Critical thinking on homework

Question 1

Do women live longer than men?
The dependent variable is death. The life span of individuals depends on several factors. As years go by the age of an individual goes up and death comes nearer. The independent variable is gender.

The gender of an individual is fixed and does not change with age.

The kind of data needed to answer this question is ratio comparing the age at which most men die to that at which most women die. This kind of information can be obtained by visiting hospitals and inquiring the records of patients who die in a year (National Institutes of Health 2000). It can also be obtained by interviewing members of the society. However, the information obtained must be of people who died mostly because of aging. By paying a close attention to the data, one will be able to determine which gender lives for long.

Question 2

A good research question is normally informed by theoretical foundation. A question such as, “ Are men better drivers than women?” can actually create a hot debate. The kind of beliefs that one holds will determine how they will argue it out (Kirby 2007). Each party will pull the argument to their side. In trying to answer the question, a conflict may arise as to which gender can drive best. However, gender does not make the difference when it comes to driving. The conflict will definitely favor men. Driving depends on the kind of experience and exposure that one has. Some men are good drivers and so do some women. In most societies, roles are divided according to gender. However, gender alone cannot be used to determine one’s ability to perform a task. Gender equality is slowly being achieved in various societies and within no time it will be a reality.

References

Kirby, M. (2007). Sociology in perspective. Oxford: Heinemann.
National Institutes of Health (U. S.). (2000). Why do women live longer than men?. Bethesda, Md: National Institutes of Health.