Question

Hilary wants to know whether women are getting paid the same amount of money as men for work. She asks men and women in several business firms for information about their salaries. What research method is Hilary using?

a) Experimental research
b) Survey research
c) Observational research
d) Case study research

Answer 1

Hilary is using survey research as she collects data by asking individuals to provide information about their salaries through a questionnaire or verbal inquiry.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hilary is utilizing survey research by asking men and women in several business firms to provide information about their salaries. This method involves collecting data from a sample of individuals through their responses to questions. This approach can be seen in the example of the sociologist who mails questionnaires to a sample of employed adult women to gather their opinions on government funding for day care. Survey research is characterized by the solicitation of participants' direct responses to questionnaires, as opposed to observational research, where the researcher would observe without direct interaction, or an experimental research setup, which requires the manipulation of variables in a controlled environment.