Midterm Examination

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Question #1

Bonus: Which theorist offers a strategy which has no unit of analysis?

A Emile Durkheim

B Donald Black

C Karl Marx

D Max Weber

Question #2

Which is correct?

A medians are most appropriate for interval variables

B any of these can be used with an interval variable

C means are most apppropriate for ordinal variables

D standard deviation is most appropriate for nominal variables

Question #3

If a researcher examines newspaper editiorials from major US cities that dealt with the topic of grade inflation, the unit of observation would be:

A newspapers

B grade inflation

C major cities

D editorials

Question #4

What of the following is correct abut strata and clusters?

A This is not the answer.

B There is no difference between strata and clusters

C Strata are heterogenous and clusters are homogenous

D Clusters are chosen for convenience; strata are based on understandings of the population

Question #5

For which situation is cluster sampling most appropriate and efficient?

A a small population scattered across a wide geographic area

B a large population centered in one area

C a large population scattered across a wide geogrpahic area

D a small population centered in one area

Question #6

Random selection of elements in a sample can be accomplished by use of:

A a table of random incidents

B a random number of tables

C a table of random numbers

D a table of random events

Question #7

Non-probability sampling…

A always produces samples that possess distorted characteristics relative to the population

B excludes the use of statistical theory to estimate the probability of correct inferences

C should never be used under any circumstance

D requires the use of a complete sampling frame

Question #8

The statistical computations involved in the most commonly used test statistics assume:

A startified sampling

B cluster sampling

C systematic random sampling

D simple random sampling

Question #9

If the registrar reports that 10% of the student body is transfer students, and I instruct you to conduct 8 interviews with transfer students and 72 interviews with students who are not transfer students, what sampling method have I required of you and your project?

A stratified sampling

B simple random sampling

C quota sampling

D cluster sampling

Question #10

To study a fairly rare characteristic or behavior, which kind of sample are you more likely to use?

A non-probability, because there is no sampling frame

B Probability, because that’s always the best

C Probability, because there is no sampling frame

D Non-probability, because that’s always the best

Question #11

If you used the camppus telephone directory to sample students, those listed in it would be…

A the main cluster

B the sampling error

C the sampling frame

D the sample

Question #12

Which of these use judges or evaluators in their construction?

A Likert scales

B Thurstone scales

C Guttman scales

D none of the above

Question #13

Consider a questionnaire item which asks, “How do you feel about your instructor’s leadership style on the following two items” and respondents to choose between “valuable” and “worthless”, as well as between “easy” and “demanding”. Which kind of scale would involve that item?

A semantic differential scale

B Guttman scale

C Thurstone scale

D Likert scale

Question #14

Which of the following do indices and scales have in common?

A Neither is useful in social research

B They rank order cases by a combination of variables

C Their attributes form an intensity structure

D They are both nominal measures

Question #15

To consider an index undimensional, its component items indicate only one underlying factor.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #16

When a researcher is selecting items for an index, which of the following should be kept in mind?

A There should be concern about the amount of variance provided by the items.

B each item should have face validity

C a composite measure should be undimensional

D all of the above are correct

Question #17

What of the following is not an advantage of using indices?

A They’re more descriptive than components, because they encompass more variation

B They’re arguably more valid measurements if the underlying factor is difficult to grasp

C They provide stronger explanations of dependent variation because p values are higher

D They are more efficient in terms of analysis than using many separate variables

Question #18

It is acceptable to use shorthands, idioms, slang, even cliches as part of conceptualization.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #19

Conceptualization is the process of specifying how we observe something whose abstract meaning we’ve already identified.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #20

Which of these internal threats to validity does not result from interaction between researcher and subjects?

A sleeper effects

B hawthorne effect

C sensitization

D personal attribute effect

Question #21

Which of the following is not true about coding of data?

A coding schemes should be appropriate to the theoretical concepts examined

B codes should capture as much detail as possible, at least initially

C you could use established codes or generate your own

D codebooks should be firm, and not allowed to evolve over time

Question #22

What kind of data entry is most likely to be used to analyze responses to questions on this exam?

A timing marks

B edge coding

C direct data entry

D transfer sheets

Question #23

Which type of validity depends on a relationship among variables?

A content

B face

C criterion

D construct

Question #24

Which method of checking reliability requires some kind of longitudinal study?

A Cronbach’s alpha

B split-half method

C test-retest method

D using established measures

Question #25

Which of the following is a weakness of qualitative analysis?

A reliability and replicability problems raise questions about objectivity

B personal and personnel differences introduce problems with reliability

C typically small samples mean that there is a problem with inferences

D all of the above

Question #26

If accuracy has three parts, which of these is not one of them?

A reliability

B precision

C validity

D truth

Question #27

Which of the following is not a longitudinal design?

A trend study

B panel study

C cohort study

D cross-sectional study

Question #28

Codes, memos, and concept mapping are…

A survey tools used to record observations

B epistemological tools used to choose from among competing theories

C qualitative tools used to sort themes in content

D statistical tools used to assess statistical significance

Question #29

Compared to qualitative data, quantitative data are…

A richer in meaning

B less reliable

C less explicit

D easier to aggregate

Question #30

Unlike operations, concepts are…

A variable

B observable

C measurable

D abstract

Question #31

The unit of analysis and the unit of observation need to be the same thing.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #32

Which of the following ought (according to the instructor) to occur before operationalization?

A statistical analysis

B choice of observation method

C data processing

D sampling procedures

Question #33

According to the instructor, which of these is not a unique purpose of sociological research?

A exploration

B description

C evaluation

D explanation

Question #34

Idiographic explanations seek to explain things “economically” using as few factors as possible.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #35

Which of the following did the instructor present as the most important criteria of “good theory”?

A originality

B testability

C generality

D simplicity

Question #36

The statement “Wealthy countries should give aid to poorer countries” is a…

A theory

B value judgement

C bivariate conceptualization

D hypothesis

Question #37

According to the wheel of science, science is primarily…

A neither inductive nor deductive

B deductive

C both dedeuctive and inductive

D inductive

Question #38

Which of these barriers to knowledge can be overcome somewhat by using samples and replication?

A illogical reasoning

B hawthorne effect

C overgeneralization

D ecological fallacy

Question #39

Which of thes eontological appraoches does the instructor say science employs?

A empiricism

B realism

C positivism

D post-modernism

Question #40

With which of thes eontological approaches are scientists often accuse of being aligned?

A post-modernism

B realism

C Positivism

D empiricism

Question #41

Science offers total protection against the errors non-scientists commit in casual injury.

A FALSE

B TRUE

Question #42

Which of these was not given as an advantage for science as a way of knowing?

A systematic reduction of ties

B ability to capture absolute truth about reality

C audience appeal

D clear criteria for evaluation

Question #43

Which of these “ways of knowing” obstructs knowledge by refusing to be wrong?

A mysticism

B tradition

C intuition

D all of the above

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