Research Methods in Sociology Study Guide Questions
Course Introduction
Research Methods in Sociology introduces students to the fundamental tools and techniques used in sociological research. The course covers a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including surveys, interviews, participant observation, and analysis of existing data. Students learn how to formulate research questions, design studies, collect and interpret data, and critically assess the validity and reliability of sociological findings. Ethical considerations and the role of research in addressing social issues are also emphasized, preparing students to conduct their own research projects and to critically consume sociological studies in academic and practical contexts.
Recommended Textbook
Social Statistics for a Diverse Society 8th Edition by Chava Frankfort Nachmias
Available Study Resources on Quizplus
12 Chapters
614 Verified Questions
614 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/1344 Page 2
Chapter 1: The What and the Why of Statistics
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26804
Sample Questions
Q1) Identify the independent variable,the dependent variable,and the unit of analysis in the following hypothesis: In the United States,fewer blacks than whites own their home as opposed to rent their home.
Answer: Independent variable = race;dependent variable = tenancy;and unit of analysis = individuals
Q2) The term ______ variable refers to the variable that the researcher is trying to explain or predict.
A)input
B)independent
C)dependent
D)dichotomous
Answer: C
Q3) Why is the average of the sample not equal to the average of the population as a whole?
Answer: Because the data are based on a sample rather than on the entire population.
Q4) Statistical procedure can be divided into two major categories: ______ statistics and ______ statistics.
Answer: descriptive;inferential
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 3
Chapter 2: The Organization and Graphic Presentation of Data
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
64 Verified Questions
64 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26805
Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is not a rate?
A)The number of female births per 1,000 women in ages from 25 to 29
B)The number of deaths to infants between the ages of 0 and 1 per 100,000 population
C)The number of violent crimes committed in urban U.S.cities in between 2005 and 2007
D)The number of second marriages per 100,000 adults of marriageable age
Answer: C
Q2) A rate based on the total population is referred to as a(n)______ rate.
A)actual
B)determinant
C)whole
D)crude Answer: D
Q3) Which of the following is not a proportion?
A)0.0
B)0.5 C)1.0
D)1.5
Answer: D
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 4
Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26806
Sample Questions
Q1) Determine the mode for the following scores: 8,10,2,12,13,8.
A)10
B)2
C)8
D)5
Answer: C
Q2) The median can be used with A)ordinal variables.
B)interval-ratio variables.
C)nominal variables.
D)any type of variable.
Answer: A,B
Q3) Distributions that have few extreme low values are described as A)symmetrical.
B)negatively skewed.
C)positively skewed.
D)bimodal.
Answer: B
Q4) Which is more susceptible to extreme values: the mean or the median?
Answer: The mean is more susceptible to extreme values.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 5
Chapter 4: Measures of Variability
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26807
Sample Questions
Q1) The interquartile range is a measure of variability for A)only ordinal variables.
B)ordinal variables.
C)only interval-ratio variables.
D)interval-ratio variables.
Q2) Construct a box plot based on the following data: 24,27,35,31,21,22,28,18,25,24,36,20.Be sure to show the following quantities in your box plot: the minimum score,the maximum score,the range,interquartile range,and the median.
Q3) Calculate the values of the mean for the following sub-sample: 2,7,4,4,1,2,2,3,1,2,4,5.
Q4) Calculate the value of the standard deviation for the following sub-sample: 2,7,4,4,1,2,2,3,1,2,4,5
Q5) The quantity that is arrived at by taking the highest score minus the lowest score is referred to as the A)interquartile range.
B)range.
C)standard deviation.
D)variance.
Q6) What is the most basic consideration in choosing a measure of variability?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 6
Chapter 5: The Normal Distribution
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26808
Sample Questions
Q1) The mean age at first marriage for respondents in a survey is 23.33,with a standard deviation of 6.13.For a first age at marriage of 33.44,the proportion of area beyond the Z score associated with this age is 0.05 .What is the percentile rank for this score?
Q2) The normal distribution is a theoretical distribution.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Suppose that in a particular sample,the mean is 70.07 and the standard deviation is 10.27.What is the Z score that corresponds to a raw score of 80?
A)0.97
B)6.82
C)9.93
D)14.61
Q4) Scores for an exam are normally distributed with a mean of 235 and a standard deviation of 52.Then the score which corresponds to the bottom 24% is 199 or lower.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 7
Chapter 6: Sampling and Sampling Distributions
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26809
Sample Questions
Q1) A small population of N = 12 has values of 2,2,3,4,4,7,8,8,8,9,12,12.Choose ten samples of size 3 and calculate the mean for each.Then calculate the mean of the ten sample means.What does the mean of the ten sample means approximate in this case?
Q2) A small population of N = 12 has values of 2,2,3,4,4,7,8,8,8,9,12,12.Choose ten samples of size 3 and calculate the mean and standard deviation for each.
Q3) If all possible random samples of size N are drawn from a population with a mean of Y and a standard deviation of ó ,then as N becomes larger,the sampling distribution of sample means becomes approximately normal with a mean of and a standard deviation of ó?.This statement is known as the
A)sampling frame.
B)sampling distribution.
C)central sampling theorem.
D)central limit theorem.
Q4) According to the central limit theorem what happens to the sampling distribution of sample means as N becomes larger?
Q5) Define systematic random sampling approach.
Q6) Why is sampling distribution a theoretical distribution?
