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Social Research I multiple choice paper, with and without answers...

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A32959

No Calculator permitted in this examination No Dictionary permitted in this examination Multiple Choice Answer Sheets Provided for this examination

Department of Social Policy, Sociology & Criminology Degree of BA 9867 - B.A. Policy, Politics and Economics Full-time – Year 1 9908 - B.A. Education and Sociology Full-time – Year 1 945A - B.A. Social Policy and Criminology Full-time – Year 1 3304 - B.A. Sociology Full-time – Year 1 261A - B.A. Policy, Politics and Economics with Year Abroad Full-time – Year 1 2082 - B.A. Philosophy/Sociology Full-time – Year 1 2058 - B.A. Social Policy Full-time – Year 1 2071 - B.A. Sociology/Social Policy Full-time – Year 1 2081 - B.Sc. Planning/Social Policy Full-time – Year 1 9698 - B.A. Social Policy with Year Abroad Full-time – Year 1

Social Research 1 08 30198

Summer Examination 2018 Time Allowed: 2 hours

Attempt ALL questions on the paper

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PART A: Researching Homelessness (30 marks) Develop a research proposal to consider the following research question: “What helps to explain why young people in Birmingham become homeless?” Consider the following: Your choice of either a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods approach   

Particular method (e.g. individual interview/focus group/secondary data analysis/survey). Who you would study (your sample) and how you would select your research participants The most relevant/important ethical issues if you were carrying out research to answer this question in the real world.

PART B The remaining questions are multiple choice questions. Each question is worth ONE mark.     

Please use the Examinations Answer Sheet provided to record your answers. Use a HB or softer pencil Ensure your student number is recorded on the Examinations Answer Sheet. Clearly mark all your answers with a line (not ticks, crosses or circles) Rub out any errors thoroughly

1. Critical thinking does NOT involve: a) Checking the validity or accuracy of assumptions b) A process of finding fault c) A process of appraisal d) Viewing ideas and actions from multiple perspectives

2. What does the article ‘Telling Policy Stories: An Ethnographic Study of the Use of Evidence in Policy-making in the UK’ (Stevens, 2011) tell us about the reality of the policy-making process, and the extent to which it is informed by evidence? a) Evidence is never used b) Evidence is used systematically c) Evidence is used in a selective and persuasive fashion d) Only quantitative evidence is used

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3. Following the Harvard referencing system, which of the following is the correct format for referencing a standard book? a) A. Bryman (2016) Social Research Methods, 5th edn, Oxford University Press. Oxford. b) Bryman, A. 5th edn. Social Research Methods. (2016) Oxford: Oxford University Press c) Bryman, A. (2016) Social Research Methods, 5th edn, Oxford: Oxford University Press d) Bryman, A. (2016) Social Research Methods, 5th edn, Oxford University Press: Oxford

4. Following the Harvard referencing system, which of the following is the correct format for referencing an edited book? a) Ritchie, J. and Lewis, J. (eds.) (2003) Qualitative Research Practice. Sage: London. b) Ritchie, J. and Lewis, J. (eds.) (2003) Qualitative Research Practice. London: Sage. c) Ritchie, J. and Lewis, J. (2003) Qualitative Research Practice. (eds.) London: Sage. d) Ritchie, J. and Lewis, J. (2003) Qualitative Research Practice. (eds.) Sage: London.

5. Following the Harvard referencing system, which of the following is the correct format for referencing a journal article? a) Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), pp.77-101 b) V. Braun, and V. Clarke (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), pp.77-101 c) Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), pp.77-101 d) Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), pp.77-101

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6. Good referencing as part of academic scholarship does NOT involve: a) Acknowledging an intellectual debt to another author where you have drawn on ideas, words, facts, claims or other material from his or her work, either explicitly or implicitly. b) Supporting specific facts or claims which you make in your text. c) Impressing readers with how much the author has read. d) Enabling the reader to find sources to which you have referred easily and quickly 7. Which ontological position asserts that social phenomena and their meanings have an existence that is independent of social actors and their knowledge of it? a) Constructivism b) Objectivism c) Positivism d) Interpretivism 8. A constructionist would suggest that: a) Social phenomena and their meanings are constructed by people in particular social, cultural and historical contexts b) Individuals are born into a world of rules and structures that they cannot change c) Building and construction work presents an ideal opportunity to exercise the sociological imagination d) Social facts and objects have an external reality, independently of the people who perceive them

