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CHAPTER 8 TEST BANK
Qualitative Interviewing
TRUE/FALSE
1. Field research is often associated with qualitative techniques.
2. When it is necessary to study phenomenon in their natural setting, experiments are the
best approach to take.
3. Sometimes, the only way to obtain the information that you need is through qualitative
data collection.
4. A qualitative interview involves an interaction between an interviewer and a respondent
5. A focus group is a type of qualitative interview, and involves a directed discussion with a
small group of people.
6. Qualitative interviews are important tools for producing thick description that helps
reveal the richness of human experience.
7. Theoretical sampling is not a part of this theory generating process.
8. When examining qualitative data, there are many ways to find concepts that become
higher-level themes.
9. Missing data is a type of connector where you are alert for what participants are failing to
mention.
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10. Grounded theory is not built from qualitative field observations.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Field research is a data collection method that involves the ____of phenomena in their
natural settings.
a.
direct observation
b.
written records
c.
grounded theory
d.
accurate measure
2. Which approaches are considered inappropriate for initiating field research among active
offenders?
a.
telephone survey, informal gatherings, and club meetings
b.
focus group meetings and movies
c.
letters, phone calls, and formal meetings
d.
all forms of formal and informal contacts
3. Often developed through ____, grounded theory combines a naturalist approach with a
positivist concern for a systematic set of procedures.
a.
qualitative interviewing
b.
focus groups
c.
letters, phone calls, and meetings
d.
None of the above are true.
4. Which type of interview is the most natural, in-depth, and exploratory?
a.
semi-structured interviewing.
b.
structured interviewing.
c.
unstructured interviewing.
d.
focus group interviewing.
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5. Which activity would not be a logical crime to study using the field research techniques?
a.
prostitution
b.
shoplifting
c.
embezzlement
d.
drug use
6. Qualitative field research is the preferred method for studying many ____.
a.
subjects who change language
b.
types of crimes
c.
types of phenomena
d.
types of active offenders
7. A researcher feels that he or she will need to ask questions of the subjects. Which field
research technique is best to use?
a.
complete observer
b.
complete participant
c.
a combination of observer and participant
d.
surveys
8. Reflexivity refers generally to one’s subjectivity in the research process. Thus, the pro-
cess of reflexivity requires that one be critically conscious of ____.
a.
one’s feelings
b.
one’s resources
c.
who their subjects are
d.
whether they will be using subjects in formal or informal organizations
9. Research involving which group would not be receptive to the use of unstructured
interviews?
a.
criminals
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b.
police officers
c.
judges
d.
probation officers
10. The main thing to keep track of with respect to focus group dynamics are ____.
a.
spontaneity
b.
the emergence of themes
c.
groupthink and dominant group members
d.
group dynamics
11. To gain access to a formal criminal justice organization for the purpose of conducting
qualitative interviewing, which step should be followed?
a.
find an informant and then send a letter to gain access
b.
find a sponsor, send a letter, follow up with a phone call and then set up a meeting
c.
telephone the agency and speak with the director and set up a meeting
d.
field research cannot be done in formal criminal justice organizations because only
the use of written records is allowed
12. A letter used to gain access to a formal organization should include all of the following
topics except ____.
a.
the purpose of your research
b.
who is funding your research
c.
the action that you request someone to do for you
d.
name your sponsor within the organization
13. Probes are important tools for qualitative interviewing because they prompt participants
to ____.
a.
elaborate on responses by filling in more detail and depth
b.
be careful when speaking
c.
be concerned about others’ feelings
d.
be concerned about time
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14. The qualitative interview can also be thought of as a(n) ____.
a.
well-designed survey
b.
difficult exercise
c.
purposeful conversation
d.
expensive venture
15. Generalizability of qualitative studies is often limited by ___.
a.
representative of the population
b.
of sufficient size
c.
generalizable
d.
of insufficient size
16. Audit trails consists of extensive logs of data, such as ____.
a.
letters and phone calls
b.
meetings
c.
interviews
d.
field notes and memos
17. Which statement is false regarding the use of field notes for recording observations?
a.
field notes include what you are sure you have observed
b.
field notes should not include unanticipated events
c.
field notes should include what you think you observed
d.
note taking can be done on standardized recording forms that you create prior to
the start of the research
18. Which statement is NOT a guideline for good field note taking?
a.
don’t trust your memory, write down as much as possible unobtrusively
b.
develop your notes from sketchy to more detailed with rewrites
c.
use only key words and phrases in your notes, you will remember the details at a
later date
d.
record as many details as you can right after each observation session
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19. Environmental surveys are used for which research purpose?
a.
determining the grounded theory
b.
planning police strategies in drug enforcement and to assess the impact of those
strategies
c.
developing notes on graffiti and vandalism damage in an urban area
d.
finding out green environment
20. Which statement is false with regard to field research?
a.
