AP/SOCI 2030 6.0
Sociological Research Methods
Review Questions and Suggested Answers*
*These review questions and suggested answers with reference pages are
based on the study questions from the required text (Fundamentals of Social
Research, by Earl Babbie and Lucia Benaquisto, Third Canadian Edition,
2014)
1
, Chapter 1: Human Inquiry and Science
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which view recognizes that scientists are human and, as such, have personal orientations that
affect what they observe and how they explain it?
a. postmodern
b. premodern
c. modern
d. Ultramodern
Ans. A ref. p. 13
2. Professor Rodgers found that the average level of happiness reported by people under 65 years of
age declined from 1957 to 1970. For the same group, the average level of happiness increased
slightly from 1971 to 1978. Rodgers also found that the average level of happiness reported by
people age 65 and older increased from 1957 to 1978. What is the variable in this study?
a. aged 65 and older
b. less than age 65
c. age
d. age 65
Ans. C ref. 16
3. In contrast to knowing things only through agreement, what is considered a key source of
knowledge?
a. media
b. current trends
c. personal experience
d. historical fact
Ans. C ref. p. 5
4. What does social scientific theory address?
a. what should be
b. what is and why
c. matters of value
d. how and where Ans. B ref. p. 13
2
,5. Which form does a probabilistic explanation take?
a. x is always y
b. x is never y
c. x tends to be y
d. y is always x
Ans. C ref. p. 7
6. What does the statement “Knowledge for knowledge’s sake” best describe?
a. pure research
b. applied research
c. inductive logic
d. deductive logic
Ans. A ref. p. 26
7. Which of the following is NOT an aim of social science?
a. judging social values
b. predicting social phenomena
c. understanding social regularities
d. explaining social regularities
Ans. A ref. p 13-14
8. Which of the following is among the safeguards against error in social research?
a. making observations less deliberate
b. replicating under slightly varying circumstances
c. using only simple measurement devices
d. avoiding independent replications by other researchers
Ans. B ref. p. 9
9. What is an independent variable?
a. a theoretical concept
b. a variable influencing other variables
c. a variable influenced by other variables
d. a set of attributes Ans. B ref. p. 19
3
, 10. When describing qualitative and quantitative explanations, what can we conclude?
a. Both types of explanations tend to be idiographic.
b. Both types of explanations tend to be nomothetic.
c. Qualitative explanations tend to be idiographic, and quantitative explanations tend
to be nomothetic.
d. Qualitative explanations tend to be nomothetic, and quantitative explanations tend
to be idiographic.
Ans. C ref. 24-25
11. What statement best describes deductive approaches to social theory and research?
a. Deductive begins with big things and moves toward small things.
b. Deductive begins at the bottom and moves toward the top.
c. Deductive begins at a micro level and moves toward a macro level.
d. Deductive begins with theoretical ideas and moves toward observable things.
Ans. D ref. 23-24
12. A social science instructor asks students in an introductory class to complete questionnaires
about their drinking behaviours. They are told that the instructor will analyze them and use the
data in preparing a journal article for publication. What ethical practice is in question?
a. respecting privacy and confidentiality
b. avoiding deception
c. avoiding harm
d. ensuring voluntary participation
Ans. D ref. p. 27
13. “Exposure to classical music increases IQ scores.” This hypothesis is an example of what kind
of statement?
a. nomothetic
b. informal
c. idiographic
d. Causal
Ans. C ref. p. 19-20
4
Sociological Research Methods
Review Questions and Suggested Answers*
*These review questions and suggested answers with reference pages are
based on the study questions from the required text (Fundamentals of Social
Research, by Earl Babbie and Lucia Benaquisto, Third Canadian Edition,
2014)
1
, Chapter 1: Human Inquiry and Science
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which view recognizes that scientists are human and, as such, have personal orientations that
affect what they observe and how they explain it?
a. postmodern
b. premodern
c. modern
d. Ultramodern
Ans. A ref. p. 13
2. Professor Rodgers found that the average level of happiness reported by people under 65 years of
age declined from 1957 to 1970. For the same group, the average level of happiness increased
slightly from 1971 to 1978. Rodgers also found that the average level of happiness reported by
people age 65 and older increased from 1957 to 1978. What is the variable in this study?
a. aged 65 and older
b. less than age 65
c. age
d. age 65
Ans. C ref. 16
3. In contrast to knowing things only through agreement, what is considered a key source of
knowledge?
a. media
b. current trends
c. personal experience
d. historical fact
Ans. C ref. p. 5
4. What does social scientific theory address?
a. what should be
b. what is and why
c. matters of value
d. how and where Ans. B ref. p. 13
2
,5. Which form does a probabilistic explanation take?
a. x is always y
b. x is never y
c. x tends to be y
d. y is always x
Ans. C ref. p. 7
6. What does the statement “Knowledge for knowledge’s sake” best describe?
a. pure research
b. applied research
c. inductive logic
d. deductive logic
Ans. A ref. p. 26
7. Which of the following is NOT an aim of social science?
a. judging social values
b. predicting social phenomena
c. understanding social regularities
d. explaining social regularities
Ans. A ref. p 13-14
8. Which of the following is among the safeguards against error in social research?
a. making observations less deliberate
b. replicating under slightly varying circumstances
c. using only simple measurement devices
d. avoiding independent replications by other researchers
Ans. B ref. p. 9
9. What is an independent variable?
a. a theoretical concept
b. a variable influencing other variables
c. a variable influenced by other variables
d. a set of attributes Ans. B ref. p. 19
3
, 10. When describing qualitative and quantitative explanations, what can we conclude?
a. Both types of explanations tend to be idiographic.
b. Both types of explanations tend to be nomothetic.
c. Qualitative explanations tend to be idiographic, and quantitative explanations tend
to be nomothetic.
d. Qualitative explanations tend to be nomothetic, and quantitative explanations tend
to be idiographic.
Ans. C ref. 24-25
11. What statement best describes deductive approaches to social theory and research?
a. Deductive begins with big things and moves toward small things.
b. Deductive begins at the bottom and moves toward the top.
c. Deductive begins at a micro level and moves toward a macro level.
d. Deductive begins with theoretical ideas and moves toward observable things.
Ans. D ref. 23-24
12. A social science instructor asks students in an introductory class to complete questionnaires
about their drinking behaviours. They are told that the instructor will analyze them and use the
data in preparing a journal article for publication. What ethical practice is in question?
a. respecting privacy and confidentiality
b. avoiding deception
c. avoiding harm
d. ensuring voluntary participation
Ans. D ref. p. 27
13. “Exposure to classical music increases IQ scores.” This hypothesis is an example of what kind
of statement?
a. nomothetic
b. informal
c. idiographic
d. Causal
Ans. C ref. p. 19-20
4
