Deck 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of a researchable topic?

A) Should homeschoolers include their children in cooperative schools for high school level courses?
B) Are homeschooled students happier than are students in traditional schools?
C) Should homeschooled students be included in our district's prom planning committee?
D) Are there differences in achievement test scores between those homeschooled for part of the day or not at all in our district?

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Jack just read an interesting study regarding middle school children's use of computer-animated simulations to learn introductory chemistry. Although he is a physics professor he wants to see if the benefits of simulations are also found in college physics learners. Jack's research topic is best described as a study that

A) tests theory.
B) is a replication.
C) is developed thorough library search.
D) comes from personal experiences.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Dabir is an educational psychologist. He needs a thesis topic. He approaches his advisor and tells her he wants to do a study on help-seeking in college students. His advisor sends him away to think some more. Of the following what is the most likely reason?

A) The topic is not ethical.
B) The topic is too narrow.
C) The topic is too broad.
D) The topic is not significant.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Sarah is really excited about her research topic. There are many homeschoolers in her state and she wants to research if homeschoolers should hire professional educators to assist them with curriculum development. Of the following, which is the most important problem with Sarah's topic as currently developed?

A) It is not researchable.
B) It is not ethical.
C) It is not of interest to Sarah.
D) It is not relevant to educational theory or practice.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a researchable topic?

A) Should children who are in the primary grades be allowed to walk to school?
B) Are children in the primary grades best taught to read by home-based experiences
C) Are there differences in the amount of time spent reading in classrooms of non-native speakers?
D) Should teachers hold parent teacher conference?

Question 6

Jill is a history teacher interested in whether differences exist in motivation to study history between students who are taught concepts sequentially through time and those who are taught concepts by geographic region. Jill's research topic is best described as a study that

A) tests theory.
B) is a replication.
C) is developed thorough library search.
D) comes from personal experiences.

Question 7

One drawback of initial research topics is that they are often

A) not relevant.
B) too broad.
C) too narrow.
D) not ethical.

Question 8

Haider is a master's student deciding on his thesis topic. He approaches his advisor and pitches the idea of exploring the use of teacher feedback on subsequent self-confidence. He wants to erroneously tell students they performed poorly on a series of assignments and then examine changes in self-confidence. His advisor is skeptical and asks him to think about ways to tweak the topic. Of the following what is the most likely reason?

A) The study is not ethical.
B) The study is too narrow.
C) The study is not significant.
D) The study is too broad.

Question 9

According to your text the first step in applying the scientific method is

A) searching the existing literature.
B) generating and testing a hypothesis.
C) selecting and defining a research topic.
D) drawing conclusions from data.

Question 10

An organized body of concepts, generalizations, and principles defines

A) a theory.
B) a hypothesis.
C) an experiment.
D) a model.

Question 11

Amanda must complete a research proposal for educational research class and does not yet have a research topic. She asks you for advice about how to 'figure out' her topic. Which of the following strategies, based upon your text, would you suggest?

A) Ask other students in the class what they are doing their topics on and pick one of those.
B) Go to the library and look through journals until you come up with a good one.
C) Consider what interests you related to educational practice and start there.
D) Search the internet with a keyword search 'education' until you get a topic.

Question 12

The first step in selecting a topic is

A) going to the library and searching.
B) asking an authority for opinion.
C) selecting a topic related to your interest and expertise.
D) reading theories and determining which to examine further

Question 13

Of the following, which is a quantitative research topic?

A) The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of first year principals.
B) This study describes the decision making process of school board members during redistricting.
C) The goals of this study are to report what nurse practitioner-teachers should do to prepare today's nurses.
D) This study tests the effects of a new alternative education program on students' self-esteem.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good research topic?

A) The topic has theoretical or practical significance.
B) The topic can be investigated through the collection and analysis of data.
C) The topic can be investigated within a year.
D) The topic of research is ethical.

Question 15

Chyna is conducting a study with college students reading science texts that explores the role of interest apart from knowledge as articulated in Patriticia Alexander's Model of Domain Learning. Chyna's topic is best described as a study that

A) tests theory.
B) is a replication.
C) is developed from a library search.
D) comes from personal experiences.

