Module 3 Review

What does 'informed consent' mean in social research?

• Asking participants to guess the purpose of the study

• Forcing participants to take part without their consent

• Lying to participants about the purpose of the study

• Telling participants exactly what is going to happen and asking for their willingness to take part

Answer explanation

'Informed consent' means clearly explaining the study's purpose and procedures to participants and obtaining their voluntary agreement to participate, ensuring they understand what to expect.

Why is confidentiality important in social research?

• To share personal data with others

• To identify the individual by name in the results

• To publish personal information of participants

• To keep personal information given by participants confidential

Answer explanation

Confidentiality is crucial in social research to protect participants' privacy. The correct choice emphasizes the importance of keeping personal information confidential, ensuring trust and ethical standards in research.

What should observational research studies respect when observing people in their natural environment?

• Respect the privacy and psychological well-being of the individuals studied

• Ignore the privacy and psychological well-being of the individuals studied

• Observe people without their consent

• Publish personal information of the individuals studied

Answer explanation

Observational research must respect the privacy and psychological well-being of individuals to ensure ethical standards are upheld. This protects participants and maintains the integrity of the research.

Last year I researched the pronunciation of different words to describe the population. What kind of research did I do?

• Qualitative

• Quantitative

• Engineering design

• Scientific method

• Primary sector

Answer explanation

The research focused on pronunciation, which involves subjective analysis of language and speech patterns. This type of research is categorized as qualitative, as it explores characteristics and descriptions rather than numerical data.

There is only one social research method that we can use.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The statement is false because there are multiple social research methods available, such as surveys, interviews, and observations. Each method serves different research purposes and contexts.

This year, I am collecting data on the ages of my community to make a statistical deduction about longevity. What kind of research am I doing?

• Qualitative

• Quantitative

• Engineering design

• Scientific method

• Primary sector

Answer explanation

You are conducting quantitative research because you are collecting numerical data (ages) to analyze and make statistical deductions about longevity in your community.

True or False: The literature review helps researchers gain a broad understanding of work previously conducted on the topic at hand and enables them to position their own research to build on prior knowledge.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

True. A literature review provides researchers with a comprehensive overview of existing studies, allowing them to understand the context of their work and how it can contribute to and build upon prior knowledge.

In research, _____ are the cause of the change and the _____ is the effect, or thing that is changed.

• dependent variables, independent variables

• independent variables, dependent variables

Answer explanation

In research, independent variables are the factors that cause changes, while dependent variables are the outcomes that are affected. Therefore, the correct answer is independent variables, dependent variables.

_____ refers to how well the study measures what it was designed to measure.

• Reliability

• Validity

• Measurability

• Informed Consent

Answer explanation

Validity refers to how accurately a study measures what it intends to measure. It ensures that the results are meaningful and applicable to the intended context.

_____ refers to how likely research results are to be replicated if the study is reproduced.

• Reliability
• Validity

• Confidentiality

• Repeatability

Answer explanation

Reliability refers to the consistency of research results over time. If a study is replicated and yields similar results, it demonstrates high reliability, indicating that the findings are likely to be trustworthy.