It has greater validity and reliability than survey research.
b.
It often involves theory creation.
c.
It often combines observation and asking questions.
d.
It can provide both qualitative and quantitative data.
21. Field notes should include all but which of the following?
a.
specific names of those being studied and where events happen even if those being
studied are criminals
b.
what you specifically witnessed
c.
what you think that you witnessed
d.
your interpretations of what you witnessed
22. What is an advantage to using unstructured interviewing techniques when conducting
field research?
a.
the researcher knows a lot about the subject under study
b.
the researcher won’t enter into casual conversation with the subject as a means of
gathering data
c.
the researcher and subject may have short fixed time for the interview
d.
the researcher and subject may witness an event together
23. Which statement is false with regard to structured interviews?
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a.
they enable the researcher to generate numeric measures of observed conditions
b.
they are best suited for studies where a researcher is expected to encounter a wide
variety of situations
c.
they are more reliable than other methods
d.
they require careful training
24. The reliability of quantitative field studies can be enhanced by ____.
a.
By reviewing police records.
b.
Reviewing by the director of the organization.
c.
Contacting various personnel within the organization.
d.
Careful attention to the details of observation.
25. Which element should NOT be in a letter that serves as a follow up to identification of
the sponsor?
a.
the name of your sponsor
b.
a detailed description of your research
c.
arranging a time and date for a phone call
d.
identify that you want to meet and talk with the contact person
26. After you have identified a sponsor and sent a letter to a formal organization stating your
interest in research, a phone call is typically the next step in the process. You have agreed
upon a time and day for the phone call and at the appointed time, you call. The director
will not take your call. What should you do next?
a.
forget that organization as a target of your research because if the director will not
take your call now, you cannot expect much from him once the research begins
b.
keep calling back until your call is taken by the director
c.
ask to speak the director’s assistant and make an appointment for a meeting
d.
find another sponsor and see if you have better luck getting access to the director
27. Qualitative research ____.
a.
is unable to generate theory
b.
being the basis of grounded theory
c.
can be used to produce only quantitative data
d.
is unreliable
28. Which factor is a serious consideration for researchers who adopt the role of complete
participant when doing field research?
a.
generalizability
b.
ethics
c.
validity
d.
all of these answers are correct
29. Regardless of the techniques used to identify subjects from subcultures, there will be
concerns. Which of the following is not one of them?
a.
lack of probability sampling
b.
selection bias
c.
generally a small sample size
d.
there are no concerns once you get an informant to introduce members of their
subculture
COMPLETION
1. A researcher engaged in interviewing would likely use _______________ data that is
defined as observations that are not easily reduced to numbers.
2. A theory that stems from an analysis of patterns, themes, and common categories
discovered in data is referred to as a(n) _______________ theory.
3. Theoretical sampling is part of generating a(n) _______________ theory.
4. The semi-structured interview format allows asking a spontaneous question and
discovering a(n) _______________.
5. While planning qualitative interviews, think carefully about your
role as _______________.
6. The ___________________ is the person who will assist you in gaining access to a
subculture.
7. The focus group moderator must guide the conversation and be aware of dominant group
members and _______________.
8. Transferability occurs when working hypotheses can be transferred from one
_______________ to another.
9. Qualitative research has covered the wide range of applications from highly structured
counting to less structured field observations and _______________.
ESSAY
1. List and discuss the roles of interviewers in qualitative research. Offer an example of a
research scenario that would be appropriate for each role.
2. Describe the steps that would be necessary to gain access to a formal organization for the
purposes of doing field research.
3. List and discuss methods that can be used to record field observations, identifying their
strengths and weaknesses.
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4. Why is it often necessary to supplement field research with other forms of data? Give
examples of other types of data that are often used in criminal justice research and how
each may be used as a link to field research.
5. Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of interviewing and survey research.
Give specific attention to the topics of validity, reliability and generalizability.