1. What general criticism is made against science as a method of inquiry, particularly in social sciences?

A. Science always achieves absolute truths B. Science cannot transcend its own limitations and ethics raises challenges science alone cannot solve C. Science ignores data D. Science is incompatible with mathematics

2. What is one of the main weaknesses of case studies in political science research?

A. They provide too much quantitative data B. Their findings often cannot be generalized to other cases C. They cannot describe any unique details D. They always require large sample sizes

3. What is a key strength of survey research in political science?

A. It allows in-depth study of individual cases B. It provides statistically significant data from large populations C. It completely eliminates sampling errors D. It always offers detailed qualitative insights

4. What ethical problem is highlighted by the Tuskegee Syphilis Study?

A. Misuse of public funds B. Withholding effective treatment for the sake of knowledge C. Overuse of statistical methods D. Failure to randomize the participants

5. Use of the term “behavioralists” in political science typically refers to:

A. Those who reject scientific methods B. Scholars who focus on empirical, observable political behavior using scientific methods C. Historians of political thought D. Politicians only

6. The "Material World: A Global Family Portrait" study illustrated that:

A. Income level has no relationship to family structure B. High-income societies generally have families with low birth rates, while low-income societies tend to have high birth rates and less gender equality C. All families are structured the same globally D. Low-income societies have fewer birth rates

7. How can survey research contribute positively to democracy according to Sidney Verba?

A. By restricting participation to only voters B. By providing a more accurate reflection of the popular will than some elections, if properly randomized C. By excluding minority opinions intentionally D. By focusing only on election outcomes rather than public opinion

8. What is an operational definition?

A. A vague explanation to avoid empirical testing B. A precise description that allows for empirical measurement of a concept C. A theoretical idea unrelated to measurements D. A summary statement of survey results

9. Why might a political scientist choose a case-study approach over surveys or experiments?

A. To measure broad quantitative data across populations B. To gain deep, detailed insight into a specific person, event, or phenomenon C. To avoid ethical considerations D. To conduct experimental tests with strict control groups

10. Which strength is associated with survey research?

A. Provides in-depth study of a single entity B. Allows for large amounts of information to be gathered and quantitatively assessed C. Eliminates all types of sampling errors D. Provides perfect control groups for hypothesis testing

11. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study has been cited as an example of:

A. Successful reconciliation between ethics and scientific pursuit B. Scientific pursuit overriding humanitarian ethics with harmful consequences C. A study that fully informed its participants D. A typical example of modern clinical trial ethics

12. What distinguishes a quasi-experiment from a true experiment?

A. Quasi-experiments use random control groups B. Quasi-experiments lack perfectly controlled experimental conditions C. Quasi-experiments use only qualitative data D. Quasi-experiments do not involve humans

13. What is the advantage of stratified random sampling in surveys?

A. Only one demographic group is selected B. It ensures representation from various demographic subgroups within the population C. It allows selective exclusion of minorities D. It focuses only on geographic location

14. What ethical issue does the Pentagon’s radiation experiment illustrate?

A. Secrets kept from the public without consequences B. Using vulnerable populations (cancer patients) as experimental subjects without informed consent C. Over-funding of scientific studies D. Lack of scientific rigor in military research

15. In survey research, what does “random sampling” ensure?

A. That only political elites are surveyed B. Equal probability of selection for each person in the population C. That the survey size is as large as possible D. That all questions are unbiased

16. How might survey questions influence responses?

A. By being always clearly worded B. Through the order and wording of questions, which can trigger certain thoughts or biases C. Because all people answer surveys identically regardless of question design D. By avoiding any controversial topics altogether

17. One reason scientists might choose case studies over other methods is:

A. To obtain representative samples B. To capture in-depth insights on specific individuals, events, or situations C. To quickly gather large amounts of data D. To avoid ethical concerns

18. What is one major ethical concern about experiments involving human subjects in political science?

A. Difficulty in obtaining funding B. Participants may alter behavior due to experimental conditions C. Experiments never produce significant results D. There is no ethical concern in experiments

19. How can the order of questions in a survey bias responses?

A. It never affects respondent answers B. Earlier questions can trigger thoughts that change how later questions are answered C. Respondents always answer each question independently D. Questions presented last are ignored

20. Why is science in political inquiry described as “limited”?

A. Because it is not systematic B. Because political phenomena are complex and human behavior may not be fully predictable C. Because politics is unrelated to human behavior D. Because no reliable data exists anywhere

21. Which of the following is true about political science survey research and voting behavior?

A. Surveys have no impact on elections B. Surveys can influence voter turnout and campaign strategies through the dissemination of results C. Surveys predict exact election outcomes D. Surveys replace elections entirely

22. What is one limitation of survey research compared to case studies?

A. Survey research cannot provide broad patterns of behavior B. Survey research lacks the conversational and in-depth probing of individual experiences C. Surveys are less quantitative than case studies D. Surveys do not require statistical analysis

23. How did the framing and wording of survey questions affect public opinions on gays and lesbians in the military?

A. There was no effect on public opinion B. Using "homosexual" yielded less support than "gay men and lesbians" C. Changing wording increased support consistently D. Wording made no difference in the results

24. What is a quasi-experiment?

A. An experiment with complete control over all variables B. A study where control groups are imperfect or absent but which still tests hypotheses under controlled conditions C. A survey that uses large random samples D. A purely theoretical analysis without empirical data

