BESC 3020 Study Guide Test 1 with
All Correct Answers New Update
What does politics of social research mostly deal with? - Answer-Unlike natural
sciences, social research inevitably has a political and ideological dimension. Although
science is neutral on political matters, scientists are not. Moreover, much social
research inevitably involves the political beliefs of people outside the research
community. Deals with findings and how well publications are received.
What topics are suited for explanatory research? - Answer-Relationships among
different aspects of the phenomenon under study.
What topics are suited for exploratory research? - Answer-New trend or new
phenomenon
What topics are suited for descriptive research? - Answer-Characteristics of some
phenomenon under study.
How can researchers establish a causal relationship between two variables? - Answer-
Independent variable must happen before the dependent variable. Must rule out other
causes. You can't claim a causation unless you can pinpoint the exact cause. Otherwise
it's just a correlation. Causation is based on correlation.
Define and find examples of necessary and sufficient causes. - Answer--Necessary
example: Drinking and drunkenness. Alcohol is a necessary cause for drunkenness.
But, not any amount of alcohol will make a person drunk.
-Sufficient example: Dead body under an overpass of highway. The death could be a
result of several possible causes
Define and find examples of unit of analysis. - Answer-The people or things whose
characteristics social researchers observe, describe, and explain.Typically, the unit of
analysis in social research is a social group or the individual person, but it may also be
a formal organization (such as UVU), a social interaction (such as courtship and
romantic love), a social artifact (such as cell phone use), or some other phenomenon
such as a lifestyle. Unit of analysis can be also called subject of study.
Find examples of cross-sectional, longitudinal, trend, and cohort studies. - Answer-
Cross-sectional studies are based on observations made at one time. Although this
characteristic limits such studies, researchers can sometimes use them to make
inferences about processes that over time. Longitudinal studies, observations are made
at many times. Such observations may be made of samples drawn from general
, populations (trend studies), samples drawn from more specific subpopulations (cohort
studies), or the same sample of people each time (panel studies).
Identify the major sources of knowledge. - Answer-1. Personal experience (small portion
of knowledge)
2. Tradition or existing knowledge (don't need to start from scratch with inherited
knowledge)
3. Authority or experts (trust the judgement of the experts)
What kind of truth are we looking for in science and social research? - Answer-Relative
truth because things can change
What are the major causes of errors and biases? - Answer--Inaccurate observations
(human or equipment error)
-Over-generalization (internal vs. external validity, ex: unrepresented sample, small
samples, jumping to conclusions on few observations)
-Selective observation (major source of bias, only see what we want to see)
-Illogical reasoning (off the mark to absurd)
Bias is intentional, error is unintentional
Differentiate between continuous and discrete variables. - Answer-Continuous: Can
have many values and increases continually in tiny fractions ex: age, income, height,
shoe size, etc.
Discrete: Two or more logically related attributes or categories. Ex: Occupation can be
professor, plumber, farmer, etc. or traditional students/non-traditional
Define and find examples of independent and dependent variables. - Answer-
Independent: Cause
Dependent: Effect
Explain why something happens. Ex: Babies and accidents, drinking and drunkenness
How many values does a constant have? - Answer-One
What does a theory refer to? - Answer-What is and why they happen, not what should
be. (No values, imagination, beliefs or speculation. Just facts and logic)
What does social science research attempt to address? - Answer-Find a theory, social
regularities (patterns). Why something happens (groups, not individuals).
Define and find examples of over-generalization. - Answer-Over-generalization (internal
vs. external validity, ex: unrepresented sample, small samples, jumping to conclusions
on few observations)
Define and find examples of idiographic and nomothetic explanations. - Answer--
Idiographic: explains a single situation peculiar to an individual in great detail. Case
All Correct Answers New Update
What does politics of social research mostly deal with? - Answer-Unlike natural
sciences, social research inevitably has a political and ideological dimension. Although
science is neutral on political matters, scientists are not. Moreover, much social
research inevitably involves the political beliefs of people outside the research
community. Deals with findings and how well publications are received.
What topics are suited for explanatory research? - Answer-Relationships among
different aspects of the phenomenon under study.
What topics are suited for exploratory research? - Answer-New trend or new
phenomenon
What topics are suited for descriptive research? - Answer-Characteristics of some
phenomenon under study.
How can researchers establish a causal relationship between two variables? - Answer-
Independent variable must happen before the dependent variable. Must rule out other
causes. You can't claim a causation unless you can pinpoint the exact cause. Otherwise
it's just a correlation. Causation is based on correlation.
Define and find examples of necessary and sufficient causes. - Answer--Necessary
example: Drinking and drunkenness. Alcohol is a necessary cause for drunkenness.
But, not any amount of alcohol will make a person drunk.
-Sufficient example: Dead body under an overpass of highway. The death could be a
result of several possible causes
Define and find examples of unit of analysis. - Answer-The people or things whose
characteristics social researchers observe, describe, and explain.Typically, the unit of
analysis in social research is a social group or the individual person, but it may also be
a formal organization (such as UVU), a social interaction (such as courtship and
romantic love), a social artifact (such as cell phone use), or some other phenomenon
such as a lifestyle. Unit of analysis can be also called subject of study.
Find examples of cross-sectional, longitudinal, trend, and cohort studies. - Answer-
Cross-sectional studies are based on observations made at one time. Although this
characteristic limits such studies, researchers can sometimes use them to make
inferences about processes that over time. Longitudinal studies, observations are made
at many times. Such observations may be made of samples drawn from general
, populations (trend studies), samples drawn from more specific subpopulations (cohort
studies), or the same sample of people each time (panel studies).
Identify the major sources of knowledge. - Answer-1. Personal experience (small portion
of knowledge)
2. Tradition or existing knowledge (don't need to start from scratch with inherited
knowledge)
3. Authority or experts (trust the judgement of the experts)
What kind of truth are we looking for in science and social research? - Answer-Relative
truth because things can change
What are the major causes of errors and biases? - Answer--Inaccurate observations
(human or equipment error)
-Over-generalization (internal vs. external validity, ex: unrepresented sample, small
samples, jumping to conclusions on few observations)
-Selective observation (major source of bias, only see what we want to see)
-Illogical reasoning (off the mark to absurd)
Bias is intentional, error is unintentional
Differentiate between continuous and discrete variables. - Answer-Continuous: Can
have many values and increases continually in tiny fractions ex: age, income, height,
shoe size, etc.
Discrete: Two or more logically related attributes or categories. Ex: Occupation can be
professor, plumber, farmer, etc. or traditional students/non-traditional
Define and find examples of independent and dependent variables. - Answer-
Independent: Cause
Dependent: Effect
Explain why something happens. Ex: Babies and accidents, drinking and drunkenness
How many values does a constant have? - Answer-One
What does a theory refer to? - Answer-What is and why they happen, not what should
be. (No values, imagination, beliefs or speculation. Just facts and logic)
What does social science research attempt to address? - Answer-Find a theory, social
regularities (patterns). Why something happens (groups, not individuals).
Define and find examples of over-generalization. - Answer-Over-generalization (internal
vs. external validity, ex: unrepresented sample, small samples, jumping to conclusions
on few observations)
Define and find examples of idiographic and nomothetic explanations. - Answer--
Idiographic: explains a single situation peculiar to an individual in great detail. Case
