Deck 1: The Nature and Tools of Research

Question 1

Three of the following statements about measurement in the research setting are accurate.Which one is NOT accurate?

A)The purpose of measurement is to systematically limit the data in a way that makes it quantifiable.
B)Measurement is applied by researchers only to insubstantial phenomena.
C)Measurement is a tool that aids researchers in interpreting their observations.
D)Systematic measurement assists researchers in obtaining objectivity in their researcher.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

______ allows researchers to personally correspond practically instantly with other users around the world.

A)A search engine
B)E-mail
C)A list server
D)A Web browser

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A well-designed and well-conducted study:

A)answers questions of importance in the field.
B)raises questions of importance to the field.
C)answers some questions and raises other questions.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Sonya is a college freshman who has just been assigned her first research paper, and she doesn't know how to get started finding information.Sonya should:

A)search the World Wide Web.
B)consult an online or electronic database.
C)consult a reference librarian.
D)browse the shelves in the library.

Question 5

To be considered true research, a project must:

A)gather together a body of existing information and communicate it in a clear and concise way.
B)uncover obscure or esoteric information and bring it to the consideration of the broader research community.
C)gather and interpret information in a systematic fashion so as to increase understanding of some phenomenon.
D)produce definitive conclusions regarding the subject of study.

Question 6

Kade has spent the past month carefully observing a group of third graders on the playground during recess, taking note of how the students interact with one another.On the basis of these observations, Kade is drawing conclusions about the interaction styles of boys and girls.This is an example of:

A)hypothetical logic.
B)deductive logic.
C)inductive logic.
D)propositional logic.

Question 7

Researchers ______ their phenomenon of interest on the basis of data analysis.

A)make inferences about
B)know facts about
C)define
D)identify

Question 8

John wants to begin using e-mail.Which of the following steps is NOT necessary for John to get started as an email user?

A)Request an e-mail account
B)Obtain necessary software from the e-mail provider and load it onto a computer
C)Learn to use a Web browser to explore the Internet
D)Learn how to access and use the e-mail provider's services

Question 9

One indication that a piece of information is of high quality is that the information:

A)is found on the Internet.
B)is found in a juried (or refereed)research report.
C)resulted from a project that received corporate funding.
D)is the firsthand account of a personal experience.

Question 10

A primary function of the methodology is to:

A)guide and control the acquisition of data.
B)extract meaning from the data that have been gathered.
C)both a and b
D)neither a nor b

Question 11

Which of the following examples illustrates research as it is described in your textbook?

A)Sally is writing a paper about the effects of the Harry Potter books on the reading habits of fourth graders in the United States and United Kingdom.She goes to a research library to find information to include in her paper.
B)Ian wants to know why the population of songbirds has declined in recent years in the Sutton Wilderness Area.He carefully collects soil and water samples, systematically surveys the entire area for predators, and then sits down to make sense of his findings.
C)Leonard is starting a woodworking business and is not sure how to calculate the cost of his labor so he can be both profitable and fair to the customers.He asks several established business owners how they calculate labor changes.
D)Bill is doing a report on the sonnets of Shakespeare.He carefully reads a number of sonnets and then carefully reads scholarly reviews of those same sonnets written by various Shakespeare scholars.He synthesizes all of this information in his report.

Question 12

______ allows a researcher to receive news in an area of special interest and discuss that news with others.

A)A search engine
B)E-mail
C)A list server
D)A Web browser

Question 13

Research methodology refers to:

A)the general approach the researcher takes to conducting a research project.
B)a specific device the researcher uses to collect data.
C)the specific theoretical basis of the research project.
D)the statistical tests to be employed in a research project.

Question 14

Well-designed research manages to minimize or avoid:

A)assumptions.
B)predictions.
C)theory.
D)bias.

Question 15

Reading the professional literature in the field of interest:

A)will enhance an individual's ability to design and conduct high-quality research.
B)will stifle creativity and constrain the individual to the status quo.
C)will make little difference to the quality and impact of the individual's work.
D)is necessary only for the leaders in the field.

Question 16

Sam wants to find high-quality research reports related to attribution theory that have been published in professional journals.Sam's best approach would be to:

A)consult the library catalog.
B)consult an online or electronic database.
C)search the World Wide Web.
D)browse the shelves in the library.

Question 17

Assumptions come into play:

A)for nearly every research study.
B)in qualitative research but not in quantitative research.
C)when research is not well thought out.
D)rarely, if ever.

Question 18

A ______ is a specific mechanism or strategy the researcher uses to collect, manipulate, or interpret data.

A)research tool
B)research methodology
C)statistical test
D)theory

Question 19

The purpose of formal research is to:

A)prove or disprove the study hypotheses.
B)support or fail to support the study hypotheses.
C)identify alternative hypotheses.
D)move beyond the need for hypotheses.

Question 20

Which of the following is defined as an organized body of concepts and principles intended to explain a particular phenomenon?

A)Theory
B)Inference
C)Hypothesis
D)Interpretation

Question 21

Near the end of Chapter 1 the authors of your textbook include a relatively lengthy section on writing the research report.Why is it important that research results are carefully written up and made available to the scientific community?

Question 22

Graduate professors like to insist that the completion of thesis or dissertation research is not merely an "academic exercise" or final hurdle to obtaining the desired degree.Explain at least one personal benefit that the individual derives from completing a high- quality thesis or dissertation.Then explain at least one societal benefit that follows from the individual's completion of a high-quality thesis or dissertation.

Question 23

Do recent technological advances (e.g., the World Wide Web, electronic databases)assure that future research will be of higher quality, or of greater utility, than past research?

Question 24

Your chapter states: "Research is, by its nature, cyclical or, more exactly, helical." Explain why "cyclical" is an appropriate description of the research process.Then explain why "helical" is a better description.

Question 25

Describe an example of the word research being used inappropriately.Be clear about how your example deviates from the definition of research offered in the chapter.

Question 26

Kimberly knows that teenagers often do not make good decisions in areas where they have little knowledge.She also knows that most teens have little knowledge about human sexuality.Therefore, Kimberly believes that teens are likely to make poor decisions about sexual activity.This is an example of:

A)inductive logic.
B)propositional logic.
C)transductive logic.
D)deductive logic.