Deck 3: Getting Ideas for Research

Question 1

While casually observing the odd behavior of birds in your backyard, you get some ideas about what might be causing the behavior. This is an example of getting research ideas from:

A) theory.
B) unsystematic observation.
C) systematic observation.
D) preexisting beliefs.

Answer 1

unsystematic observation.

Question 2

Which of the following would be an example of getting a research idea from systematic observation?

A) Observing a particular behavior under naturally occurring conditions after generating some general ideas about the behavior
B) Reading research published in scientific journals
C) Observing a novel behavior of subjects in an ongoing experiment
D) All of the answers are correct.

Answer 2

All of the answers are correct.

Question 3

A research project being run on the Internet would qualify as a(n) _____ source of research ideas.

A) unsystematic
B) systematic
C) theoretical
D) bad

Answer 3

systematic

Question 4

If two opposing theories account for the same initial observations, _____.

A) you should avoid doing research in that area
B) one of the theories must logically be incorrect
C) you have a fascinating opportunity to pit the theories against each other in research
D) both the theories are incorrect

Question 5

Which of the following is an empirical question?

A) "Does God care about humans?"
B) "Is it okay to let one man suffer to save ten men?"
C) "Are heaven and hell real?"
D) "Do men earn more than women do?"

Question 6

A question you can answer with objective observation is called a(n):

A) poser.
B) empirical question.
C) philosophical question.
D) simple query.

Question 7

When something is defined in terms of the operations required to measure it, we have a(n) _____ definition.

A) scientific
B) operational
C) commonsense
D) reliable

Question 8

In the context of a research study, the downside of defining variables operationally is that operational definitions:

A) reorient research questions into a nonempirical direction.
B) restrict the generality of answers obtained.
C) reduce the meaningfulness of answers given to research questions.
D) reduce the willingness of research participants to answer questions.

Question 9

"Hunger is defined as 24 hours of food deprivation." This is an example of a(n) _____ definition.

A) circular
B) scientific
C) operational
D) commonsense

Question 10

A research question is probably important if:

A) the results obtained can be published.
B) the variables under scrutiny are known to have small, theoretically uninteresting effects.
C) the answer is already known.
D) it will clarify relationships among variables known to affect the behavior under study.

Question 11

A research question is probably important if:

A) the answer can support only one of several competing hypotheses or theories.
B) the results can be published in a refereed journal.
C) it appears to be important.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 12

A research question is probably unimportant if:

A) it results from research that cannot be published.
B) the answer is already firmly established.
C) it will produce results that are inconsistent with a theory.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 13

The process of locating, obtaining, reading, and evaluating the research literature in an area of interest is termed a:

A) literature search.
B) literature analysis.
C) literature evaluation.
D) literature review.

Question 14

According to the text, reviewing the literature is important because:

A) it can prevent you from reinventing the wheel.
B) published research can give you ideas about which variables are important.
C) published research can guide your decisions about methods to use when conducting research.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 15

Which of the following would be a danger of relying on a secondary source for research information?

A) The author of a secondary source may have used operational definitions in his or her research.
B) Secondary sources typically do not contain the details of methodology that are required for critical evaluation.
C) Secondary sources typically do not contain empirical questions.
D) The author of a secondary source may have been in contact with the author of the primary source when the secondary source was created.

Question 16

You are looking at a periodical that has a slick, attractive appearance with many photographs. Sources are rarely, if ever, cited, and the relatively short articles are written in simple language. You are looking at a _____ periodical.

A) scholarly
B) substantive news/general interest
C) popular
D) sensational

Question 17

A _____ periodical contains articles for which reference citations are always provided. It is published by a professional organization and written by a researcher.

A) scholarly
B) substantive news/general interest
C) popular
D) sensational

Question 18

Although books can be good sources for a literature review, the material in them should be considered with caution because:

A) books do not contain original reports of research.
B) the review process that books undergo may not be as rigorous as the process that articles in scientific journals undergo.
C) the authors of books are not as highly respected as the authors of journal articles.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 19

A book that collects papers that an editor feels are important in a given area is called a(n):

A) bibliography.
B) primary source.
C) anthology.
D) encyclopedia.

Question 20

The most up-to-date published information about research in a given area can be found in a(n):

A) textbook.
B) anthology.
C) encyclopedia.
D) scientific journal.

Question 21

If the policy of a journal is to send articles out for review prior to publication, that journal is a(n) _____ journal.

