Deck 5: Developing a Research Proposal

Question 1

In thinking critically about your ideas for research projects you should think about the kinds of problems you would encounter trying to develop these ideas into research projects, and think about whether or not you would be able to overcome these problems.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

One of the most critical steps in any research project is the process of limiting its scope.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The research project, expressed in one sentence, stated as a question or a statement, captures all of the key concepts and issues in the project and also contains an expression of the methodology to be used in the research.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

It is not really possible to finally outline a research statement for a research project until you have undertaken some reading of the literature.

Question 5

The researcher starts working on the literature review by developing a search strategy for literature using key words taken from the key concepts in the conceptual framework.

Question 6

When you are trying to develop an idea for a research project the important thing is that you take some action, and actively engage with the development of your research project.

Question 7

It is important not to become too attached to an idea for a research project until you have been given some indication that, in general, the idea you are developing is viable, and that your proposed research idea is acceptable.

Question 8

It is important to understand clearly the difference between research ideas and research projects. You research idea is the broad area within which you want to conduct your research. Your research project is your carefully defined and refined research statement or question.

Question 9

It is important when beginning a research project to be very clear on the standard expected, the scope or the size of the project, and any expectations or requirements in terms of populations, methodologies and data gathering techniques. You must also know the word count for the project, if there is an official word count.

Question 10

Every research idea needs to be properly defined and refined in order to develop from it a viable research project.

Question 11

The conceptual framework for the research project is contained in the very well conceptualised research statement/question.

Question 12

The conceptual framework for the research project, contained in the well-conceptualised research statement/question, gives the researcher direction in terms of their reading for the literature review.

Question 13

As a social science researcher the first thing you need to be able to do is to generate ideas for research projects.

Question 14

It is important that the researcher creates for themselves an acceptable research project that is meaningful to them, and which they can comfortably accomplish within the time constraints of the project.

Question 15

The conceptual framework is the second framework in the four frameworks approach to the research project.

Question 16

A sample literature review is a sample, or a small example, of the actual or proposed literature review.

Question 17

The simple research project the researcher outlines at the start becomes very complex, through the researchers engagement with the literature, through the development of the methodological framework for the research and through the analysis of the data gathered for the research.

Question 18

The first framework of the four frameworks approach to the research project is the theoretical framework.

Question 19

The research statement or question, the conceptual framework for the research project, drives every element of the research process.

Question 20

Spidergrams are a good way of exploring ideas and developing ideas.

Question 21

When you are familiar with the literature, you can then create and develop a useful research project, one that makes a meaningful contribution to knowledge.

Question 22

A synopsis of the methodology is presented in the research proposal.

Question 23

The methodological framework for the research project is the fourth framework in the four frameworks approach to the research project.

Question 24

The different elements of the methodological framework included in the research proposal are: a statement of the research methodology to be used and a justification for the choice of methodology; detail of the population of the study, the sample and sampling method, if a sample is used; and an explanation of the proposed data collection methods. The issues of validity and reliability are explored and there is an engagement generally with the concept of triangulation.

Question 25

The model of the research process shows that the first step in the research process is:

A) The idea for the research project.
C) .Learning about data analysis
B) Deciding on how to gather data.
D) Seeking permissions.

Question 26

'Ideas' are simply:

A) Not my forté.
C) The preserve of very bright individuals.
B) New ways of thinking about things.
D) Not important.

Question 27

It is important to think critically about your research, most importantly you should ask yourself if your research project is:

A) Researchable.
C) Going to make you popular or unpopular.
B) Politically correct.
D) Complex enough.

Question 28

The second step in the research process is:

A) Seeking permissions.
B) The task of refining the idea for the reseach project.
C) Deciding on how to gather data.
D) Learning about data analysis.

Question 29

Ideas for good research projects are:

A) Developed from protracted discussions with lecturers.
B) Rare.
C) The preserve of great scholars.
D) Everywhere.

Question 30

Critical analysis is:

A) The work of great scientists.
B) A negative appraisal of any phenomenon.
C) A questioning analytical approach to any phenomenon.
D) Complex and difficult work.