9. The use of official statistics for social research has often been criticised for their lack of: a) Transparency b) Subjectivity c) Objectivity d) Generalisability

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10. When conducting social research, ethical issues can arise in which of the following areas? a) Harm b) Consent c) Confidentiality d) All of the above

11. What are some of the key influences on the conduct of social research? a) The personal interests and values of the researcher b) The interests of funding bodies c) Practical considerations d) All of the above

12. Which of the following is NOT a key assumption held by positivists? a) The methods of the natural sciences are appropriate for the study of social phenomena, with an emphasis on measurement, hypothesis testing, causal explanations, generalisation and prediction. b) Scientific research should be based on value-free, empirical observations. c) Feelings, emotions, and beliefs have no place in research as they cannot be directly observed or measured. d) It is important to remain optimistic about our research, even when things go wrong.

13. Interpretivists place an emphasis on: a) Using numbers, measurements and statistical techniques. b) Understanding the behaviour, values, and beliefs of the people they study from their perspective. c) Hypothesis testing d) All of the above. 14. Which of the following is an ontological question? a) Should I use observation or interviews in my study? b) What can (and should) be considered acceptable forms of knowledge? c) Research that studies the causes and treatment of cancer? d) Do social entities have an objective reality, external to social actors?

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15. Which method is most commonly associated with a lack of informed consent? a) Covert observation b) Self-completion questionnaires c) In-depth interviewing d) Document analysis 16. Which of the following is not a data-collection method? a) Research questions b) Unstructured interviewing c) Postal survey questionnaire d) Participant observation 17. What is a research design? a) A way of conducting research that is not grounded in theory b) The choice between using qualitative or quantitative methods c) The style in which you present your research findings, e.g. a graph d) A framework for every stage of the collection and analysis of data 18. In an experimental design, the dependent variable is: a) An ambiguous concept whose meaning depends on how it is defined b) The one that is manipulated in order to observe any effects on the other c) A measure of the extent to which personal values affect research d) The one that is not manipulated and in which any changes are observed

19. A longitudinal design involves: a) The collection of data at a single point in time b) The collection of qualitative data only c) The collection of quantitative data only d) The collection of data from the same sample of participants on more than one occasion 20. What is a cross-sectional design? a) A study of one particular section of society, e.g. the middle classes. b) One that is devised when the researcher is in a bad mood. c) The collection of data from more than one case at one moment in time. d) A comparison of two or more variables over a long period of time.

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21. What does research methodology refer to? a) The sampling technique b) The tools that the researcher uses c) The chain of association between the research question and the research design d) Qualitative methods

22. Internal ‘validity’ refers to: a) Whether or not there is really a causal relationship between two variables. b) Whether or not the findings are relevant to the participants' everyday lives. c) The degree to which the researcher feels that this was a worthwhile project. d) All of the above

23. When Cicourel (1982, p.15) asks: ‘Do our instruments capture the daily life conditions, opinions, values, attitudes, and knowledge base of those we study as expressed by their natural habitat?’, he is concerned with what kind of validity? a) Ecological b) External c) Internal d) Construct

24. A sampling frame is: a) A list of all the units in the population from which a sample will be selected. b) A frame used to display tables of random numbers. c) A way of displaying data in a research report. d) A strategy for thinking about different ways in which a problem can be understood

25. Which of the following is NOT a type of non-probability sampling? a) Snowball sampling b) Convenience sampling c) Quota sampling d) Stratified random sampling

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26. Research questions guide: a) Decisions about the kind of research design, and research methods, to employ b) Decisions about what data to collect, and from whom c) The analysis of your data d) All of the above

27. Why might it be useful to use questions devised by others? a) It allows you to use questions that have already been piloted b) It allows you to draw comparisons with other research c) It might give you some ideas about how best to approach your own questions d) All of the above