A) nonrefereed
B) refereed
C) reviewed
D) APA

Question 22

If the policy of a journal is to not send articles out for review prior to publication, that journal is:

A) nonrefereed.
B) refereed.
C) nonreviewed.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 23

The review process used by many journals is intended to:

A) keep papers that do not agree with the current theory out of the literature.
B) screen papers reporting the results of experiments to ensure that ethical research practice was followed.
C) ensure that high-quality articles appear in journals.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 24

The most up-to-date information about research can be obtained:

A) at a professional convention or meeting.
B) from a nonrefereed journal.
C) from a book.
D) from a refereed journal.

Question 25

An advantage of attending paper sessions is that one can:

A) get all the details of the methodology used in research studies in such sessions.
B) get information about research before it has even been published in such sessions.
C) propose answers to nonempirical questions in such sessions.
D) conduct correlational studies in such sessions.

Question 26

Which of the following is a disadvantage of paper sessions?

A) They do not deal with answers to empirical questions.
B) They are not the best way to convey details of research methodology.
C) They do not rely on information obtained from primary sources.
D) They are not presented by the authors of research studies.

Question 27

An advantage of poster sessions over paper sessions is that the poster sessions:

A) allow authors to present more details of their research.
B) allow authors to present answers to nonempirical questions.
C) present researches that have already been published.
D) present more objective results.

Question 28

A personal reply to your inquiries from a researcher falls under the heading of:

A) personal communication.
B) chewing the fat.
C) reviewing the literature.
D) published research.

Question 29

According to the text, the basic strategy for conducting library research involves:

A) finding research articles relevant to your research interest.
B) using the reference sections from articles you read to track down other articles.
C) using one of the indexes in the library to identify current articles.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 30

An advantage of using PsycARTICLES rather than PsycINFO is that:

A) PsycARTICLES primarily turns up secondary sources of research information.
B) sources turned up by PsycARTICLES are available for immediate download.
C) a search using PsycARTICLES is likely to turn up greater number of sources.
D) PsycARTICLES has more extensive journal coverage.

Question 31

Which of the following is an advantage of performing a literature search using PsycINFO?

A) PsycINFO indexes over 2,500 scientific journals, dating back as far as 1872.
B) All sources turned up by PsycINFO are available for immediate download.
C) PsycINFO sources are easily accessible without the need for search engines.
D) All sources indexed by PsycINFO are reviewed by at least 50 researchers.

Question 32

Which of the following was listed in the text as a limitation of PsycINFO?

A) Most computers are too slow to handle the large database that comprised by PsycINFO.
B) A computer cannot "decide" which articles fit your needs; it simply finds all entries including your keyword.
C) There are fewer journals indexed in PsycINFO than in other hardcopy indexes.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 33

A disadvantage of using PsycARTICLES rather than PsycINFO is that:

A) sources turned up by PsycARTICLES are generally less reliable.
B) PsycARTICLES does not provide a link to download copies of the sources indexed by it.
C) a search using PsycARTICLES is likely to turn up fewer research sources owing to its more limited journal coverage.
D) PsycARTICLES is inaccessible through search engines such as DIMDI and EBSCO.

Question 34

General Internet search engines (e.g., Yahoo!, Alta Vista, Google) can provide a treasure trove of information on a given topic. However, you should be careful when using such sources because:

A) anyone can publish anything on the Internet and there is no guarantee that the information you obtain will meet scientific standards.
B) peer-reviewed scientific journal articles are never available on the Internet.
C) the information is copyrighted and you will be sued if you download any of it.
D) it does not have the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Question 35

Which of the following is not a purpose of a research report?

A) To argue the need for doing the research
B) To thoroughly review the entire literature on a subject
C) To present the findings of the research
D) To integrate the findings of the research with previous knowledge

Question 36

You should be wary of the information presented in a book if:

A) the book has been published by a university publisher.
B) the book's publication has been paid for by its author.
C) the book's author works for a reputable institution.
D) the book has a recent publication date.

Question 37

You should adopt a(n) _____ point of view when reading research literature.

A) consumer's
B) seller's
C) naive observer's
D) uneducated observer's

Question 38

When reading the introduction to a paper, you should pay special attention to:

A) the description of the methods used.
B) the summary and the interpretation of the results.
C) whether the literature was reviewed adequately.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 39

When reading the introduction to an article, you should ask yourself whether the:

A) author has correctly represented the results of previous research.
B) hypotheses flow logically from the material in the introduction.
C) author has clearly stated the purpose of the study.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 40

In the method section of a paper, you will find a description of the:

A) subjects used in the study.
B) equipment used to conduct the study.
C) procedures followed to conduct the study.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 41

The method section of a paper should contain:

A) enough information so that you could replicate the study if you wished.
B) a general outline of the methods used and no detail.
C) a brief description of the results as well as the methods used.
D) subjective interpretations of research data.