Question 16

Based upon your textbook's discussion, overview sources such as handbooks in a particular area of research can best assist you in

A) selecting a topic you will consider for further study.
B) narrowing a topic you are considering for further research.
C) developing a theoretical basis for a study you have conducted.
D) determining the best methodology for a study you have designed.

Question 17

Paola is a ninth grade mathematics teacher. She is interested in the role of accommodation in learning geometry. She designs a study that examines this Piagetian concept in practice. The source of her study is best described as a study that

A) tests theory.
B) is a replication.
C) is developed thorough library search.
D) comes from personal experiences.

Question 18

Tito is an instructional design student. He needs a thesis topic. He in interested in the use of discussion boards for distance education. He approaches his advisor and the advisor sends him away to think some more. Of the following what is the most likely reason?

A) The topic is not ethical.
B) The topic is too narrow.
C) The topic is too broad.
D) The topic is not significant.

Question 19

A study conducted to extend the findings of previous research is termed an) ______________ study.

A) generalization
B) replication
C) application
D) extension

Question 20

According to your text the first step in identifying a topic is to

A) go to the library and hand-search the journals.
B) read as many empirical studies as you can.
C) select something of interest to you.
D) ask your advisor or colleagues for ideas.

Question 21

Lindsay studies community and school relationships. She is currently working on a qualitative study in a rural school district. Which of the following is likely true of her study?

A) Her hypothesis were stated prior to the start of data collection.
B) Her hypothesis determined her data collection procedures.
C) Her hypothesis were generated while she collected data.
D) Her hypothesis may be rejected after data collection.

Question 22

To operationalize a variable means to ___________ the variable.

A) manipulate
B) control
C) define
D) mediate

Question 23

Identify the independent variable in the following hypothesis. Children who are given a free breakfast at school perform better on achievement tests and are more motivated for school than are those children who are not given breakfast.

A) achievement tests
B) free breakfast
C) children
D) motivation

Question 24

Stephanie has a research topic for her class paper. She wants to study the effects of alphabetic seating compared to other forms of class structure. She can find no research that addresses this topic. Her research advisor is likely to suggest which of the following strategies for her study.

A) Pick a new topic. Seating arrangements in classrooms are not of educational relevance.
B) Narrow her topic. It is too broad.
C) Expand the topic to include different types of class structure.
D) Pick a new topic. Seating arrangements are unethical to study.

Question 25

Which of the following is a null hypothesis for the research topic Are there differences in final class grades between students who are taught psychology in a lecture format or self-paced?

A) There are differences in final class grade between students taught psychology in lecture versus self-paced format.
B) There are no differences in final class grade between students taught psychology in lecture versus self-paced format.
C) Students taught psychology in lecture format receive higher class grades than those in self-paced conditions.
D) Students in self-paced conditions have higher class grades in psychology than those in lecture classes.

Question 26

Which of the following is a nondirectional hypothesis?

A) There are no differences in reading comprehension between those taught a summarization strategy and those not taught the strategy.
B) Readers who are taught a summarizing strategy have higher reading comprehension scores than those not taught the strategy.
C) Readers taught a summarizing strategy have lower reading comprehension scores than those who were not taught the strategy.
D) There are differences in reading comprehension between readers who are taught a summarizing strategy and those who are not taught the strategy.

Question 27

Given this hypothesis answer the following two questions. Ninth grade students enrolled in large classes who are taught algebra through the use of interleaved worked examples for each lesson perform better on an end of course test than are those taught with a single modeled example for each lesson.
The dependent variable in the above stated hypothesis is:

A) Type of instruction.
B) Ninth grade students.
C) Algebra.
D) End of course test.

Question 28

The hypothesis statement, Children in elementary school who exercise at least 5 hours a week are more popular in school than children who do not exercise at least 5 hours a week, illustrates which type of hypothesis statement?

A) Null hypothesis
B) Nondirectional
C) Directional
D) Correlational

Question 29

Of the following, which is a quantitative research topic?

