M.A. Comprehensive Examination in Methodology

Department of Sociology

Sample Exam Questions:

1. Choose two of the methods listed below. Answer questions a—e for each of the three.

Case Study

Content Analysis

Experimental Method

Face-to-Face Interview

Focus Group

Forced-Choice Item Survey (mailed)

Participant Observation

Reanalysis of Extant Data

a. Briefly describe/define the two methods you have chosen.

b. Identify at least one important strength for each of these two methods.

c. Identify at least one important weakness for each of these two methods.

d. For each of these two methods, give a concrete example of a specific research situation in which that method would be the most appropriate choice explain why it would be the most appropriate methodolocial choice for the situation.

e. For each of these two methods, give a concrete example of a specific research situation in which that method would inappropriate as a choice explain why it would be inappropriate as a methodological choice for the situation.

2. Consider concepts listed below. Answer questions a-d for each of these three concepts:

Reliability Generalizability Validity

a. Thoroughly define each of these three concepts.

b. Give a detailed concrete example of how a researcher could address the problematic nature of reliability in a research project based on participant observation.

c. Give a detailed concrete explanation of how a researcher could address the problematic nature of generalizability in a research project based on face-to-face interviews OR focus groups.

d. Give a detailed concrete explanation of how a researcher could address the problematic nature of validity in a research project based on a closedlforced choice item survey.

Section II. Methodological Design Issues

Contemporary research in the Sociology of Work has ALREADY documented the findings referred to in questions 3 and 4. You are to accept these findings as established and think about how to explain them. Answer all parts of either question A or B. Use concrete examples. Avoid vagueness.

3.

a. Provide a testable hypothesis to EXPLAIN this finding:

Even though money is NOT a factor, married men whose wives work outside the home express higher levels of satisfaction than men whose wives do not work outside the home.

b. Write a 1-paragraph synopsis of a research project designed to test your hypothesis to EXPLAIN this finding:

4.

a. Provide a testable hypothesis to EXPLAIN this finding:

Women in professional positions exhibit high levels ofjob satisfaction DESPITE the fact that they are paid less and enjoy fewer promotions than their male counterparts.

b. Write a 1-paragraph synopsis of a research project designed to test your hypothesis to EXPLAIN this finding:

5. There are various quantitative measures used in sociology. Consider the index and the scale.

a. Describe the difference between an index and a scale.

b. Give an example of an index by making up 3 questionnaire items that measure attitudes

toward a social issue (e.g. abortion, cigarette smoking, death penalty, euthanasia, etc.).

c. Give an example of a scale by making up 3 questionnaire items that measure attitudes toward a social issue (e.g. abortion, cigarette smoking, death penalty, euthanasia, etc.).

d. Use hypothetical responses (make up data for this purpose) and show how you would interpret the results of the scale and the results of the index.

6. In testing Durkheim’s theory of anomic suicide, Jose hypothesized that individuals who have moved frequently (defined as at least twice in the past four years) are more likely to be high in anomie than those who have moved less frequently. Tina disagreed, saying that gender is the most important factor. Her hypothesis is that, regardless of the frequency of mobility, men are more anomic than women. Answer the following questions based on the data from a national random sample below (n = 800).

a. Which hypothesis is best supported by the data? Explain and justify your answer. Cite all relevant statistics in support of your conclusion.

b. Critically evaluate the adequacy of the data with (a) a test of significance, and (b) a measure of association in this study.

c. Recommend additional and/or alternative procedures (e.g., new data and statistics) that may provide a better test of these hypotheses.

Respondents’Gender Anomie Respondents Moved in the Past 4 Years

Female Less than Twice At Least Twice

Low 37.8% 31.2%

Moderate 32.2% 32.0%

High 30.0% 36.8%

Total 100% 100%

X²=139;df=2;p=.5O;Cramer V =.09

Male

Low 34.0% 27.3%

Moderate 33.4% 30.4%

High 32.6% 42.3%

Total 100% 100%

2^x = 7.82; df=2; p=.02; Cramer’sV .215