Chapter 3

Question 1

Common Wisdom

Answer 1

widely held beliefs or perceptions that people repeat are often inaccurate and unsupported by research

Question 2

Theories

Answer 2

based on observations and explain patterns in data

Question 3

Operationalization

Answer 3

make what we want to study is measurable

Question 4

Causation

Answer 4

change in one variable results in corresponding change in another variable

Question 5

Causation is dependent on 3 factors

Answer 5

1. must eliminate all other explanations
2. there must be correlation
3. cause has to happen first, independent before dependent

Question 6

Spurious Relationship

Answer 6

there’s a correlation but not a causation

Question 7

Quantitative Research

Answer 7

numerical data, surveys

Question 8

Survey

Answer 8

a set of prewritten questions respondents are asked to answer, close ended or open ended questions, normally close ended, General Social Survey

Question 9

Qualitative Research

Answer 9

not countable data, interviews, observational studies (can be outside observer or involved in situation), fieldwork

Question 10

Fieldwork

Answer 10

uses in-depth, often extended study to describe and analyze a group or community

Question 11

Ethnography

Answer 11

participant observation, looks at a culture from the perspective of a participant, can be a kind of fieldwork

Question 12

Content Analysis

Answer 12

analyzes written material and cultural products (or the fast and the furious)

Question 13

Reliability

Answer 13

repeatability, precision

Question 14

Validity

Answer 14

accuracy, survey questions needed to be worded so that what is being asked in clear, order of questions matters

Question 15

Kinds of bias

Answer 15

sampling bias, preference bias

Question 16

Value Neutral

Answer 16

Researcher puts personal beliefs aside

Question 17

Generalizability

Answer 17

population is often hard to acquire, sample must be representative of population, random sampling

Question 18

Sociological Research Formula

Answer 18

1. Formulate a research question precisely and carefully.
2. Conduct a literature review. (see what’s out there, is it outdated?)
3. Select the appropriate method.
4. Consider the ethical implications. (internal review boards, informed consent, debrief)
5. Collect and analyze data according to research method.
6. Publish results in an academic journal, book, newspaper, documentary, or share at a conference.

Question 19

Mutant Statistics

Answer 19

1. Questionable Definitions
2. Inadequate Measurement
3. Bad Samples
4. Transformation
5. Confusion

Question 20

Questionable Definition

Answer 20

epidemic of racially motivated church fires: what is an epidemic? what is racially motivated?

Question 21

Inadequate Measurement

Answer 21

can’t compare hate crime rates from state to state because they’re measured differently, different methods and definitions, some states don’t even report them

Question 22

Bad Samples

Answer 22

not representative of population, can’t generalize

Question 23

Transformation

Answer 23

x people suffer from anorexia -> x people die from anorexia

Question 24

Confusion

Answer 24

people don’t understand what the statistic means, it’s too complicated

Question 25

Good Characteristics of Statistics

Answer 25

1. More than guessing
2. Clear, reasonable definitions
3. Clear, reasonable measures
4. Good Samples

Question 26

Point-prevalence Bias

Answer 26

samples taken at a single point in time are biased toward those who persistently face the condition of interest, overestimates characteristics of persistently homeless, underestimates variations and characteristics of the turnover, can fuel tendency of the public to attribute social problems to shortcomings of those affected by them

Question 27

Limitation of Reading Homeless Study

Answer 27

no inclusion of currently homeless in their study

Question 28

Empirical

Answer 28

statements that can be proven true or false

Question 29

Normative Statements

Answer 29

opinions

Question 30

Basic Research

Answer 30

directed at gaining fundamental knowledge about some issue

Question 31

Applied Research

Answer 31

research designed to produce results that are immediately useful in relation to some real world situation

Question 32

Coding

Answer 32

applying descriptive labels to qualitative data to classify them and denote patterns