Chapter 2 - Soc Research

Question 1

a testable educated guess about predicted outcomes between two or more variables

Answer 1

Hypothesis

Question 2

a study’s participants being randomly selected to serve as a representation of a larger population

Answer 2

Random sample

Question 3

data that are collected directly from firsthand experience

Answer 3

Primary data

Question 4

a sociological research approach that seeks in-depth understanding of a topic or subject through observation or interaction; this approach is not based on hypothesis testing

Answer 4

Interpretive framework

Question 5

a measure of a study’s consistency that considers how likely results are to be replicated if a study is reproduced

Answer 5

Reliability

Question 6

the degree to which a sociological measure accurately reflects the topic of study

Answer 6

Validity

Question 7

using data collected by others but applying new interpretations

Answer 7

Secondary data analysis

Question 8

a set of guidelines that the American Sociological Association has established to foster ethical research and professionally responsible scholarship in sociology

Answer 8

code of ethics

Question 9

The testing of a hypothesis under controlled conditions

Answer 9

Experiment

Question 10

a defined group serving as the subject of a study

Answer 10

Population

Question 11

evidence that comes from direct experience, scientifically gathered data, or experimentation

Answer 11

Empirical evidence

Question 12

observing a complete social setting and all that it entails

Answer 12

ethnography

Question 13

when a researcher immerses herself in a group or social setting in order to make observations from an “insider” perspective

Answer 13

Participant observation

Question 14

small, manageable number of subjects that represent the population

Answer 14

Samples

Question 15

when study subjects behave in a certain manner due to their awareness of being observed by a researcher

Answer 15

Hawthorne effect

Question 16

using secondary data, does not include direct contact with subjects and will not alter or influence people’s behaviors

Answer 16

Nonreactive research

Question 17

specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher plans to study

Answer 17

Operational definitions

Question 18

a technique in which the results of virtually all previous studies on a specific subject are evaluated together

Answer 18

Meta analysis

Question 19

Gathering data from a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or survey

Answer 19

Field research

Question 20

in-depth analysis of a single event, situation, or individual

Answer 20

case study

Question 21

a variable charged by other variables

Answer 21

dependent variable

Question 22

collect data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about behaviors and opinions, often in the form of a questionnaire

Answer 22

Surveys

Question 23

a scholarly research step that entails identifying and studying all existing studies on a topic to create a basis for new research

Answer 23

Literature review

Question 24

when a change in one variable coincides with a change in another variable, but does not necessarily indicate causation

Answer 24

correlation

Question 25

an established scholarly research method that involves asking a question, researching existing sources, forming a hypothesis, designing and conducting a study, and drawing conclusions

Answer 25

Scientific method

Question 26

a practice of remaining impartial, without bias or judgment during the course of a study and in publishing results

Answer 26

Value neutrality

Question 27

represent research collected in numerical form that can be counted

Answer 27

Quantitative data

Question 28

comprise information that is subjective and often based on what is seen in a natural setting

Answer 28

Qualitative data

Question 29

a one-on-one conversation between the researcher and the subject

Answer 29

Interview

Question 30

variables that cause changes in dependent variables

Answer 30

Independent variables

Question 31

applying a systematic approach to record and value information gleaned from secondary data as it relates to the study at hand

Answer 31

content analysis