Question 31

Your research project is:

A) The broad area within which you want to situate your research.
B) The product of the vague thinking you have about your research.
C) The idea that you have for your research.
D) Your well defined, well conceptualised research statement or question.

Question 32

A research project is researchable if:

A) It is politically correct.
B) You have the time and money needed to carry it out, and if you have access to the data required.
C) It is complex enough.
D) You think that you would like to undertake it.

Question 33

Your idea for your research project is properly expressed in:

A) Your very well conceptualised research statement or question.
B) Your conversations with your research supervisor.
C) Your literature review.
D) The conclusions you draw from your research.

Question 34

You carefully defined and refined research statement or question is the conceptual framework for your research project. It contains:

A) The literature review you develop for your research project.
B) The methodological framework for the research project.
C) The main conclusions you draw from your research.
D) All of the key ideas, all of the key concepts of your research project.

Question 35

Your research idea is:

A) The last step in the research process.
B) The product of the vague thinking you have about your research project.
C) The broad area within which you want to situate your research.
D) Your well defined, well conceptualised research statement or question.

Question 36

The research statement or question, the conceptual framework for the research drives:

A) The researcher in the work of carrying out the research.
B) The relationship between the researcher and her/his supervisor.
C) Every element of the research process.
D) The process of gaining approval for the research.

Question 37

Developing your capacity to think in new ways will:

A) Make you innovative.
C) Confuse you.
B) Exhaust you.
D) Distract you.

Question 38

The process of refining the idea should result in you being able to:

A) Secure permissions for the study.
B) Secure approval for the study.
C) Secure ethical approval for the study.
D) State your research project in one sentence, as a statement or a question.

Question 39

Until you have undertaken reading around a topic, you cannot know what is known, and what is not known on a topic, and consequently you cannot know where you should place the emphasis in your own research.

Question 40

The problem should not be of having no ideas, the problem should be:

A) Knowing how to generate ideas.
C) Knowing where to begin.
B) Deciding which idea to focus on.
D) One of generating enough ideas.

Question 41

Objectives are not additional aims. They are the:

A) The fundamental structure of the methodological framework.
B) The basic elements of the analytical framework.
C) The political ends the researcher wishes to accomplish with the research.
D) Steps that the researcher takes in order to accomplish the aim of the research.

Question 42

Sometimes conceptualising the objectives of the research project can take as long as:

A) Two months.
B) Writing the literature review
C) Writing the aim of the research.
D) Conceptualising the research statement or question.

Question 43

What are spidergrams and what are they used for?

Question 44

The conceptual framework for the research project, contained in the well conceptualised research statement or question, gives the researcher:

A) Direction in terms of their reading for the literature review.
B) Confidence to conduct the research.
C) Faith in the research.
D) A complex start to the research project.

Question 45

This simple approach of re-stating the well-conceptualised research statement or question as the aim of the research project helps to:

A) Cut down on the work of research.
B) Maintain the focus of the research.
C) Shorten the time needed for the research.
D) Ensure that the research project is researchable.

Question 46

For the sake of simplicity and clarity, you can restate your research statement/question as:

A) The aim of the research.
C) As your methodological framework.
B) Your literature review.
D) As your analytical framework.

Question 47

The objectives of the research flow from:

A) The aim of the research.
B) The consciousness of the researcher.
C) The research idea.
D) Protracted discussions between the researcher and their supervisor.

Question 48

In general it is a good idea to have no less than two objectives and no more than:

A) Ten
C) Six.
B) Twenty
D) Thirty

Question 49

It is important not to be too ambitious when designing a research project, remember:

A) It is not good to be seen to be overly ambitious.
B) The researcher must accomplish what they set out to accomplish.
C) The researcher always wants to understate their research.
D) The researcher always wants to be modest regarding their research.

Question 50

Outline the first three steps of the research process.

Question 51

What is a research proposal?

Question 52

The theoretical framework is contained in:

A) The aim and objectives outlined for the research.
B) The methodology devised for the research.
C) The data analysis developed from data gathered for the research.
D) The literature review.

Question 53

The second framework of the four frameworks approach to the research project is:

A) The conceptual framework.
C) The methodological framework.
B) The theoretical framework.
D) The analytical framework.