The final stage of the research process is _____.
a. interpretation
b. literature review
c. analysis
d. application
With regard to evaluation designs, which of the following statements is not accurate?
a. variation in the levels of treatment delivered by a program can be a major threat to
the validity of even randomized evaluation studies
b. uncontrolled variation in treatment is equivalent to unreliable measurement of the
independent variable
c. controlled variation in treatment represents a threat to generalizability
d. varying degrees of participation by clients in a program will impact the outcome
Which type of research is likely to be exempt from review under federal guidelines?
a. research involving the analysis of existing data
b. research involving only moderate risk
c. research in which confidentiality will be protected
d. research involving competent adults
A scientific realist approach to examining mechanisms in context bridges ____.
a. dependent and independent variables
b. idiographic and nomothetic approaches to causation
c. truth and reality
d. sample and population differences
A researcher asks participants to indicate how frequently they have used various illicit
drugs using the following scale: 1 = never used; 2 = used 1 ” 5 times; 3 = used 6 ” 10
times; 4 = used more than ten times. This scale is best described as ____ level.
a. nominal
b. ordinal
c. interval
d. ratio
The ____ provides nationally-representative data on the use of alcohol, tobacco, and
other drugs.
a. UCR
b. NCVS
c. NIBRS
d. NSDUH
A researcher is developing a scale to reflect satisfaction with police services. Which
activity will yield an indication of the new scale’s construct validity?
a. comparing scores on the new scale of satisfaction to scores on an established scale of
satisfaction
b. asking experts in the field whether it looks like it measures satisfaction
c. comparing scores on the first half of the scale to scores on the second half
d. determining whether the scale fits logically into relationships among variables related
to satisfaction
A major Midwestern university does annual surveys of its alumni. These surveys are
designed to gauge the attitudes that alumni hold about the university, its academic
programs, and the major team sports. These surveys have been an annual event for the
last two decades and represent which type of study?
a. cohort study
b. panel study
c. trend study
d. cross-sectional study
Qualitative field research is the preferred method for studying
a. many subjects who change language
b. many types of crimes
c. many types of phenomena
d. many types of active offenders.
It is usually best to begin a self-administered questionnaire with ____.
a. sensitive issues
b. age, gender, etc.
c. sexual behavior
d. the most interesting set of questions
One of the most important parts of conducting evaluation research is _____.
a. selecting a sample that will support the program goals
b. formulating goal statements that are empirically testable
c. gathering official documents since that is where the researcher can find complete
descriptions of goals
d. making sure that the staff of the agency where you conduct research like you by
doing anything to get them on your side
When using a nonequivalent-groups design, the researcher will handle subject
assignment to groups by ____.
a. random assignment to experimental and control groups
b. allowing subjects to pick which group they want to be in
c. matching subjects in the experimental and comparison groups
d. using waves of cohorts
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
Which action would be most likely to result in selection bias?
a. soliciting volunteers from a college class
b. randomly assigning experimental and control groups
c. matching experimental and comparison groups
d. running a double blind experiment
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
Qualitative field observations ____________________.
a. is unable to generate theory
b. can be called a process of grounded theory
c. can be used to produce only quantitative data
d. is unreliable
Which levels of measurement allow for attributes to be placed on a continuum with
equal distance between points?
a. nominal and ordinal
b. ordinal and interval
c. interval and ratio
d. ordinal, interval, and ratio
A basic principle of probability sampling is that a sample will be representative of the
population from which it is drawn if ____.
a. all members of the population have an equal chance of being selected for the sample
b. the researcher uses a method of selection based upon convenience
c. every nth person is selected for the sample
d. none of these answers are correct
Which type of study would serve as a ‘snapshot” of a phenomenon at a single point in
time?
a. panel study
b. cross-sectional study
c. cohort study
d. trend study
Empirical research involves measurement and _____.
