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RESEARCH METHODS FINAL EXAM questions and Answers
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Sampling is often used when it is not possible to collect information from all persons you want to study and when it is not necessary to collect information from all persons. - answerTrue The summary description of a given variable in the sample is called a sample statistic. - answerTrue A sample element is that unit about which information is collected and that provides the basis of analysis. - answerTrue A good way to avoid sampling bias in the assessment of public opinion about a specific criminal justice topic is to employ the use of a radio call-in show. - answerFalse A list of all elements in a population is referred to as the sampling frame - answerTrue Stratified sampling results in a greater degree of representativeness, but at the same time, increases the probable sampling error. - answerFalse Surveys may be used for descriptive, explanatory, and applied research. - answerTrue There are two basic options for researchers when asking questions: open-ended or closedended. - answerTrue The subsequent questions in a series are called contingency. - answerTrue Face-to-face interviews are best for complex questions and other specialized needs - answerTrue
Telephone surveys are relatively fast and low cost. - answerTrue Long items in a questionnaire are usually better than short ones - answerFalse Field research is often associated with qualitative techniques. - answerTrue Field research is a data collection method that involves the direct observation of phenomena in their natural settings. - answerTrue Field observation is not the preferred data collection method for obtaining information about physical or social settings, behavior, and events. - answerFalse Fortunately, when doing field research sampling is very straight forward and you don't have the concerns that would be present in survey techniques. - answerFalse It may be helpful to record field notes onto highly structured forms created prior to the beginning of the study. - answerTrue A qualitative interview involves an interaction between an interviewer and a respondent - answerTrue A focus group is a type of qualitative interview, and involves a directed discussion with a small group of people. - answerTrue Grounded theory is not built from qualitative field observations. - answerFalse A basic principle of probability sampling is that a sample will be representative of the population from which it is drawn if.
d. stratified random sampling - answerb. snowball sampling Quota samples, judgmental samples, snowball samples, and convenience samples are all examples of. a. nonprobability sampling b. probability sampling c. sampling distributions d. sampling frames - answera. nonprobability sampling Multistage cluster sampling with stratification, systematic sampling, simple random sampling and disproportionate stratified sampling are examples of. a. nonprobability sampling b. probability sampling c. sampling distributions d. sampling frames - answerb. probability sampling The size of the sample and the standard error are related in which way? a. The standard error is not related to the size of the sample.
b. When the sample size increases so does the standard error. c. When the sample size increases the standard error decreases. d. The standard error moves in the same direction as the sample size. - answerc. When the sample size increases the standard error decreases. A Residence Assistant (RA) at a local university devises a plan to spot check the dorm for illegal drinking by randomly selecting a starting door for the first check, and then knocking on every fifth door. What technique is the RA using? a. stratified sampling b. simple random sampling c. quota sampling d. systematic sampling - answerd. systematic sampling A researcher using stratified sampling wants to reduce the. a. sampling error b. standard error c. number of dependent variables
d. A sample is representative of the population from which it is drawn if the aggregate characteristics of the sample approximate those of the general population. - answerd. A sample is representative of the population from which it is drawn if the aggregate characteristics of the sample approximate those of the general population. Surveys may be used for _. a. exploratory, and applied research only b. applied research only c. descriptive research only d. descriptive, explanatory, exploratory, and applied research only - answerd. descriptive, explanatory, exploratory, and applied research only Surveys are best suited for studies that have which units of analysis? a. individuals b. groups c. organizations d. social artifacts - answera. individuals Questions that encourage respondents to answer in a particular way are called.
a. unfair b. biased c. double-barreled d. short and clear - answerb. biased It is usually best to begin a self-administered questionnaire with. a. sensitive issues b. age, gender, etc. c. sexual behavior d. the most interesting set of questions - answerd. the most interesting set of questions Which of the following represent targeted victims surveys? a. Bureau of Justice Statistics b. Uniform Crime reports c. National Crime Victimization Survey d. court records - answerc. National Crime Victimization Survey
d. the response categories must be dichotomous - answerb. the response categories must be exhaustive Which statement is accurate with respect to the construction of questionnaire items? a. Use only questions, no statements. b. Use long descriptions to clarify meaning. c. Avoid negative items. d. Ask questions that lead to a specific answer. - answerc. Avoid negative items. All of the following may represent errors when constructing items for a questionnaire except for. a. the researcher uses long and complicated items b. the negation of a question c. the researcher uses short items d. the researcher uses a combination question when they only want a single answer - answerc. the researcher uses short items Which type of questions should be avoided on a questionnaire?
