Introduction to Social Science Research
Question Bank
Course Introduction
Introduction to Social Science Research provides students with a foundational understanding of the principles, methods, and ethical considerations essential to conducting research in the social sciences. This course explores both qualitative and quantitative research designs, introducing students to techniques such as surveys, interviews, observations, and content analysis. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking skills, formulating research questions, reviewing literature, and analyzing data. Students will gain practical experience designing research projects and interpreting findings, equipping them with the tools necessary to investigate social phenomena and contribute to knowledge in fields such as sociology, psychology, political science, and anthropology.
Recommended Textbook
Making Sense of the Social World Methods of Investigation 4th Edition by
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Daniel F. Chambliss
Chapter 1: Science, Society, and Social Research
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Q1) Illogical reasoning occurs when people conclude that what is true for one case is true for all cases.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) Although science requires systematic data collection, scientists should protect the specific methods of data collection need not be disclosed.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) According to Putnam's explanatory research, people "bowl alone" in the United States because which of the following has occurred in during the last few decades in the 20th century?
A) People prefer passive entertainment, such as TV.
B) Social ties have weakened.
C) Fewer people bowl.
D) On average, the population has aged.
E) Average incomes have increased.
Answer: B
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The Process and Problems of Social Research
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Q1) Attrition in panel studies refers to which of the following?
A) Over time, the population changes.
B) Panel members begin to tire of repeated questioning and give thoughtless, stock answers during interviews.
C) The process of sample selection must remain the same at time 1 and time 2.
D) Some members of the panel may drop out of the study.
E) The process of re-interviewing a panel of informants at multiple points in time.
Answer: D
Q2) An anomalous pattern in the data does not seem to fit the theory from which a research hypothesis was derived.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) An example of a cohort study would be to conduct a survey of people born in the 1950s at one point in time.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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4
Chapter 3: Ethics in Research
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Q1) Give an example of when deception may be necessary in a research study. Why would participants need to be deceived? How would you justify to an IRB that the benefits of deception outweigh the possible risks? How would you debrief participants after the study?
Answer: If a researcher is interested in cheating among students, they may not get any relevant information by just outright asking students how often do they cheat since they will most often answer with something that is desirable. Instead, to study cheating, the researcher may tell participants that they study has to do with how intuitive they are and during the process they might be given the opportunity to look at another participant's answers. At the end of the study, all participants are then debriefed.
Q2) Explain the processes of deception and debriefing.
Answer: When an experimental design requires subject deception, researchers may withhold information before the experiment but then debrief subjects after the experiment, and why, and responds to subject' questions.
Q3) Describe an instance where a researcher would be obligated to break confidentiality and report an incident to the proper authorities.
Answer: Child abuse or elderly abuse
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Chapter 4: Conceptualization and Measurement
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Q1) You must develop a measure of student satisfaction with your school. Propose measurement procedures using available data, questions, and observations. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the three measurement approaches.
Q2) Predictive validity occurs when:
A) A measure can predict scores on a criterion measured in the past.
B) A measure relates to other measures specified in a social theory.
C) A measure is associated with a criterion collected at the same time.
D) A measure can predict scores on a criterion measured in the future.
E) A measure is operationalized as a variable.
Q3) Questions that allow a respondent to select from a predetermined set of responses are called:
A) Closed-ended questions
B) Fixed-choice questions
C) Open-ended questions
D) Both a and b
E) Both a and c
Q4) Concepts that do not vary are known as constants.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 5: Sampling and Generalizability
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Q1) When all elements in a population are identical:
A) Generalizability based on a sample is low
B) Sampling is unnecessary
C) Non-probability samples have greater generalizability
D) A census must be taken
E) Large samples are more representative than small samples
Q2) The population is the entire set of individuals or other entities to which study findings are to be generalized.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In what type or types of sample design do elements have an equal probability of selection?
A) Simple random
B) Census
C) Proportionate stratified random sampling
D) EPSEM
E) All of the above
Q4) Purposive sampling selects elements for inclusion in the sample based on chance.
A)True
B)False
Page 7
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Chapter 6: Causation and Experimental Design
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Q1) According to the requirement of time order in establishing a causal effect, the dependent variable must come before the independent variable.
A)True
B)False
Q2) After they had failed the writing exam that was required of all students before graduation, fifteen students were placed in a class in which they received additional tutoring. After completing this class, all fifteen students retook the exam earned higher scores. Their success was held up as an example that the class curriculum really works. What source of internal invalidity has not been considered?