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Page 8
Chapter 7: Estimation
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26810
Sample Questions
Q1) In a survey sample of 1000 respondents,the mean annual salary is $32,245,with a standard deviation of 4021.54.Calculate a 99% confidence interval for these data.
Q2) What is the effect on a confidence interval if one decreases both sample size and the level of confidence?
Q3) If the value of the sample standard deviation increases,what happens to the confidence interval?
A)It becomes wider.
B)It becomes more precise.
C)It does not change.
D)It narrows.
Q4) When p > 0.50,a larger sample is required to meet the assumptions of normality. A)True B)False
Q5) Provide a hypothetical numerical example which demonstrates that the precision of a confidence interval is in part a function of sample size.
Q6) If the sample size goes up,the confidence level becomes less precise.
A)True B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 9
Chapter 8: Testing Hypotheses
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26811
Sample Questions
Q1) Calculate the degrees of freedom for a one-sample t test with 2,822 U.S.adults between the ages of 15 and 64 in the sample.
Q2) Which statistic would you use if you are interested in comparing the mean number of hours worked by sex.
Q3) In a two-sample case,the samples are assumed to be dependent on each other.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The degrees of freedom will increase as the sample size increases.
A)True
B)False
Q5) A research hypothesis (H )is said to be a
A)one-tailed test if the research hypothesis is non-directional.
B)right-tailed test if the research hypothesis is directed at the right tail of the sampling distribution.
C)left-tailed test if the research hypothesis is directed at the left tail of the sampling distribution.
D)two-tailed test if the research hypothesis is directional.
Q6) Define Type I and Type II error.
Q7) List the four quantities needed to conduct a single-sample t test.
Page 10
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 9: Bivariate Tables
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26812
Sample Questions
Q1) In a bivariate table,the row and column totals are called A)data.
B)marginals.
C)cells.
D)variables.
Q2) An intervening variable is a control variable that ______ and ______ in a causal sequence.
A)precedes the independent variable;follows the dependent variable
B)follows the independent variable;precedes the dependent variable
C)increases the effect;influences spuriousness
D)reduces the null hypothesis;influences the research hypothesis
Q3) Elaboration
A)involves the removal of control variables.
B)involves the introduction of control variables.
C)establishes the cause-and-effect relations between the variables.
D)specifies the different conditions under which the original bivariate relationship might hold.
Q4) Define an intervening relationship.
Q5) What are the limitations of elaborations?
Q6) Briefly describe the difference between a spurious and intervening relationship.
Page 11
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above.
Chapter 10: The Chi-Square Test and Measures of Association
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26813
Sample Questions
Q1) Lambda is a measure of association suitable for ______ variables.
A)nominal
B)ordinal
C)interval-ratio
D)subversive
Q2) A measure of association reflects the strength of a relationship and often the ______ of the relationship.
A)determination
B)stability
C)direction
D)definition
Q3) The sampling distribution of chi-square sampling can be best described as A)a square.
B)negatively skewed.
C)flat.
D)a family of distributions.
Q4) Gamma and Kendall's tau-b are measures of association which are suitable for nominal variables.
A)True
B)False
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 12
Chapter 11: Analysis of Variance
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26814
Sample Questions
Q1) What is the null hypothesis when using ANOVA procedures?
A) \( Y_{1}=Y_{2} \)
B) \( \mu_{1}=\mu_{2} \)
C) \( Y_{1}=Y_{2}=Y_{3 \ldots}=Y_{n} \)
D) \( \mu 1=\mu 2=\mu 3 \ldots=\mu n \)
Q2) The within-group sum of squares
A)measures the scores within a single sample.
B)is the sum of squared deviation between each sample mean to the overall mean score.
C)is calculated using \( \sum\left(Y_{i}-\bar{Y}_{k}\right)^{2} \) .
D)is a tedious and cumbersome set of calculations.
Q3) What can you say about the relationship if eta square is 0.85?
Q4) After calculating the between-group sum of squares and the within-group sum of squares,the next step is to calculate the mean square between and the mean square within.This is achieved by
A)calculating the average group mean.
B)multiplying the between-group sum of squares and the within-group sum of squares.
C)adding the between-group sum of squares and the within-group sum of squares.
D)dividing each sum of squares by its respective degrees of freedom.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 13
Chapter 12: Regression and Correlation
Available Study Resources on Quizplus for this Chatper
50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/26815
Sample Questions
Q1) Define Covariance (X,Y).
Q2) Which of the following would be the least squares (best fitting)line?
A)The residual sum of squares is closest to zero.
B)r is equal to zero.
C)The residual sum of squares is closest to one.
D)The variance of y is large.
Q3) Which three quantities are needed in order to calculate the value of the Y-intercept for the linear regression prediction equation?
A)The slope,the mean of X,and the total number of observations in the data
B)The slope,the mean of Y,and the total number of observations in the data
C)The mean of X,the mean of Y,and the total number of observations in the data
D)The mean of X,the mean of Y,and the slope
Q4) A linear relationship
A)approximates the observations displayed in a scatter diagram with a straight line.
B)is termed deterministic if some observations fall along a straight line.
C)is termed perfectly linear relationship if all the observations fall along a straight line.
D)is a relationship between two interval-ratio variables.
Q5) Compare ANOVA and regression.
To view all questions and flashcards with answers, click on the resource link above. Page 14