RSC2601
Research In Social Sciences
Full Exam Pack with MCQs for Assignments and
Examinations
, RSC2601 – Research in Social Sciences
RSC2601 - Research in the Social Sciences
1
EXAM PREPARATION
This document is a compilation of past UNISA exam Questions and Answers, Assignment
Questions and Answers, as well as Test Yourself Questions and Answers from Studyguide.
Answers are motivated by a combination of:
Page references to the UNISA Study Guide:
Short summaries regarding the relevant topic(s) in question.
Past exams covered are:
May/Jun 2016
Oct/Nov 2016
May/Jun 2017
Oct/Nov 2017
May/Jun 2018
Oct/Nov 2018
May/Jun 2019
Oct/Nov 2019
May/Jun 2020
Oct/Nov 2020
Assignments covered are:
Previous Assignment 1
Previous Assignment 2
Previous Assignment 3
Previous Assignment 4
Semester 1 Assignment 1 (2021)
Semester 1 Assignment 2 (2021)
Semester 2 Assignment 1 (2021)
Semester 2 Assignment 2 (2021)
, RSC2601 – Research in Social Sciences
May/Jun 2016
2
QUESTION 1
A person of high academic standing is given the task by the local government to
investigate the best ways of ensuring participation of people living in a small town in an
agricultural development project. Being of her high status, she speaks with authority.
The research results obtained by this person must be:
accepted unquestioningly because of the high academic standing of the researcher
rejected because authority is not a valid way to gain knowledge
rejected because participation is a form of common sense knowledge
accepted if it withstands critical scrutiny
The correct answer is (4) SG p5
But the problem with relying on authority is that we can overestimate the expertise of
persons in authority: in other words, experts can be wrong. When we do not know how
the experts arrived at their knowledge, we should be careful in accepting their conclusions.
Therefore 1) is incorrect.
A person in a position of authority is likely to have earned that authority by his or her
experience and may therefore be able to offer us reliable knowledge. In other words, that
person has spent time and effort learning something and others can benefit from this.
Therefore 2) and 3) is incorrect.
QUESTION 2
The different accounts of people having witnessed a car accident can be ascribed to:
overgeneralization
selective observation
ego involvement
stress
The correct answer is (2) SG p9
Overgeneralisation may lead to selective observation. Once the decision is made that events
are following a particular pattern, and you think you know why, you will tend to pay attention
mainly to future situations that correspond with that pattern. You will also tend to overlook
the situations that conflict with the pattern.
QUESTION 3
People’s dependence on media presentations for understanding the impact of, for example,
sophisticated communication technology on their daily lives, is an example of:
media myths
authority
mythical interpretation of technology
skepticism towards technology
The correct answer is (1) SG p8 Media Myths: The mass media, including television, films,
newspapers and magazines and, most recently, the Internet, have a powerful influence on
knowledge. Most people learn
, RSC2601 – Research in Social Sciences
about the world and develop their concept of social reality according to what they see,
hear and read in the media. However, as Neuman (1997) points out, the chief purpose of 3
the media is to entertain, not to present reality accurately. Writers who adapt real life for
television shows and films scripts distort reality, often relying on tradition, authority or
common sense. Writers for newspapers and magazines have deadlines which limit their
information and they cannot be specialists in every topic they write about. Mistakes may
be made from ignorance. Public thinking can be changed by selective emphasis, and this,
in turn, can lead people into error.
QUESTION 4
Identify the epistemological statement:
social reality and natural reality can be studied in the same way
social reality is inherently meaningful
human beings are reflexive
patriarchy is common in traditional societies
hidden structures mask the true nature of social reality
The correct answer is (1) SG p20
“We shall explain epistemology in the context of the social sciences with reference to the
following epistemological question: “Can social reality (things such as groups, societies,
norms, organisations) be studied in the same way as natural reality (things such as atoms,
bodies, viruses, planets?””
QUESTION 5
Research on juvenile delinquency would be regarded and interpretive if it:
establishes a crucial relationship between juvenile delinquency and poverty
treats juvenile delinquency as a fact
provides reasons for juvenile delinquency
focuses on causation rather than description
treats juvenile delinquency as a construction of meaning
The correct answer is (5) SG p25 “Interpretivists argue that social reality is inherently
meaningful. People have the ability to interpret a situation and decide how to act in
response to this situation. By consciously participating in a situation, they attribute
meaning to that situation. Meaning is constructed through human beings interacting with
each other and playing a central role in defining a situation to make sense of it”
QUESTION 6
In the context of positivism, value freedom implies that:
values are not important by positivists to research
positivists distance themselves in research from their own values
objective findings can be made about social reality
the values of the positivist must take precedence in the research process
objectivity is pursued by using standardized research procedures
a), c), e)
Research In Social Sciences
Full Exam Pack with MCQs for Assignments and
Examinations
, RSC2601 – Research in Social Sciences
RSC2601 - Research in the Social Sciences
1
EXAM PREPARATION
This document is a compilation of past UNISA exam Questions and Answers, Assignment
Questions and Answers, as well as Test Yourself Questions and Answers from Studyguide.
