Exam 2 Flashcards
(109 cards)
1
Q
Survey Research
A
Reasearch in which information is obtained from a sample of individuals through their response to questions about themselves or others
2
Q
Pros of survey research
A
- can be used to collect data from a broad spectrum of individuals and social settings
- low cost
- quick
3
Q
3 advantages of survey research
A
versatility
efficiency
generalizability
4
Q
omnibus survey
A
one of the most efficient survey research -
a survey that covers a range of topics of interest to different social scientists
5
Q
most likely use of omnibus survey
A
government funded, used regularly to get info on things such as:
social issues
income levels
unemployment rate
professional survey organization sponsored, used to get info on:
academic research
reporting in popular media
6
Q
6 ways to write survey questions
A
- avoid confusing phrasing
- minimize the risk of bias
- maximize the utility of response categories
- avoid making either disagreement or agreement disagreeable
- minimize fence-sitting/floating
- combine questions in indexes
7
Q
ways to avoid confusing phrasing
A
- shorter rather than longer words/sentences
- simple direct approach
- total number of words below 20
- total number of commas below 3
- using introductory cues or comments
- avoid double negative/double barreled questions
- use filter questions
8
Q
double negative
A
a question or statement that contains 2 negatives, which can muddy the meaning of a question
9
Q
double barreled question
A
A single survey question that actually asks 2 questions but allows only one answer
10
Q
filter question
A
a survey question used to identify a subset of respondents who then are asked other questions
11
Q
skip pattern
A
the unique combination of questions created in a survey by filter questions and contigent questions
12
Q
contingent question
A
A question that is asked of only a subset of survey respondents
13
Q
ways to minimize the risk of bias
A
- avoid loaded phrases/words
- make sure to reflect the full range of possible answers to a question (definitely agree, somewhat agree…)
14
Q
ways to maximize the utility of response categories
A
- response choices must be exhaustive and mutually exclusive
- problems with response choices can be corrected by adding questions
- present a statement and then ask respondents to indicate their degree of agreement or disagreement (likert item)
- label categories of responses
15
Q
likert item
A
a statement followed by response choices ranging from “strongly agree” to “stongly disagree”
16
Q
labeled unipolar response options
A
response choices for a survey question that use words to identify categories ranging from low to high (or vice versa)
17
Q
unlabeled unipolar response options
A
response choices for a survey question that use numbers to identify categories ranging from low to high ( or vice versa)
18
Q
bipolar response options
A
response choices to a survey question that include a middle category and parallel responses with positive and negative valence (can be labeled or unlabeled)
19
Q
ways to avoid making either disagreement or agreement disagreeable
A
- include both sides of attitude scaled in the question itself
- response choices should be phrased to make each one seem as socially approved as the others
- make agreement seem acceptable when asking a socially disapproved behavior question
20
Q
social desirability bias
A
the tendency to “agree” with a statement just to avoid seeming disagreeable
21
Q
ways to minimize fence-sitting and floating
A
have an explicit neutral response option
22
Q
fence sitters
A
survey respondents who see themselves as being neutral on an issue and choose a middle (neutral) response that is offered
23
Q
floaters
A
survey respondents who provide an opinion on a topic in response to a close-ended question that does not include a “don’t know” option, but who will choose “don’t know” if it is available
24
Q
forced choice questions
A
close-ended survey questions that do not include “don’t know” as an explicit response choice
25
idosyncratic variation
variation in responses to questions that is caused by individuals' ractions to particular words or ideas in the questions instead of by variation in relation to the concept that the question is intended to measure
26
ways to combine questions in indexes
develop multiple questions about a concept and then average the responses to those questions in a composite measure (index/scale)
27
questionnaire
the survey instrument containing the questions asked by the interviewer in an in-person or phone survey
28
interview schedule
the survey instrument containing the questions asked by the interviewer in an in-person or phone survey
29
how to properly design a questionnaire
1. build on existing instruments
2. refine and test questions
3. add interpretive questions
4. maintain consistent focus
5. order the questions
6. make the questionnaire attractive
7. consider translation
30
errors in survey research
1. poor measurement
2. nonresponse
3. inadequate coverage of the population
4. sampling error
31
cognitive interview
a technique for evaluating questions in which researchers ask people test questions and then probe with follow up questions to learn how they understood the question and what their answers mean
32
survey pretest
a method of evaluating survey questions and procedures by testing them on a small sample of individuals like those to be included in the actual survey and then reviewing responses to the questions and reactions to the survey procedures
33
interpretive questions
questions included in a questionnaire or interview schedule to help explain answers to other important questions
34
context effects
effects that occur when one or more survey questions influence how subsequent questions are interpreted
35
part-whole question effects
effects that occur when responses to a general or summary survey question about a topic are influenced by responses to an earlier, more specific question about that topic
36
matrix questions
a series of questions that concern a common theme and that have the same response choices
37
5 basic social science survey designs
1. mailed, self-administered
2. group-administered
3. phone
4. in person
5. web
38
how do the different survey designs differ
manner of administration & questionnaire structure, setting & cost
39
rules for a cover letter in a mailed survery
- credible
- personalized
- interesting
- responsible
40
CATI
computer assisted telephone interview
41
IVR
interactive voice response (computerized survey technology)
42
making phone surveys better
1. reaching sample units
2. maximizing response to phone surveys
43
in person surveys
if money is no object, in person interviewing is often the best survey design because people are more likely to agree to be interviewed and are less likely to end prematurely
44
CAPI
computer assisted personal interview (interviewers carry a laptop computer that is programmed to display the interview questions and to process the responses that the interviewer types in)
45
Web surveys
increasingly useful - due to growth in the fraction of using the internet and technological advances that make web survey design relatively easy.