A) History Effect
B) Noncomparable Groups
C) Contamination
D) Regression
E) Placebo Effect
Q3) Treatment misidentification can be limited by a double-blind procedure.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 7: Survey Research
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Q1) Telephone surveys are fast and efficient. Why not conduct all surveys by phone? In your answer, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this approach and highlight any unique advantages of other survey designs. Be sure to clarify when (if ever) the other designs are preferable.
Q2) Jacky is doing a study on the number of hours spent watching TV and how this affects family cohesion. She decides to mail a questionnaire to randomly selected households in her state. This is an example of:
A) Self-administered survey
B) Group-administered survey
C) Sampling units survey
D) Random participant survey
E) Computer-assisted personal interview
Q3) The list of questions in a self-administered survey is called the:
A) Interview
B) Interview schedule
C) Questionnaire
D) Survey
E) Checklist
Q4) Outline the procedure for pretesting a survey.
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Chapter 8: Elementary Quantitative Data Analysis
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Q1) What measure of variability is most appropriate for a ratio variable with many outliers?
A) Median
B) Range
C) Interquartile range
D) Variance
E) Standard deviation
Q2) Which of the following data displays would be most appropriate for displaying the distribution of gender (male, female, other)?
A) Mean
B) Median
C) Bar chart
D) Frequency polygon
E) Histogram
Q3) What is the purpose of using statistics in social science? What are the advantages and disadvantages of relying on statistics?
Q4) Consider the use of bar charts, histograms, and frequency polygons. When are each appropriate? Sketch each type of graph. What standards exist for presenting graphic data in social research?
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Chapter 9: Qualitative Methods: Observing, Participating, Listening
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Q1) If you are concerned with online communities, which form of qualitative analysis would be most appropriate?
A) Ethnomethodology
B) Case oriented analysis
C) Ethnography
D) Netnography
E) Grounded theory
Q2) A researcher is interested in public displays of affection, so she visits three research sites and observes couples, taking note of any sign of affection but not asking them any questions. What role has she taken in the field?
A) Complete observer
B) Participant observer
C) Complete participant
D) Covert participant
E) Investigative observer
Q3) How ethical is complete participation? Explain when, if ever, you think complete participation might be ethical.
Q4) How is netnography similar to a traditional ethnography? How is it different?
Q5) What are the roles available to a field researcher?
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Chapter 10: Qualitative Data Analysis
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Q1) Describe the ethics involved in qualitative data analysis. Do these differ from ethics in other forms of data analysis? Explain.
Q2) The credibility of the informants cannot be assessed in qualitative research.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Ethnographies are traditionally associated with which discipline?
A) Sociology
B) Political science
C) History
D) Marketing
E) Anthropology
Q4) Examining relationships between concepts is important in qualitative analysis because it allows the researcher to:
A) Generalize findings
B) Validate findings
C) Authenticate findings
D) Move from description to explanation
E) Identify key variables for future research
Q5) What is the relationship between narrative analysis and ethnomethodology?
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Chapter 11: Unobtrusive Measures
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Q1) Process evaluation investigates how a service is delivered.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The more complex the social problem, the more value that qualitative methods can add to the evaluation process.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Impact analyses typically use quantitative data.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The economic value of a social program when compared to the costs of that program is established in a:
A) Cost-benefit analysis
B) Cost-effectiveness analysis
C) Process analysis
D) Summative assessment
E) Needs assessment
Q5) Describe the potential problems for stakeholder orientation in evaluation research, in general and using the example of reducing welfare payments in favor of a workfare program.
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Chapter 12: Evaluation Research
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Q1) What is the purpose of a literature review in a proposal and a research report?
Q2) A research proposal would not include:
A) A literature review
B) A methodological plan
C) A statement of limitations
D) A summary of findings
E) Pilot study results
Q3) Two major drawbacks of qualitative methods are:
A) They have low generalizability and are time consuming.
B) They have low generalizability and rely on the truthfulness of the respondent.
C) They are time consuming and may miss nuances of a respondent's feelings.
D) The rely on the truthfulness of the respondent and may miss nuances of a respondent's feelings.
E) The have low generalizability and rarely specify causal mechanisms.
Q4) What is the difference between an abstract and a conclusion in terms of content?
Q5) Experimental designs are strongest for testing causal hypotheses.
A)True
B)False
Q6) How does your audience affect the way that you will write up a research report?
Page 14
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