Answers are motivated by a combination of:
Page references to the UNISA Study Guide:
Short summaries regarding the relevant topic(s) in question.
Past exams covered are:
May/Jun 2016
Oct/Nov 2016
May/Jun 2017
Oct/Nov 2017
May/Jun 2018
Oct/Nov 2018
May/Jun 2019
Oct/Nov 2019
May/Jun 2020
Oct/Nov 2020
Assignments covered are:
Previous Assignment 1
Previous Assignment 2
Previous Assignment 3
Previous Assignment 4
Semester 1 Assignment 1 (2021)
Semester 1 Assignment 2 (2021)
Semester 2 Assignment 1 (2021)
Semester 2 Assignment 2 (2021)
, RSC2601 – Research in Social Sciences
May/Jun 2016
2
QUESTION 1
A person of high academic standing is given the task by the local government to
investigate the best ways of ensuring participation of people living in a small town in an
agricultural development project. Being of her high status, she speaks with authority.
The research results obtained by this person must be:
accepted unquestioningly because of the high academic standing of the researcher
rejected because authority is not a valid way to gain knowledge
rejected because participation is a form of common sense knowledge
accepted if it withstands critical scrutiny
The correct answer is (4) SG p5
But the problem with relying on authority is that we can overestimate the expertise of
persons in authority: in other words, experts can be wrong. When we do not know how
the experts arrived at their knowledge, we should be careful in accepting their conclusions.
Therefore 1) is incorrect.
A person in a position of authority is likely to have earned that authority by his or her
experience and may therefore be able to offer us reliable knowledge. In other words, that
person has spent time and effort learning something and others can benefit from this.
Therefore 2) and 3) is incorrect.
QUESTION 2
The different accounts of people having witnessed a car accident can be ascribed to:
overgeneralization
selective observation
ego involvement
stress
The correct answer is (2) SG p9
Overgeneralisation may lead to selective observation. Once the decision is made that events
are following a particular pattern, and you think you know why, you will tend to pay attention
mainly to future situations that correspond with that pattern. You will also tend to overlook
the situations that conflict with the pattern.
QUESTION 3
People’s dependence on media presentations for understanding the impact of, for example,
sophisticated communication technology on their daily lives, is an example of:
media myths
authority
mythical interpretation of technology
skepticism towards technology
The correct answer is (1) SG p8 Media Myths: The mass media, including television, films,
newspapers and magazines and, most recently, the Internet, have a powerful influence on
knowledge. Most people learn
, RSC2601 – Research in Social Sciences
about the world and develop their concept of social reality according to what they see,
hear and read in the media. However, as Neuman (1997) points out, the chief purpose of 3
the media is to entertain, not to present reality accurately. Writers who adapt real life for
television shows and films scripts distort reality, often relying on tradition, authority or
common sense. Writers for newspapers and magazines have deadlines which limit their
information and they cannot be specialists in every topic they write about. Mistakes may
be made from ignorance. Public thinking can be changed by selective emphasis, and this,
in turn, can lead people into error.
QUESTION 4
Identify the epistemological statement:
social reality and natural reality can be studied in the same way
social reality is inherently meaningful
human beings are reflexive
patriarchy is common in traditional societies
hidden structures mask the true nature of social reality
The correct answer is (1) SG p20
“We shall explain epistemology in the context of the social sciences with reference to the
following epistemological question: “Can social reality (things such as groups, societies,
norms, organisations) be studied in the same way as natural reality (things such as atoms,
bodies, viruses, planets?””
QUESTION 5
Research on juvenile delinquency would be regarded and interpretive if it:
establishes a crucial relationship between juvenile delinquency and poverty
treats juvenile delinquency as a fact
provides reasons for juvenile delinquency
focuses on causation rather than description
treats juvenile delinquency as a construction of meaning
The correct answer is (5) SG p25 “Interpretivists argue that social reality is inherently
meaningful. People have the ability to interpret a situation and decide how to act in
response to this situation. By consciously participating in a situation, they attribute
meaning to that situation. Meaning is constructed through human beings interacting with
each other and playing a central role in defining a situation to make sense of it”
QUESTION 6
In the context of positivism, value freedom implies that:
values are not important by positivists to research
positivists distance themselves in research from their own values
objective findings can be made about social reality
the values of the positivist must take precedence in the research process
objectivity is pursued by using standardized research procedures
a), c), e)
