RGS6035.E1_Spring_2021RGS6035.E1 Research Methods

RGS6035 Research Methods Exam
Number a paper from 1-47 and then just place the correct letter. Automatic credit for 48-50.
1. When we rely on physicians, clergy members, and elected officials for information, we are putting our faith in
a. their knowledge in those positions of authority.
b. their individual knowledge.
c. their knowledge of scientific methods.
d. their access to superior knowledge.

2. Exploratory research is
a. ideal for testing a theory.
b. ideal for examining unstudied phenomena.
c. a method of bringing social injustices to the public’s attention.
d. designed to describe, in detail, groups, activities, events.

3. In applied research, investigators are interested in
a. knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
b. research having practical and useful outcomes.
c. knowing about fields where there is little previous research.
d. creating social theory.

4. When individuals rely on their own experiences as a basis for knowledge about the world, they are using
a. knowledge from authorities.
b. a scientific approach.
c. evaluation research.
d. personal inquiry.

5. Which one of the following statements is factually testable?
a. All extra-terrestrials have large skulls.
b. Individuals with more education earn more than less educated individuals.
c. War should be outlawed.
d. The death penalty is less moral than first-degree murder.

6. Which of the following would describe applied research?
a. The primary goal of research is to understand the social world.
b. The aim of research is to have practical results for use in the immediate future.
c. The goal of research is to test the hypotheses.
d. The goal of research is to create social theory.

7. A question about one or more topics that can be answered through research is referred to as a
a. hypothesis.
b. social inquiry.
c. unit of analysis.
d. research question.

8. A written consent form is used to
a. compel the person to participate.
b. convince the participant there will be no risk.
c. inform the participant about the research and any potential benefits and risks associated with their participation in the study.
d. let the participant know they will be quoted in the research study.

9. ______is when it is impossible for the researcher or anyone else to connect individuals with specific data.
a. Anonymity
b. Confidentiality
c. Informed consent
d. Poor research design

10. _____refers to a set of abstract principles that are used to determine appropriate and acceptable social conduct.
a. Informed consent
b. Professional rules of conduct
c. Ethics
d. Moral code

11. Institutional Review Boards are found
a. only at research centers.
b. at most libraries.
c. at every college, university and research center.
d. at all hospitals.

12. Sampling is a way to learn about ________by obtaining information from _____of a larger population.
a. a larger population; the entire membership
b. a larger population; a subset
c. a subset of a population; the entire membership
d. a smaller population; a percentage

13. In a probability sample, every element in the population has a(n) _____chance of being included in the sample.
a. equal
b. different
c. unknown
d. known

14. Instances where all members of the population have an equal chance of being selected are known as
a. simple random samples.
b. non probability samples.
c. stratified samples.
d. percentage samples.

15. When a researcher uses her classroom members as the sample for a study, she is using the _______sampling technique
a. purposive
b. probability
c. simple random
d. convenience

16. A biased sample means
a. it is a prejudiced sample.
b. it is a sample that is not representative of the population from which it was drawn.
c. that there is limited generalizability of the results.
d. that it is both prejudiced and limited in scope.

17. If we were interested in understanding the relationship between level of education and lifetime earnings, what elements would you sample?
a. cities and towns
b. schools
c. individuals
d. occupational choices

18. Survey research typically involves administering _________to__________.
a. the same set of questions; a small number of individuals
b. the same set of questions; a large number of individuals
c. different questions; a small number of individuals
d. different questions; a large number of individuals

19. In survey design research, we are relying on
a. individuals to respond truthfully about themselves.
b. individuals returning their questionnaires.
c. a national sample.
d. researcher’s ability to get correct answers from the respondents.

20. A data collection method that involves administration by a trained interviewer of a survey instrument with closed-ended responses is a
a. questionnaire.
b. field interview.
c. structured interview.
d. life story.

21. Open ended questions allow for respondents to answer
a. in their own words.
b. according to pre-determined categories.
c. as often as they wish.
d. skip-contingency questions.

22. A cover letter
a. provides context for the research.
b. provides legitimacy for the project.
c. is not really necessary for mail surveys.
d. provides context for the research and legitimacy for the project.

23. The self-report method is
a. another name for a questionnaire.
b. the respondent.
c. a vignette.
d. a screening question.