28. In-depth interviews are NOT suited to: a) Generating in-depth personal accounts b) Understanding the personal context of a social issue c) Understanding participants’ motivations and decisions d) Generating data which is shaped by group interaction

29. Some of the main functions of social investigation include: a) Contextual research b) Explanatory research c) Generative research d) All of the above

30. Qualitative methods are used to address research questions that require: a) Measurement b) In-depth understanding of the nature or origins of an issue c) Statistical analysis d) Hypothesis testing

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31. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using a postal questionnaire in a survey? a) Cost-effective. b) Respondents can complete the questionnaire in their own time, giving them more opportunity to provide considered responses. c) Less intrusive, which can be an important consideration if questionnaire contains sensitive topics/questions. d) Response rates are typically higher than other survey methods.

32. The qualitative research strategy places a value on: a) Using numbers, measurements and statistical techniques. b) Generating theories through inductive research about social meanings. c) Conducting research that is of a very high quality. d) All of the above.

33. What type of question, commonly used in surveys, asks participants to specify the strength of their agreement/disagreement with a statement? a) Rank order b) Multiple answer c) Likert scale d) Single answer

34. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using closed questions in a survey? a) They enable respondents to give spontaneous, unexpected answers. b) It makes answers easier to process and analyse. c) It reduces the risk of variability in the way answers are recorded. d) Closed questions are quicker and easier for respondents to complete.

35. Mixed methods research is: a) The collection, analysis and mixing of both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study. b) The use of in-depth interviews and observation in a single study. c) Carrying out a quantitative survey followed by in-depth interviews only.

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d) A useful approach when researchers can’t make up their minds about which methods to use.

36. Leading questions should be avoided because: a) They suggest ways of answering and so may bias the results. b) They create a mismatch between the question and its possible answers. c) They involve negative terms and unnecessary jargon. d) They ask about several different things at the same time.

37. Which of the following steps can be taken to improve response rates to postal questionnaires? a) Write a personalized covering letter to introduce the research. b) Enclose a stamped addressed envelope with a postal questionnaire. c) Send out polite reminder letters. d) All of the above.

38. Closed ended questions are those that: a) Have a fixed range of possible answers b) Prevent respondents from allocating themselves to a category c) Encourage detailed, elaborate responses d) Can’t be used in the final research report

39. Why is it important for structured interviews to follow a standardised procedure? a) To allow for an in-depth exploration of the topic. b) It allows participants to discuss what is important to them. c) To increase validity, as the interview can be adapted for each respondent d) To increase reliability, because all respondents receive the same interview stimulus.

40. Which of the following is NOT advised when planning the question order of a self-completion questionnaire? a) Begin with questions that are interesting and easy to answer b) Begin with questions relevant to the central topic c) Begin with demographic questions e.g. educational attainment, marital status, age, gender, income A32959

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d) All of the above

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41. One of the concerns of quantitative researchers is with generalization, which is a sign of: a) External validity b) Internal reliability c) External reliability d) Internal validity

42. A level of measurement where the value just ‘names’ the attribute uniquely and no ordering of the cases is implied, is described as: a) Ordinal b) Interval c) Ratio d) Nominal

43. A measure of central tendency that adds up all the values for the respondents in a dataset and then divides the total by the number of respondents (excluding those for whom there is a missing answer) is described as the: a) Mean b) Median c) Mode d) Range

44. What is the function of a contingency table, in the context of bivariate analysis? a) It shows the results you would expect to find by chance b) It summarizes the frequencies of two variables so that they can be compared c) It lists the different levels of p value for tests of significance d) It compares the results you might get from various statistical tests

45. If there were a perfect negative correlation between two interval/ratio variables, the Pearson's r test would give a correlation coefficient of: a) - 0.29 b) +1 c) +0.30 d) - 1 A32959

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46. A cross-tabulation is appropriate when comparing: a) A nominal variable with another nominal variable. b) A nominal variable with an ordinal variable. c) An ordinal variable with another ordinal variable. d) All of the above

47. P...