POS 3703 MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS ANSWERED CORRECTLY LATEST UPDATE 2026
Theory - Answers A systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a particular aspect of
life
Variables - Answers Logical groupings of attributes
Attributes - Answers Characteristics of people or things
Independent Variables - Answers A variable with values that are not problematical in an analysis,
taken as given
Dependent Variables - Answers A variable assumed to depend on or be cause by another variable
The Purpose of Social Research - Answers To explore, be descriptive, and to explain
Idiographic Explanation - Answers An Approach to explanation in which we seek to exhaust the
idiosyncratic causes of a particular condition of and event
Nomothetic Explanation - Answers An approach to an explanation in which we seek to identify a few
casual factors that generally impact a class of conditions of an event.
Inductive Theory - Answers The Logical model in which general principles are developed from specific
observations
Deductive Theory - Answers The logical model in which specific expectations of hypothesis are
developed on the basis of general principles
Qualitative Data - Answers Non numerical data
Quantitative Data - Answers numerical data
Positivism - Answers we can rationally understand and predict even non rational behavior. (Comte:
Society can be studied scientifically)
Hypothesis - Answers A specified, testable expectation about the empirical reality that follows from a
more general proposition
Operationalization - Answers developing operational definitions or specifying the exact operations
involved in measuring a variable
No Harm to The Participants - Answers People being researched should never be harmed mentally
physically emotionally and etc
Informed Consent - Answers a norm in which subjects base their voluntary participation in research
projects on a full understanding of the possible risk involved
Anonymity - Answers Guaranteed in a research project when neither the researchers nor the readers
of the findings can identify a given response with a given respondent
Confidentiality - Answers guaranteed when the research can identify a given persons responses but
promises not to do so publicly
Debriefing - Answers interviewing subjects to learn about their experience of participation in the
project
Institutional Review Boards - Answers A panel of faculty who review all research proposals involving
human subjects so that they can guarantee that the subjects rights and interests will be protected
Correlation - Answers an empirical relationship between 2 variables such that changes in one are
associated with changes in the other or particular attribute in one are associated with particular
attributes in the other.
Casual Relationship - Answers there is a statistical correlation between the two variables, a person's
educational level occurred before their current level of tolerance, and there is no third variable that
can explain the observed correlation.
Spurious Relationship - Answers a coincidental statistical correlation between two variables shown to
be cause by some 3rd variable
Unit of Analysis - Answers the what or whom being studied
Necessary Condition - Answers represents a condition that must be present for the effect to follow
Sufficient Condition - Answers represents a condition that, if it is present, guarantees the effect in
question
Ecological Fallacy - Answers erroneously drawing conclusions about individuals solely from the
observations of groups
Reductionism - Answers a strict limitation (reduction) of the kinds of concepts to be considered
relevant to the phenomenon under study.
Cross-Sectional Study - Answers a study based on observations representing a single point in time, a
cross section of a population.
Longitudinal Study - Answers a study design involving a collection of data a different points in time
Theory - Answers A systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a particular aspect of
life
Variables - Answers Logical groupings of attributes
Attributes - Answers Characteristics of people or things
Independent Variables - Answers A variable with values that are not problematical in an analysis,
taken as given
Dependent Variables - Answers A variable assumed to depend on or be cause by another variable
The Purpose of Social Research - Answers To explore, be descriptive, and to explain
Idiographic Explanation - Answers An Approach to explanation in which we seek to exhaust the
idiosyncratic causes of a particular condition of and event
Nomothetic Explanation - Answers An approach to an explanation in which we seek to identify a few
casual factors that generally impact a class of conditions of an event.
Inductive Theory - Answers The Logical model in which general principles are developed from specific
observations
Deductive Theory - Answers The logical model in which specific expectations of hypothesis are
developed on the basis of general principles
Qualitative Data - Answers Non numerical data
Quantitative Data - Answers numerical data
Positivism - Answers we can rationally understand and predict even non rational behavior. (Comte:
Society can be studied scientifically)
Hypothesis - Answers A specified, testable expectation about the empirical reality that follows from a
more general proposition
Operationalization - Answers developing operational definitions or specifying the exact operations
involved in measuring a variable
No Harm to The Participants - Answers People being researched should never be harmed mentally
physically emotionally and etc
Informed Consent - Answers a norm in which subjects base their voluntary participation in research
projects on a full understanding of the possible risk involved
Anonymity - Answers Guaranteed in a research project when neither the researchers nor the readers
of the findings can identify a given response with a given respondent
Confidentiality - Answers guaranteed when the research can identify a given persons responses but
promises not to do so publicly
Debriefing - Answers interviewing subjects to learn about their experience of participation in the
project
Institutional Review Boards - Answers A panel of faculty who review all research proposals involving
human subjects so that they can guarantee that the subjects rights and interests will be protected
Correlation - Answers an empirical relationship between 2 variables such that changes in one are
associated with changes in the other or particular attribute in one are associated with particular
attributes in the other.
Casual Relationship - Answers there is a statistical correlation between the two variables, a person's
educational level occurred before their current level of tolerance, and there is no third variable that
can explain the observed correlation.
Spurious Relationship - Answers a coincidental statistical correlation between two variables shown to
be cause by some 3rd variable
Unit of Analysis - Answers the what or whom being studied
Necessary Condition - Answers represents a condition that must be present for the effect to follow
Sufficient Condition - Answers represents a condition that, if it is present, guarantees the effect in
question
Ecological Fallacy - Answers erroneously drawing conclusions about individuals solely from the
observations of groups
Reductionism - Answers a strict limitation (reduction) of the kinds of concepts to be considered
relevant to the phenomenon under study.
Cross-Sectional Study - Answers a study based on observations representing a single point in time, a
cross section of a population.
Longitudinal Study - Answers a study design involving a collection of data a different points in time