A) The purpose of the study is to study the characteristics of female students in advanced mathematics courses.
B) The purpose of this study is to examine relationships between future career goals and enrollment in advanced mathematics courses.
C) This study examines what teachers should do to enroll more female students in advanced mathematics courses.
D) The goals of this research were to describe two female students' experiences in advanced mathematics.

Question 30

Of the following which is NOT a characteristic of a good hypothesis statement?

A) It is testable within a reasonable time frame.
B) It is supported by everyday experiences and intuition.
C) It provides a reasonable explanation for the predicted outcome.
D) It clearly states the expected relationship between the defined variables.

Question 31

Which type of hypothesis involves making generalizations from observations?

A) Inductive
B) Deductive
C) Null
D) Speculative

Question 32

Which of the following is a non-directional hypothesis?

A) There are no differences in motivation between students who are given a free breakfast at school and those students who are not given breakfast at school.
B) There are differences in motivation between students who are given a free breakfast at school and those students who are not given breakfast at school.
C) Children given breakfast at school are more motivated than children who are not given breakfast at school.
D) Children given breakfast at school are less motivated than children who are not given breakfast at school.

Question 33

Given this hypothesis answer the following two questions. Ninth grade students enrolled in large classes who are taught algebra through the use of interleaved worked examples for each lesson perform better on an end of course test than are those taught with a single modeled example for each lesson.
The independent variable in the above stated hypothesis is:

A) Type of instruction.
B) Ninth grade students.
C) Algebra.
D) End of course test.

Question 34

Given this hypothesis answer the following two questions. Middle school students in an urban school who are trained in discussion techniques perform better on written tests of persuasive essays than those students who are not trained in discussion techniques.
The dependent variable in the above stated hypothesis is:

A) Urban school.
B) Training in discussion techniques.
C) Persuasive essay tests.
D) Middle school students.

Question 35

Of the following, which is a quantitative research topic?

A) The purpose of this study is to examine how teacher's should help students during office hours.
B) The purpose of the study is to explore the experiences of students who seek help from faculty during office hours.
C) The purpose of this study is to compare the grades of students who go to office hours and those who do not.
D) The purpose of this study is to suggest how many office hours faculty should hold each week.

Question 36

Which of the following is a nondirectional hypothesis for the research topic, Are there differences in end of course biology test grades between those who use simulated labs and those who use traditional labs?

A) There are differences in end of course biology test grades between those taught through the use of simulated versus traditional labs.
B) There are no differences in end of course biology test grades between those taught through the use of simulated versus traditional labs.
C) Those taught in simulated labs perform better on end of course biology tests than those taught in traditional labs.
D) Those taught in traditional labs perform better on end of course biology tests than those in simulated labs.

Question 37

The hypothesis statement, There are no differences in long term achievement between those who are taught through a face-to-face only class and those who are taught through blended instruction, illustrates which type of hypothesis statement?

A) Null hypothesis
B) Nondirectional
C) Directional
D) Correlational

Question 38

Pedro studies inclusion. He needs to generate a directional hypothesis for his study. Which of the following is an appropriate research hypothesis for Pedro.

A) Children who are fully included do not learn in school.
B) There are no differences in student learning between children who are fully included and those who are not.
C) There are differences in learning between children who are fully included and those who are not.
D) Children who are fully included learn more than children who are not fully included.

Question 39

Of the following which is NOT part of a research topic?

A) The data collection procedures.
B) The background of the topic.
C) The significance of the study.
D) The limitations of the study.

Question 40

Given this hypothesis answer the following two questions. Middle school students in an urban school who are trained in discussion techniques perform better on written tests of persuasive essays than those students who are not trained in discussion techniques.
The independent variable in the above stated hypothesis is:

A) Urban school.
B) Training in discussion techniques.
C) Persuasive essay tests.
D) Middle school students.

Question 41

Given the hypothesis statement: Those students enrolled in instrumental music programs experience less transition anxiety as they enter middle school in a large urban district than do those students not enrolled in instrumental music programs.
The dependent variable in this study is:

A) Middle school students
B) Urban district
C) Transition anxiety
D) Instrumental music programs

Question 42

Of the following, which is most likely addressed as a quantitative research topic?