a. variables
b. interpretation
c. description
d. objectives
A local university is hosting the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) for a large group
of prospective law students. Since there is such a large group taking the test, some
professors of sociology from the local university decide to administer a questionnaire to
the group asking their ideas on teenage sexual promiscuity. The professors informed the
group about their research project. They assured them that their identity will not be
disclosed and all information gathered will remain confidential. Which ethical issue was
not considered?
a. explaining the purpose
b. voluntary participation
c. anonymity
d. confidentiality
Researchers Field research results can have general applicability beyond the specific
settings observed. However findings cannot be formally generalized compared to those
based on __________________________________.
a. Specific settings
b. surveys
c. participant observations
d. rigorous sampling and standardized questionnaires
Content analysis is well-suited for which of the following situations?
a. to determine unemployment rates
b. to find out public relations with police
c. to answer the classic questions of communications research
d. court records
A specifiable aspect of a given concept is referred to as a(n) ____.
a. dimension
b. concept
c. construct
d. observable
In the U.S., adult prisoners _____.
a. have, historically, been physically harmed by research participation
b. must be paid the prison system’s typical inmate wage for participation
c. cannot participate in research that asks about their criminal history
d. can get extra “good time” in exchange for participating
Questions that encourage respondents to answer in a particular way are called ____.
a. unfair
b. biased
c. double-barreled
d. short and clear
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
Traditional beliefs about patrol effectiveness, response time, and detective work are
examples of ____ reality.
a. known
b. agreement
c. experiential
d. assumed
Closed ended questions are useful because they ____.
a. provide varied responses
b. responses can be transferred directly into a data file
c. can be altered to fit the needs
d. are more easily processed
Which statement best describes the purpose of an institutional review board?
a. to give guidance on reducing potential harm to subjects
b. to determine if the proposed research is worthy of study
c. to turn violators of ethical principles over to the police
d. to make it difficult for any social science research to be completed
On a questionnaire, a respondent is asked: “What do you feel is the most important
crime problem facing the police in your city today?” Which type of question is being
asked?
a. closed-ended question
b. open-ended question
c. contingency question
d. matrix question
A study of violence in children’s programming requires counting the number of violent
acts in Saturday morning cartoons for an entire year. The unit of analysis being used for
this project is the ____.
a. social artifact
b. individual
c. group
d. organization
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
If a researcher tries to assess criminal victimization of the poor and disadvantaged,
which phrase is less biased than using the term “welfare” in her questionnaire?
a. assistance to the poor
b. the dole
c. the underclass
d. poverty
The idea that “the exception that proves the rule” is an example of _____.
a. inaccurate observation
b. overgeneralization
c. illogical reasoning
d. selective observation
Field research encompasses two different methods of obtaining data: making direct
observation and ___________________________________________
The two main ways of promoting compliance with ethical principles are
__________________ and ___________________.
Making observations in a more selective way helps to reduce error.
_______________ questionnaires are generally the least expensive and easiest to
complete.
Most explanatory social research uses a probabilistic model of causation.
As you review the research literature, you should make note of how other researchers
approach problems of interest, and consider whether the same designs will meet your
research objective.
__________ leads to misrepresentation and simplification of problems.
The UCR accounts for all types of crime, even those crimes that are not observed.
A(n) _______________ is an action taken for the purpose of producing some intended
result.
If a researcher cannot match a given response to a specific research subject, the research
can promise __________________.
In order to make sure that there was no long-term damage done to the participants of a
simulated prison, the researchers held ____________________ sessions with
“prisoners” and “guards” after the termination of the project.
When the researcher starts to identify too closely with the interests and viewpoints of
the participants, they are said to have ______________.
Specifying the different _______________ of a concept often paves the way for a more
sophisticated understanding of what we are studying.
Problem analysis takes place in the policymaking stage while ________ studies are
conducted in later stages.
A form of “pre-evaluation” called a(n) _______________ is designed to allow the
researcher to determine whether conditions necessary for conducting an evaluation are
present.
Mental images that we represent with words or symbols are known as
_______________.
The term _______________ refer to the basic question of what a policy action is trying
to achieve.
The semi-structured interview format allows asking a spontaneous question and
discovering a(n) _______________.