Chapter 2 Flashcards
(27 cards)
During which step of the scientific method does the researcher develop operational definitions?
along with developing a hypothesis
why is rapport so important for ethnographers?
they seek to become a participant in the group or setting being studied as well as to be an observer of it
what is the target population for an interview?
the larger group that will be represented by the sample
which method is best for gathering original data on a population that is too large to study by other means?
survey
Why might a sociologist choose to conduct an experiment over other methods?
in order to manipulate and control the social environment they wish to understand
why is the possibility of reactivity considered one of the pitfalls of sociological research?
people and events may respond to being studied; thus, the study is actually measuring the effect of being studied, not the intended topic
What does the American Sociological Association Code of Ethics do?
sets recommendations for how to avoid bias, adhere to professional standards, and protect rspondants from harm
what is the defining feature of quantitative research?
it translates the social world into numbers that can be treated mathematically.
what is often the goal of qualitative research?
to understand how people make sense of their world
which step comes earliest in the scientific method
conduct a literature review
_______ is the research method that might involve shifting between participating in a social situation and being an observer.
ethnography
Research that focuses on one’s own thoughts, feelings, and experiences is known as
autoethnography.
Kemi is conducting a sociological research study on differences in interactions between similar and dissimilar co-workers. After reviewing the literature, she developed a hypothesis and operationalized the variables she will study. What is the next step Kemi should take in the scientific method?
choose a research design or method
Why must ethnographers using participant observation always be aware of reflexivity?
The presence of ethnographers may alter the behavior of the people they are observing.
What is a closed-ended question?
one that limits the possible responses
Why do social scientists who use interviews rarely speak with large numbers of people for a project?
Face-to-face interviewing is a very time-consuming process.
Researchers should avoid using double-barreled questions when designing a survey. What are double-barreled questions?
questions that ask about multiple issues
If a researcher has obtained informed consent from all of their participants, it means that
the participants understand the nature of the research and are participating freely.
Researchers usually transcribe responses after they conduct a series of interviews. The transcription process is fairly time-consuming, but it is valuable, in part, because it allows researchers to
look for patterns in their data.
In using the scientific method for sociological research, what step should be taken after formulating a general research question?
review the literature relevant to the topic
Which of these uses an inductive method that involves collecting data and then generating a theory by looking for relationships among categories?
grounded theory
Researchers are often worried that interviewees have not been completely honest or forthcoming, especially when asked about sensitive subjects. How did Arlie Hochschild attempt to deal with this problem?
She observed some respondents as they went about their daily routines to see if their actions matched their answers.
Which of the following is a disadvantage of using existing sources of data for research?
Researchers often seek answers to questions the data does not directly address.
A researcher must identify a target population before engaging in sampling. What is the target population?
the larger group of people about whom they wish to generalize