25. Why do political scientists argue that surveys can be more democratic than elections?

A. Because surveys always predict election outcomes correctly B. Because properly conducted surveys sample the entire population randomly, not just voters C. Because elections involve fake candidates D. Because surveys forbid voting errors

26. Which research approach is described as having the strength of "providing up-close, in-depth detail"?

A. Experiments B. Survey research C. Case studies D. Quantitative analysis

27. What ethical obligation might scientists have because science affects our lives?

A. To avoid all experiments B. To weigh the consequences of scientific discoveries and ensure they serve the common good C. To ignore public opinion D. To pursue knowledge without restraint

28. Which of the following best characterizes quantitative analysis?

A. Application of mathematical and statistical methods to study political phenomena B. Focus on personal narratives and anecdotes C. Use of only experimental data D. Exclusive use of historical case studies

29. How do experiments allow political scientists to test hypotheses?

A. By collecting qualitative data in natural settings B. By carefully controlling experimental conditions C. By analyzing historical documents D. By conducting surveys only

30. Why is quantitative analysis important in modern political science?

A. It depends entirely on undocumented data B. It relies on numerical data and can build on findings from prior research, especially with advances in information technology C. It rejects the use of mathematical techniques D. It only looks at individual case studies

31. Why might voter turnout data be problematic when compared across countries in quantitative analysis?

A. Voter turnout is always the same globally B. Different countries have varied political and cultural factors influencing turnout, making comparisons ambiguous C. Turnout data is only qualitative D. Turnout is irrelevant for political science

32. Why are case studies sometimes limited in their usefulness for general scientific theories?

A. They focus on large populations only B. They produce data bound to a specific time and context C. They rely solely on quantitative data D. They avoid complex details

33. What concern arises from surveys that allow respondents to select "I don’t know"?

A. It may produce more accurate responses B. It can alter the distribution of answers compared to yes/no options C. It simplifies data interpretation D. It increases response rates for all questions

34. Why is random sampling important in surveys?

A. It ensures each person has an equal chance of being selected, making results more reliable B. It guarantees all opinions will be favorable C. It focuses only on a specific subgroup in the population D. It requires no effort or expense to implement

35. Why can quantitative analysis sometimes produce ambiguous results?

A. Because it relies only on small sample sizes B. Due to differences in standards of data collection and measurement among various studies C. Because it eliminates comparison between different variables D. Because it ignores mathematical and statistical information

36. What does it mean when a survey result is statistically significant?

A. The finding is likely to have occurred by chance B. The finding is unlikely to have occurred by chance and is considered meaningful C. The survey was conducted on a small, non-random sample D. The survey questions were ambiguous

37. What is a challenge faced when using quantitative analysis based on previously collected data?

A. All datasets perfectly match in terms of definitions and methods B. Different datasets might have incompatible standards and contexts that limit valid comparisons C. Quantitative data is always free of bias D. There is no way to statistically test previously gathered data

38. How might the presence of “leading questions” affect survey results?

A. It has no effect B. Responses may be skewed or biased toward a certain outcome C. It improves accuracy D. It reduces response rates only

39. One limitation of quantitative analysis mentioned is:

A. It cannot handle large datasets B. It is difficult to compare findings across different studies due to varying conditions C. It provides only qualitative insights D. It cannot be applied to political phenomena

40. How is a variable defined in political science research?

A. A static element that never changes B. A factor that changes or manifests differently from case to case C. A random guess without basis in data D. A constant that defines the population always

41. What does the “Hawthorne effect” refer to in experimental research?

A. Participants behaving differently because they know they are being studied B. Random sampling errors C. Data fabrication by researchers D. The success of random experiments

42. Which is a common problem surveys face in producing reliable results?

A. Overuse of open-ended questions B. Non-random sampling leading to unrepresentative findings C. Collecting data from too many respondents D. Ignoring demographic characteristics entirely

43. What does correlation imply in political science research?

A. One variable definitely causes the other B. There is some relationship where changes in one variable accompany changes in another C. There is no relationship between variables D. Variables are unrelated but appear similar

44. What is a potential negative effect of public opinion polls mentioned?

A. They always reduce voter turnout B. They can shape or influence voting behavior and election outcomes C. They have no impact on political campaigns D. They rely only on small sample sizes

45. What is a major weakness of experiments in political science?

A. They cannot test hypotheses B. Participants may change their behavior due to awareness of being tested (Hawthorne effect) C. They lack any control over variables D. They do not collect measurable data

46. Why might survey questions produce unreliable results?

A. Because the respondents always lie B. Due to poorly worded or leading questions C. Because surveys are always biased toward a group D. Because surveys only collect qualitative data

47. What is a potential problem when comparing quantitative data collected under different conditions?

A. Results can be ambiguous or misleading without considering context B. Data is always comparable regardless of origin C. All datasets are equally reliable D. It is unnecessary to adjust for differing collection methods

48. What is a key limitation of experiments and quasi-experiments in political science?

A. They always have the perfect control group B. Participants may change behavior due to experimental conditions C. They allow no testing of hypotheses D. They yield only qualitative results

49. In the context of human experiments, what key conflict is highlighted by studies like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and radiation experiments?

A. Science and ethics may be in opposition when the pursuit of knowledge harms participants B. Science always prioritizes human welfare C. There are never any risks to human subjects in experiments D. Researchers are always transparent about funding sources

50. What ethical issue was central to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study?

A. Participants were unaware of their illness B. Researchers provided treatment too early to participants C. Penicillin treatment was withheld even when it became available, causing suffering and death D. The study was stopped prematurely due to lack of interest