a. short items b. contingency questions c. ambiguous questions d. matrix questions - answerc. ambiguous questions When follow-ups are planned with mail surveys,. a. response bias is not an issue b. the anonymity of respondents is not guaranteed c. the response rate increases d. the response rate decreases - answerc. the response rate increases Field research is a data collection method that involves the of phenomena in their natural settings. a. direct observation b. written records c. grounded theory d. accurate measure - answera. direct observation
c. types of phenomena d. types of active offenders - answerd. types of active offenders A researcher feels that he or she will need to ask questions of the subjects. Which field research technique is best to use? a. complete observer b. complete participant c. a combination of observer and participant d. survey - answerc. a combination of observer and participant Reflexivity refers generally to one's subjectivity in the research process. Thus, the process of reflexivity requires that one be critically conscious of. a. one's feelings b. one's resources c. who their subjects are d. whether they will be using subjects in formal or informal organizations - answera. one's feelings Research involving which group would not be receptive to the use of unstructured interviews?
a. criminals b. police officers c. judges d. probation officers - answera. criminals The main thing to keep track of with respect to focus group dynamics are. a. spontaneity b. the emergence of themes c. groupthink and dominant group members d. group dynamics - answerc. groupthink and dominant group members To gain access to a formal criminal justice organization for the purpose of conducting qualitative interviewing, which step should be followed? a. find an informant and then send a letter to gain access b. find a sponsor, send a letter, follow up with a phone call and then set up a meeting c. telephone the agency and speak with the director and set up a meeting
a. well-designed survey b. difficult exercise c. purposeful conversation d. expensive venture - answerc. purposeful conversation Generalizability of qualitative studies is often limited by. a. representative of the population b. of sufficient size c. generalizable d. of insufficient size - answerd. of insufficient size Audit trails consists of extensive logs of data, such as. a. letters and phone calls b. meetings c. interviews d. field notes and memos - answerd. field notes and memos
Which statement is false regarding the use of field notes for recording observations? a. field notes include what you are sure you have observed b. field notes should not include unanticipated events c. field notes should include what you think you observed d. note taking can be done on standardized recording forms that you create prior to the start of the research - answerb. field notes should not include unanticipated events Which statement is NOT a guideline for good field note taking? a. don't trust your memory, write down as much as possible unobtrusively b. develop your notes from sketchy to more detailed with rewrites c. use only key words and phrases in your notes, you will remember the details at a later date d. record as many details as you can right after each observation session - answerc. use only key words and phrases in your notes, you will remember the details at a later date Environmental surveys are used for which research purpose? a. determining the grounded theory
d. your interpretations of what you witnessed - answera. specific names of those being studied and where events happen even if those being studied are criminals What is an advantage to using unstructured interviewing techniques when conducting field research? a. the researcher knows a lot about the subject under study b. the researcher won't enter into casual conversation with the subject as a means of gathering data c. the researcher and subject may have short fixed time for the interview d. the researcher and subject may witness an event together - answerc. the researcher and subject may have short fixed time for the interview Which statement is false with regard to structured interviews? a. they enable the researcher to generate numeric measures of observed conditions b. they are best suited for studies where a researcher is expected to encounter a wide variety of situations c. they are more reliable than other methods d. they require careful training - answerb. they are best suited for studies where a researcher is expected to encounter a wide
variety of situations The reliability of quantitative field studies can be enhanced by. a. By reviewing police records. b. Reviewing by the director of the organization. c. Contacting various personnel within the organization. d. Careful attention to the details of observation. - answerd. Careful attention to the details of observation. Which element should NOT be in a letter that serves as a follow up to identification of the sponsor? a. the name of your sponsor b. a detailed description of your research c. arranging a time and date for a phone call d. identify that you want to meet and talk with the contact person - answerb. a detailed description of your research After you have identified a sponsor and sent a letter to a formal organization stating your interest in research, a phone call is typically the next step in the process. You have agreed upon a time and day for the phone call and at the appointed time, you