Chapter 2: Sociological Research

Question 1

accuracy

Answer 1

using a tool makes the measuring more precise.

Question 2

case study

Answer 2

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

Question 3

code of ethics

Answer 3

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

Question 4

content analysis

Answer 4

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

Question 5

correlation

Answer 5

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

Question 6

debunking

Answer 6

looking beyond the obvious to expose falseness by examining merit, logic, and evidence.

Question 7

dependent variables

Answer 7

a variable changed by other variables

Question 8

empirical evidence

Answer 8

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

Question 9

ethnography

Answer 9

participating and observing thinking and behavior in a social setting

Question 10

experiment

Answer 10

the testing of a hypothesis under controlled conditions

Question 11

field research

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Hawthorne effect

Answer 12

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

Question 13

hypothesis

Answer 13

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

Question 14

independent variables

Answer 14

variables that cause changes in dependent variables

Question 15

interpretive framework

Answer 15

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

Question 16

interview

Answer 16

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

Question 17

literature review

Answer 17

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

Question 18

nonreactive research

Answer 18

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

Question 19

operational definitions

Answer 19

specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher plans to study

Question 20

participant observation

Answer 20

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

Question 21

population

Answer 21

a defined group serving as the subject of a study

Question 22

primary data

Answer 22

data that are collected directly from firsthand experience

Question 23

qualitative data

Answer 23

non-numerical, descriptive data that is often subjective and based on what is experienced in a natural setting

Question 24

quantitative data

Answer 24

data collected in numerical form that can be counted and analyzed using statistics

Question 25

random sample

Answer 25

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

Question 26

reliability

Answer 26

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

Question 27

samples

Answer 27

small, manageable number of subjects that represent the population

Question 28

scientific method

Answer 28

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

Question 29

secondary data analysis

Answer 29

using data collected by others and applying new interpretations

Question 30

surveys

Answer 30

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

Question 31

validity

Answer 31

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

Question 32

value neutrality

Answer 32

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