BA Social Sciences Foundation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'hypothesis' in social science research?
- A testable prediction about the relationship between variables (Correct answer)
- A proven scientific law
- A summary of past research findings
- A list of questions for an interview
Correct answer: A testable prediction about the relationship between variables
A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction that states the expected relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable.
Question 2: Which research method involves collecting numerical data that can be statistically analyzed?
- Quantitative research (Correct answer)
- Ethnographic research
- Case study research
- Narrative inquiry
Correct answer: Quantitative research
Quantitative research uses numerical data, statistical analysis, and measurable variables to test hypotheses and identify patterns across large samples.
Question 3: What does 'correlation' mean in social science statistics?
- A statistical relationship between two variables, not necessarily causal (Correct answer)
- Proof that one variable causes another
- Two variables that are completely unrelated
- A research method using focus groups
Correct answer: A statistical relationship between two variables, not necessarily causal
Correlation measures the degree to which two variables change together, but does not establish that one causes the other—a critical distinction in social science.
Question 4: In anthropology, what is 'cultural relativism'?
- Understanding a culture on its own terms without imposing outside judgments (Correct answer)
- The belief that one's own culture is superior
- The study of cultural change over time
- A method of comparing two cultures quantitatively
Correct answer: Understanding a culture on its own terms without imposing outside judgments
Cultural relativism is the methodological principle that a culture should be understood and evaluated in its own context, not judged by the standards of another culture.
Question 5: Which document established the foundational framework for US federalism?
- The US Constitution (Correct answer)
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Federalist Papers alone
- The Articles of Confederation
Correct answer: The US Constitution
The US Constitution, ratified in 1788, established the federal system that divides governmental powers between national and state governments.
Question 6: What does GDP (Gross Domestic Product) measure?
- The total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country in a given period (Correct answer)
- The total value of a country's exports only
- The average income of a country's citizens
- The national debt of a country
Correct answer: The total monetary value of all goods and services produced within a country in a given period
GDP is the broadest measure of a nation's economic output, representing the total monetary value of all goods and services produced domestically in a specific time period.
BA Social Sciences Foundation 2
What is a 'hypothesis' in social science research?