24. Which of following can increase response rate for a survey?
a. re-contacting respondent
b. providing incentives
c. changing sample
d. both re-contacting respondents and providing incentives.

25. A mailed questionnaire is unlikely to be returned if
a. there is no easy way to return the questionnaire.
b. instructions are unclear.
c. there are questions about controversial topics.
d. there is no easy way for the respondents to return the questionnaire to the researcher and instructions regarding the questionnaire are unclear.

26. In a classic experimental design, it is important to take measures of control and experimental groups
a. after the treatment.
b. at least once during the research.
c. before and after the treatment.
d. It is not important to take measures of control and experimental groups.

27. In experimental designs, it is important that the control group and experimental group
a. are as similar as possible.
b. represent very different groups so the research is generalizable.
c. do not come from the same background.
d. receive the same treatment.

28. To minimize the effects of an experimenter affecting the research results, we can use a
a. placebo.
b. a double-blind study.
c. random assignment study.
d. a pretest.

29. Causal hypotheses are best suited for _____research questions.
a. exploratory
b. descriptive
c. inductive
d. explanatory

30. A placebo
a. must appear authentic.
b. is a simulated treatment of the control group.
c. is controlled by the group.
d. must appear authentic and is a simulated treatment of the control group.

31. The double-blind experiment is useful because
a. both the subject and the researchers know the experimental and control group.
b. neither the subjects nor the researchers know the experimental and control groups.
c. only the researcher knows the experimental and control groups.
d. there are no experimental groups in double-blind experiments.

32. In an experimental design, the researcher is manipulating the ______to see what happens to the _______
a. dependent variable; independent variable
b. sample; hypothesis
c. pre-test; post-test
d. independent variable; dependent variable

33. Which of the following in NOT part of an experiment?
a. random assignment
b. independent variable
c. floaters
d. dependent variable

34. Experimental designs have the advantage of being superior to non-experimental designs because they most clearly achieve the purpose of
a. description.
b. critique.
c. exploration.
d. explanation.

35. APA Style is needed so the researcher can
a. prove their hypothesis.
b. control a quasi-experimental design.
c. report critical details of the research protocol.
d. allow the researcher to collect data anonymously.
36. If you are presenting a detailed picture of a population, you have most likely conducted
a. evaluation research.
b. exploratory research.
c. explanatory research.
d. descriptive research.
37. When a researcher __________, she is engaged in explanatory research.
a. promotes community social action campaign
b. describes a population in detail
c. determines that one variable is related to another variable
d. critiques the existing
38. What are the key ways to select groups in an experiment?
a. random assignment
b. matching
c. random assignment and matching
d. probability
39. Of the following ways to conduct research, which is likely to involve the most serious
ethical concerns?
a. in person interviews
b. mail in questionnaire
c. observation in a public place
d. content analysis
40. ______and_______are at the very heart of research.
a. Deception; pretence
b. Anonymity; confidentiality
c. Theory; hypothesis
41. We frequently sample because studying every single instance of an occurrence is
_____or______.
a. more impractical; less representative
b. less impractical; less expensive
c. more impractical; more expensive
d. less impractical; more expensive
42. Systematic random sampling has the advantage of
a. being less expensive than simple random sample.
b. being easy to do.
c. being more accurate than simple random sampling.
d. overcoming any consistent bias in the ing of the population.
43. An example of a lack of voluntary participation is when
a. an individual with power over another asks that he/she participate in a project.
b. when someone will suffer some consequence from not participating in the project.
c. when an individual is free to participate or not without consequences.
d. a researcher expects someone to participate without offering payment.
44. The general purpose of the IRB is to
a. guarantee that the benefits of the research outweigh the risks.
b. determine if subjects will be informed.
c. determine if the researcher is qualified.
d. review the research proposal and determine if the research is ethical.
45. A researcher must anticipate any dangers to participants. This is especially true when
a. there may be some legal, social or other consequences that may arise.
b. subjects are not being paid.
c. subjects are using false identities.
d. subjects are being paid.
46. What type experimental design is best when a true controlled experiment cannot be
conducted?
a. Solomon 4 group design
b. pretest-posttest design
c. a quasi-experimental design
d. a natural experiment
47. What type of experimental design did Chris Calderia use in a Focal Research
example?
a. field experiment
b. pre and post experiment
c. classic experiment
d. quasi experiment and field experiment