unique advantages for increasing measurement validity
46
mixed mode surveys
a survey conducted by more than one method, allowing the strengths of one survey design to compensate for the weaknesses of another and maximizing the likelihood of securing data from different types of respondents; for example, nonrespondents in a mailed survey may be interviewed in person or over the phone
47
ethical issues in survey research
confidentiality & anonymity
48
confidentiality
provided by research in which identifying information that could be used to link respondents to their responses is available only to designated research personnel for specific research needs
49
anonymity
provided by research in which no identifying information is recorded that could be used to link respondents to their responses
50
fundamentals of qualitative methods:
1. collection primarily of qualitative rather than quantitative data
2. exploratory research questions, with a commitment to inductive reasoning
3. a focus on previously unstudied processes and unanticipated phenomena
4. an orientation to social context
5. a focus on human subjectivity, on the meanings that participants attach to events and that people give to their lives
6. adaptive research design
7. sensitivity to the subjective role of the researcher
51
adaptive research design
a research design that develops as the research progresses
52
reflexivity
sensitivity of and adaptation by the researcher to his or her influence in the research setting
53
case study
a setting or group that the analyst treats as an integrated social unit that must be studied holistically and its particularity
54
thick description
a rich description that conveys a sense of what it is like from the stand point of the natural actors in that setting
55
ethnography
the study of a culture or cultures that some group of people share, using participant observation over an extended period
56
netnography
the use of ethnographic methods to study online communities; also termed cyberethnography and virtual ethnography
57
PAR
participatory action research - a type of research in which the researcher involves members of the population to be studied as active participants throughout the research process, from the selection of a research focus to the reporting of research results and efforts to make changes based on the research
58
other name for PAR
community based participatory research
59
CBQR
community based qualitative research - research in which the community is viewed as intellectual spaces in which the researcher engages as a learner in developing solutions to community problems
60
positionality
the personal, education, and professional experiences that shape a researcher's orientations
61
participant observation
a qualitative method for gathering data that involves developing a sustained relationship with people while they go about their normal activities
62
intensive (in depth) interviewing
a qualitative method that involves open ended relatively unstructured questioning in which the interviewer seeks in depth information about the interviewee's feelings, experiences, and perceptions
63
focus groups
a qualitative method that involves unstructured group interviews in which the focus group leader actively encourages discussion among participants about the topics of interest
64
field research
research in which natural social processes are studied as they happen and left relatively undisturbed
65
field researcher
a researcher who uses qualitative methods to conduct research in the field
66
different roles a qualitative researcher can take
covert observation
overt observation
participant observation
complete participation
67
covert observer
researcher does not participate in group activities and is not publicly defined as a researcher
68
complete observer
researcher does not participate in group activities and is publicly defined as a researcher
69
reactive effects
the changes in individual or group behavior that result from being observed or otherwise studied
70
participant observer
a researcher who gathers data through participating and observing in a setting where he or she develops a sustained relationship with people while they go about their normal activities
71
complete participation
a role in field research in which the researcher does not revel his or her identity as a researcher to those who are observed while participating
72
covert (complete) participant rules
- cannot take notes openly or use any obvious recording devices
- cannot ask question that will arouse suspicion
a difficult role to play successfully
73
gatekeeper
a person in a field setting who can grant researchers access to the setting
74
key informant
an insider who is willing and able to provide a field researcher with superior access and information, including answers to questions that arise in the course of the research
75
theoretical sampling
a sampling method recommended for field researchers, drawn in a sequential fashion, with settings or individuals selected for study as earlier observations or interviews indicate that these settings or individuals are influencial
76
jottings
brief notes written in the field about highlights of an observation period
77
field notes
notes that describe what has been observed, heard, experienced.. usually written after the observational session
78
managing personal dimensions
there is no formula for successfully managing the personal dimension of a field research project.
