SCC Sociological Practice 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which research method involves a sociologist living within a community to observe its daily life firsthand?
- Content analysis
- Participant observation (Correct answer)
- Structured interviews
- Secondary data analysis
Correct answer: Participant observation
Participant observation requires the researcher to immerse themselves in the group being studied to gather direct, contextual data.
Question 2: In sociological practice, what does 'informed consent' primarily protect?
- The researcher's academic credentials
- The funding body's interests
- Research participants' autonomy and rights (Correct answer)
- The validity of quantitative data
Correct answer: Research participants' autonomy and rights
Informed consent ensures participants voluntarily agree to take part after being fully briefed on the study's purpose and risks.
Question 3: A sociologist studying workplace inequality uses company payroll records she did not collect herself. This is an example of:
- Primary data collection
- Ethnography
- Secondary data analysis (Correct answer)
- Grounded theory
Correct answer: Secondary data analysis
Secondary data analysis involves using data originally gathered for another purpose or by another party.
Question 4: Which concept describes a researcher's personal values influencing the interpretation of findings?
- Reflexivity (Correct answer)
- Replication
- Operationalization
- Triangulation
Correct answer: Reflexivity
Reflexivity is the process by which researchers critically examine how their own background and perspective shape their research.
Question 5: Applied sociology differs from academic sociology primarily in that it:
- Relies exclusively on quantitative methods
- Focuses on producing actionable solutions to real-world problems (Correct answer)
- Avoids any theoretical frameworks
- Is conducted only within government agencies
Correct answer: Focuses on producing actionable solutions to real-world problems
Applied sociology uses sociological knowledge and methods to address practical social issues rather than solely advancing theoretical understanding.
Question 6: When a researcher tests the same group before and after an intervention, this design is called a:
- Cross-sectional study
- Case study
- Pre-test/post-test design (Correct answer)
- Snowball sample
Correct answer: Pre-test/post-test design
A pre-test/post-test design measures changes in the same subjects before and after exposure to a variable or program.
Question 7: Which ethical principle requires that identifying information about participants not be disclosed without their permission?
- Beneficence
- Confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Parsimony
- Replication
Correct answer: Confidentiality
Confidentiality obligates researchers to protect participants' personal information from unauthorized disclosure.
SCC Sociological Practice 2
Which research method involves a sociologist living within a community to observe its daily life firsthand?