Question 1

Which would be the least compelling source to justify the importance of the statement of the problem?

Accepted Answer

A)  Opinions of colleagues 
B)  Personal experiences in the field 
C)  Scholarly evidence from the literature 
D)  Need for improved practices A

Question 2

Which statement best describes the research problem?

Accepted Answer

A)  What the study is about 
B)  What the author intends to do 
C)  The issue or concern being addressed 
D)  The reason the study is important C

Question 3

A researcher conducted a study to explore how 4th-grade students experience math assessments. In the introduction of the published article, the author notes that previous research suggested only that many students experience anxiety during testing. Before you even get to the discussion of the methods used in the study, you can infer that the researcher most likely conducted a study with which of the following approaches.

Accepted Answer

A)  Qualitative approach 
B)  Quantitative approach 
C)  Assessment approach 
D)  Evaluation approach A

Question 4

Which of the following is a characteristic of qualitative research problems?

Accepted Answer

A)  Ascertaining the relationship among concepts 
B)  Clarifying the extent that groups differ 
C)  Describing the trends in a large group 
D)  Exploring the complexity of a case

Question 5

A researcher introduces the central idea in the title and the opening paragraph of a published study. This idea is called:

Accepted Answer

A)  The big idea 
B)  The central phenomenon 
C)  The key variable 
D)  The research topic

Question 6

Suppose you read the following statement in an introduction: "No previous research on this topic has included the voices of individuals who are currently homeless." This is an example of which element of a statement of a problem passage?

Accepted Answer

A)  Audience 
B)  Justifying the research problem 
C)  Deficiency in knowledge 
D)  Research problem

Question 7

Which of the following statements would not be a reason for studying a research problem?

Accepted Answer

A)  To fill a gap in the existing literature 
B)  To maintain current practices 
C)  To replicate past results with different participants/sites 
D)  To learn from people whose voices have not been heard

Question 8

The first sentence serves a variety of important roles. Which of the roles listed below is least important for the first sentence?

Accepted Answer

A)  It causes a reader to pay attention to the study 
B)  It elicits a response from a reader, such as an emotion 
C)  It promotes the importance of the introduction 
D)  It encourages the reader to continue to read on

Question 9

Suppose you read the following statement in an introduction: "School counselors who work with homeless children will be able to better attend to their needs with this understanding." This is an example of which element of a statement of a problem passage?

Accepted Answer

A)  Audience 
B)  Deficiency in knowledge 
C)  Justifying the research problem 
D)  Research problem

Question 10

Indicate whether quantitative or qualitative or both) approaches would best address the type of research problem. Place an "X" in the appropriate columns).
 $$\begin{array} { | l | l | l | } 
\hline \text { Research problem calls for... } & \text { Quantitative } & \text { Qualitative } \
\hline \text { 19. Discovering the stories of individuals' lives } & & \
\hline \text { 24. Investigating how a process unfolds } & & \
\hline \begin{array} { l } 
\text { 21. Clarifying the efiect of a treatment or } \
\text { intervention }
\end{array} & & \
\hline \begin{array} { l } 
\text { 22. Measuring how sroups differ in terms of } \
\text { variables }
\end{array} & & \
\hline \text { 23. Examining the unique perceptions of individumals } & & \
\hline \text { 24. Predieting relationships among variagles } & & \
\hline \text { 25. Exploring the meaning of a phenomenon } & & \
\hline \text { 26. Explaining trends for variagles in a large group } & & \
\hline \text { 27. Discerning the complexity of a case } & & \
\hline
\end{array}$$

Accepted Answer

The answer of Indicate whether quantitative or qualitative or both)...

Question 11

A research problem is:

Accepted Answer

A)  An issue, concern, or controversy 
B)  A problem that needs to be anticipated by the researcher 
C)  An important passage that begins a study 
D)  The question being addressed in a study

Question 12

Which of the following is a characteristic of quantitative research problems?

Accepted Answer

A)  Discovering how a process unfolds 
B)  Uncovering the meaning of a phenomenon 
C)  Explaining the effect of a treatment 
D)  Telling the stories of individuals' lives

Question 13

Which of the following statements makes clear that there is a problem that needs to be addressed by research?

Accepted Answer

A)  A problem that is a minor concern 
B)  A problem that affects the lives of a few individuals 
C)  A problem that has mild consequences 
D)  A problem that arises from conflicting evidence in the literature

Question 14

Why do authors write a statement of the problem passage as part of the introduction to their research reports?

Accepted Answer

A)  To satisfy the demands of different audiences 
B)  To fulfill a requirement to get an article published 
C)  To present arguments for the importance of the study 
D)  To clearly state the study's purpose

Question 15

A researcher seeks to study the factors that contribute to binge drinking on college campuses. Which of the following would be considered a good research problem for this study?

Accepted Answer

A)  When students binge drink at fraternity parties, they often humiliate and demean women attending the parties. 
B)  The purpose of the study is to examine the factors that contribute to binge drinking on one Midwestern university campus 
C)  What are the factors that contribute to binge drinking on a Midwestern college campus? 
D)  Binge drinking occurs on many college campuses, and it is a popular pastime at many social events.

Question 16

Why would a researcher mention the audience in a "statement of the problem" passage of a study?

Accepted Answer

A)  Because members of the audience need to see the study's relevance 
B)  Because members of the audience need to use the study 
C)  Because members of the audience will vote to publish the study 
D)  Because members of the audience will participate in the study

Question 17

Which is the first element typically found in a "statement of the problem" passage of a research study.

Accepted Answer

A)  Audience 
B)  The research problem 
C)  The topic 
D)  Deficiencies of past research or practical knowledge

Question 18

Which is the last element typically found in a "statement of the problem" passage of a research study.

Accepted Answer

A)  Deficiencies of past research or practical knowledge 
B)  The topic 
C)  The research problem 
D)  Audience

Question 19

As you examine a published research report, you will find the research problem located

Accepted Answer

A)  In the method section of a study 
B)  Throughout a study 
C)  In the first sentence of a study 
D)  In the introduction to the study

Exam 3: Statements of the Problem: Identifying Why a Study Is Important