79
grand tour question
a broad question at the start of an interview that seeks to engage the respondent in the topic of interest
80
saturation point
the point at which subject selection is ended in intensive interviewing, when new interviews seem to yield little additional information
81
probes
follow up questions meant to elicit additional information in response to a previous answer. Can be either directive or nondirective.
82
process consent
an interpretation of the ethical standard of voluntary consent that allows participants to change their decision about participating at any point by requiring that the researcher check with participants at each stage of the project about their willingness to continue in the project
83
ethical issues in qualitative research
- voluntary participation
- subject well being
- identity disclosure
- confidentiality
- appropriate boundaries
- researcher safety
84
unobtrusive methods
research methods in which data are collected without the knowledge or participation of the individuals or groups that generated the data
85
unobtrusive measure
a measurement based on physical traces or other data that are collected without the knowledge or participation of the individuals or groups that generated the data
86
unobstrusive measure example
counting the number of empty bottle of alcohol in nearby dumpsters to measure the prevalence of drinking in college dorms
87
secondary data
previously collected data that used in new analysis
88
secondary data analysis
the method of using preexisting data in a different way or to answer a different research question than intended by those who collected the data
89
ICPSR
Inter University Consortium for Political and Social Research
a secondary data source
meaning: academic consortium that archives data sets online from major surveys and other social research and makes them available for analysis by others
90
advantages of secondary data analyses
- allows analyses of social processes in otherwise inaccessible settings
- saves time and money
- allows researcher to avoid data collection problems
- facilitates comparison with other samples
- allows inclusion of many more variables and a more diverse sample
- allows data from multiple studies to be combines
91
challenges of secondary data analyses
- trade-off between ease of research and specific hypotheses that can be tested (researcher cannot focus on specific research question)
- data quality concerns
92
ensuring data quality in secondary analysis
asking:
1. what were the agency's goals in collecting data
2. what data were collected, when, and what was it intended to measure
3. what methods were used
4. what is known about the success of the data collection effort
5. are the data available from other sources
93
big data
massive data sets reflecting human activity that are accessible in computer readable form, available to social scientists and manageable with today's computers
94
ngram
frequency graphs produced by Google's database of all words printed in more than one quarter of the world's books over time
95
case oriented research
research that focuses attention on the nation or other unit as a whole
96
holistic research
research concerned with the context in which events occurred and the interrelations between different events and processes
97
conjunctural research
research that considers the complex combination in which causal influences operate
98
temporal research
research that accounts for the related series of events that unfold over time
99
narrative explanation
a causal explanation that involves developing a narrative of events and processes that indicate a chain of causes and effects
100
variable oriented research
(comparative social science methods)
research that focuses attention on variables representing particular aspects of the cases studied and then examines the relations between these variables across sets of cases
101
comparative historical methods
the combination of historical analysis with comparisons between nations or other units
102
cautions for historical and comparative analysis
comparing the particular histories of different nations may overlook the influence of global culture
103
content analysis
a research method for systematically analyzing and making inferences from recorded human communication, including books, articles, poems, constitutions, speeches and songs
104
steps for content analysis
1. identify a population of documents or other textual sources
2. determine the units of analysis
3. select a sample of units from the population
4. design coding procedures for the variables to be measured
5. develop appropriate statistical analyses
105
ethical issues in unobtrusive methods: secondary data & big data
1. need to cite original investigators & data source
2. need to review subject confidentiality
3. identify the extent to which each population segment is represented in a big data source used in research
106
ethical issues in unobtrusive methods: historical and comparative research and content analysis
1. understand knowledge of local norms, values, and routine activities
2. form local advisory groups in each country so that a broader range of opinion can be solicited
3. ethical standards themselves may vary between nations and cultures
107
Zinda article
the authors examine how different social processes surrounding risk from flooding and COVID-19 shape how people respond to each hazard.
climate response not polarized, but covid 19 response is.
108
Rao article
how job loss interacts with gender. men feel it does not reflect them directly, women use it as an opportunity to asses professional pathways.
job loss may curtail women from participation in paid work.
109
Kubrin article
complex, reflexive relationship between street code, rap music and social identity. Used content analysis.
