Types of Data and Evidence in Sociology

Which source is primary data in sociology research?

• An encyclopedia article on surveys

• A textbook summarizing classic studies

• A government yearbook of statistics

• A diary written by participants last week

Which statement best describes secondary data?

• Collected firsthand by the researcher

• Always more valid than primary

• Already exists from earlier research

• Always numerical and statistical

During a typical research process, what is the first step listed?

• Publish conclusions immediately

• Compare graphs with new surveys

• Study existing published research

• Collect new interview responses

Which is a limitation of secondary data mentioned?

• Designed exactly for current purpose

• Contains accumulated topic knowledge

• Usually free and accessible online

• May be outdated or hard to filter

Which example is qualitative data?

• Official statistics from census charts

• Survey counts of school absences

• A table of test score averages

• Interview transcripts about motivations

Positivists and interpretivists prefer different data. Which pairing is correct?

• Neither group prefers any data type

• Positivists—quantitative; interpretivists—qualitative

• Both prefer qualitative over quantitative

• Positivists—qualitative; interpretivists—quantitative

Which strength belongs to quantitative data?

• Hard to compare or find patterns

• Provides in-depth meanings and detail

• Respondent-led with little researcher imposition

• More reliable and replicable procedures

A researcher wants deep understanding of a small group’s motivations. Which data type is most suitable?

• Primary with official statistics tables

• Secondary with old magazine articles

• Qualitative with interviews and diaries

• Quantitative with standardized forms

Which example best fits hard statistics produced by governments?

• Crime rate decisions by police policy

• Number of births recorded each year

• Public opinions gathered in surveys

• Unemployment rate after policy changes

What is a key difference between hard and soft statistics?

• Hard are opinions; soft are numbers

• Hard change often; soft never change

• Hard are objective; soft involve decisions

• Hard are private; soft are secret