Page 74 - Sociology and You

44 Unit 1 Sociological Perspectives
Sometimes field research requires going undercover, something that occurred in the movie Never Been Kissed (starring Drew Barrymore, pictured here with fans of the movie). When this happens in real life, however, sociologists have a responsibility to make sure they meet the standards of the Code of Ethics.
Section 1 Assessment
Match terms a–e with statements 1–5.
1. selected on the basis of chance, so that each member of a population has an equal opportunity of being selected
2. all those people with the characteristics the researcher wants to study within the context of a particular research question
3. a limited number of cases drawn from the larger population
4. a sample that has basically the same relevant characteristics as the population
a. population
b. representative
sample c. random
sample d. sample
e. survey
5. the research method in which people are asked to answer a series of questions
6. Provide an example of using precollected data.
7. For what reasons would you use participant observation instead of a
survey?
Critical Thinking
8. Analyzing Information Do you think that selecting a sample of three thousand individuals could yield an accurate picture of the eating habits of Americans? Why or why not?
9. Drawing Conclusions You are a sociologist who wants to see if receiving welfare benefits affects long-term job commitment. Describe the research method you would use. Why is the method you chose the best for this topic?
10. Synthesizing Information Suggest several areas in your own school
or community where field research could be used for a research project.