A) The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between IQ score and Post-graduate GPA.
B) The purpose of the study is to describe the typical day of a high school history teacher.
C) The current study shares a summary of the coping strategies used by a n ADHD student in an inclusion classroom.
D) This work shares the history of the events that led to consolidation of two local rural high schools.

Question 43

This hypothesis statement can best be classified as which type of hypothesis statement?

A) Null
B) Directional
C) Correlational
D) Nondirectional

Question 44

Which of the following is an example of a researchable topic?

A) Should we teach children formal reading skills before they enter school?
B) Is there a relationship between SES and children's amount of reading in the home?
C) Are high school students best served by taking numerous electives or a core curriculum?
D) Should all children be exposed to exercise at school daily?

Question 45

-47. Dom investigates how students with processing disorders read web pages. In a previous study, he found that elementary learning disabled students with processing disorders read web pages from top to bottom. In this current study he is testing how high school students read web pages.

Question 46

Of the following, which is the best example of a qualitative research topic?

A) The purpose of the study is to assess learning gains in students enrolled in a summer reading program.
B) This work addresses gender differences in spatial reasoning.
C) This study extends previous research on relations between student's decision-making and creativity.
D) The goal of this study is to describe experiences of transgendered adolescents.

Question 47

Candace is conducting a research study and is having trouble with her variable 'self-concept' she decides to define self-concept as one's beliefs about one's capabilities in a given domain. She will measure it using a common Likert-type scale. Candace is engaging in which of the following research tasks?

A) Generating hypothesis
B) Operationalizing variables
C) Defining a sample
D) Interpreting findings

Question 48

Given the hypothesis statement: Those students enrolled in instrumental music programs experience less transition anxiety as they enter middle school in a large urban district than do those students not enrolled in instrumental music programs.
This hypothesis statement can best be classified as which type of hypothesis statement?

A) Null
B) Directional
C) Correlational
D) Nondirectional

Question 49

Which of the following is the dependent variable in Dom's study?

A) Elementary grades
B) Processing disorders
C) Web page reading
D) High school grades

Question 50

Kyle is a quantitative researcher doing research in a relatively new area of study. He is testing his hypothesis with a study. Which type of hypothesis is he most likely testing?

A) Null
B) Directional
C) Nondirectional
D) Post-hoc

Question 51

Servio is particularly interested in how families react to an initial learning disability diagnosis. Unfortunately he needs more participants than there are actual new diagnoses in his school. Therefore, in the design of his study he proposes to tell parents that their children have been tested and diagnosed as learning disabled and will conduct an interview with the parents to get their initial reactions. However, the children will not have been diagnosed. His advisor tells him that he cannot conduct the study. Of the following what is the likely reason why.

A) The study is too broad.
B) The study is not ethical.
C) The study is not relevant.
D) The study is too narrow.

Question 52

Given the hypothesis statement: Male principals with at least six years of teaching experience display less stress as measured by a general health survey than those who have less than six years of teaching experience.
This study is best described as a ___________ study.

A) narrative
B) correlational
C) causal comparative
D) experimental

Question 53

Given the hypothesis statement: Male principals with at least six years of teaching experience display less stress as measured by a general health survey than those who have less than six years of teaching experience.
The dependent variable in this study is:

A) Teaching experience.
B) Principals
C) Health survey causal-comparative
D) ethnographic

Question 54

Dom's study can best be classified as a ________ study.

A) replication
B) duplication
C) generalization
D) extension

Question 55

Dei read this really interesting study that examined the benefits of a structured program that taught problem-solving to disadvantaged children. Although the population that he works with is not considered disadvantaged, Dei would like to conduct a similar study at his school. Of the following types of studies, which best describes Dei's idea?

A) Replication
B) Generalization
C) Application
D) Extension

Question 56

According to your text which of the following is a characteristic of a good research topic?

A) Your topic is interesting to you.
B) Your topic relates to your advisor's research.
C) Your topic is something you know little about.
D) Your topic is broad.