)  results in a very low response rate. 
D)  may easily allow the researcher to influence subjects' responses.

Question 8

Gender blindness is the problem of failing to consider the importance of gender in sociological research.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Which of the following terms is defined in the text as "a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a somewhat simplified form"?

Accepted Answer

A)  variable 
B)  operationalization 
C)  measurement 
D)  concept 
A)  variable 
B)  operationalization 
C)  measurement 
D)  concept

Question 10

William Foote Whyte's study of Cornerville (Street Corner Society) showed that:

Accepted Answer

A)  Cornerville was a liberal community with many Harvard students. 
B)  Cornerville was a chaotic and very dangerous slum. 
C)  Cornerville was a complex community that did not fit simple stereotypes. 
D)  a Harvard sociologist was unable to work in a low-income community. 
A)  Cornerville was a liberal community with many Harvard students. 
B)  Cornerville was a chaotic and very dangerous slum. 
C)  Cornerville was a complex community that did not fit simple stereotypes. 
D)  a Harvard sociologist was unable to work in a low-income community.

Question 11

Imagine that you are repeating research done by someone else in order to assess its accuracy. You are doing which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  replication 
B)  objectification 
C)  reliability 
D)  scientific control 
A)  replication 
B)  objectification 
C)  reliability 
D)  scientific control

Question 12

Participant observation research is usually explanatory, identifying cause and effect relationships.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Lois Benjamin's research on the life experiences of high-achiever African Americans suggests that:

Accepted Answer

A)  race has little to do with the life experiences of successful people. 
B)  racism remains a burden even among privileged African Americans. 
C)  race is now more of a barrier to African Americans than ever before in U.S. history. 
D)  racism affects mainly lower-class African Americans. 
A)  race has little to do with the life experiences of successful people. 
B)  racism remains a burden even among privileged African Americans. 
C)  race is now more of a barrier to African Americans than ever before in U.S. history. 
D)  racism affects mainly lower-class African Americans.

Question 14

Look at the "Seeing Sociology in the News" box on

Accepted Answer

As an AI, I don't have the abi

Question 15

Reliability refers to the quality of consistency in measurement.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Scientific sociologists make use of what Max Weber called "verstehen" to make sense of their surroundings.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

Interpretive sociology considers subjective feelings to be a source of bias.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Three of the following statements below are part of the definition of a cause-and-effect relationship. One is not. Which one is not?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both variables must be shown to be independent. 
B)  The independent variable must come before the dependent variable in time. 
C)  The two variables must display correlation. 
D)  There must be no evidence that the correlation is spurious. 
A)  Both variables must be shown to be independent. 
B)  The independent variable must come before the dependent variable in time. 
C)  The two variables must display correlation. 
D)  There must be no evidence that the correlation is spurious.

Question 19

Critical sociology can best be described as a(n) ________ approach.

Accepted Answer

A)  activist 
B)  scientific 
C)  qualitative 
D)  value-free 
A)  activist 
B)  scientific 
C)  qualitative 
D)  value-free

Question 20

Which research method asks subjects to respond to a series of items in a questionnaire or an interview?

Accepted Answer

A)  secondary research 
B)  participant observation 
C)  the experiment 
D)  the survey 
A)  secondary research 
B)  participant observation 
C)  the experiment 
D)  the survey

Exam 2: Sociological Investigation

Critical sociology both studies society and tries to bring about social change.

A smaller number of people used to represent an entire population is called a:

Qualitative research has special appeal to investigators who favor which theoretical approach?

What makes science a special "way of knowing"? What are important traits of scientific sociology? How does interpretive sociology differ from scientific sociology?

A closed-ended questionnaire format generally makes it easier to analyze results compared to an open-ended questionnaire format.

Thinking about measuring a variable, how is reliability different from validity? Which concept implies the other?

One disadvantage of conducting interviews is that this research method:

Gender blindness is the problem of failing to consider the importance of gender in sociological research.

Which of the following terms is defined in the text as "a mental construct that represents some part of the world in a somewhat simplified form"?

William Foote Whyte's study of Cornerville (Street Corner Society) showed that:

Imagine that you are repeating research done by someone else in order to assess its accuracy. You are doing which of the following?

Participant observation research is usually explanatory, identifying cause and effect relationships.

Lois Benjamin's research on the life experiences of high-achiever African Americans suggests that:

Look at the "Seeing Sociology in the News" box on

Reliability refers to the quality of consistency in measurement.

Scientific sociologists make use of what Max Weber called "verstehen" to make sense of their surroundings.

Interpretive sociology considers subjective feelings to be a source of bias.

Three of the following statements below are part of the definition of a cause-and-effect relationship. One is not. Which one is not?

Critical sociology can best be described as a(n) ________ approach.

Which research method asks subjects to respond to a series of items in a questionnaire or an interview?

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