Question 42

A critical question you should ask yourself when evaluating a method section is:

A) who conducted this research?
B) does the method used allow for an unambiguous test of the stated hypotheses?
C) why did the author choose the measures he or she did?
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 43

According to the text, when evaluating the method section of an article, you should ask yourself who served as participants in the study. This is important because it helps you determine the _____ of the results reported.

A) reliability
B) generality
C) accuracy
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 44

When evaluating a results section, you should determine whether the:

A) results are important.
B) results fit with your feelings about the phenomenon under investigation.
C) appropriate statistics were applied.
D) results agree with the particular theory to which you subscribe.

Question 45

When reading the results section of a research article, you should ask yourself:

A) which effects are statistically significant.
B) whether the differences reported are large or small.
C) whether the text, tables, and figures match.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 46

Your primary concern when reading a discussion section of a research article is whether the:

A) author's conclusions follow from the data reported.
B) data reported fit with the particular theory to which you subscribe.
C) hypotheses were clearly stated.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 47

An author's interpretation of his or her results is found in the _____ of a research article.

A) discussion section
B) introduction
C) method section
D) results section

Question 48

According to the text, a hypothesis should:

A) specify precisely what methods are to be used in your research.
B) flow logically from the sources of information used to develop your research question.
C) include a statement of the statistics that will be used to analyze your data.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 49

Most journals will refuse publication of a paper if the:

A) authors are from a non-prestigious institution.
B) results fail to reach conventionally accepted levels of statistical significance.
C) paper has more than three authors.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 50

Which of the following is a consequence of the file drawer phenomenon?

A) Authors of published findings are not paid for their work.
B) Most research findings are published without peer review.
C) Published findings as a group may be less reliable than they seem.
D) Statistically insignificant research results may be published more often than statistically significant results.

Question 51

A criterion used to assess a research paper's acceptability for publication is:

A) who conducted the research.
B) where the results had been published before.
C) whether or not the author used sophisticated or simple statistics.
D) how consistent the findings are with previous knowledge.

Question 52

Findings that do not make sense within the currently accepted framework are:

A) looked on with suspicion.
B) published immediately with no review.
C) given priority for publication but still reviewed.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 53

When an accepted research framework exists, anomalous findings:

A) call into question the integrity of the researcher producing the anomalous findings.
B) shake the framework right to its foundations.
C) call into question the anomalous findings rather than the framework.
D) cause the framework to be discarded immediately.

Question 54

When determining whether to accept or reject a paper for publication, editors and reviewers:

A) usually insist that a research paper report a series of experiments or at least a parametric study involving several levels of two or more variables.
B) assess the degree to which the findings in the paper contribute to the advancement of knowledge.
C) assess the consistency of the findings with previous knowledge.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Question 55

A present editorial policy seems to be that:

A) single experiments are preferred over multiple experiments.
B) no more than two experiments should be reported in one paper.
C) multiple experiments or a parametric study involving several levels of two or more independent variables is more acceptable than single experiments.
D) follow-ups to a main experiment reported in a paper should be handled in separate "research notes" publications.

Question 56

Which of the following is a consequence of insisting on multiple experiments within a research paper?

A) Inclusion of multiple experiments in the paper decreases the likelihood of the file drawer phenomenon occurring.
B) There is a greater possibility that a reviewer will find methodological defects.
C) The findings of the paper are more likely to elicit subjective interpretations by the general public.
D) Revenue from the paper is likely to be insufficient in funding further research by the author of the paper.

Question 57

Michael Saks, at that time the editor of Law and Human Behavior, made a statement concerning the type of research he would like to see submitted for publication. This is an example of _____ affecting what is published.

A) editorial policy
B) reviewer bias
C) editor's bias
D) consistency with previous findings

Question 58

In the context of the publication of a research paper written by an author, which of the following is a function of the peer-review process?

A) To provide feedback to the author
B) To guarantee the quality of the paper
C) To determine the amount of money to be paid to the author
D) To determine whether the results of the study have already been published

Question 59

Which of the following is a criticism of the peer-review process in the field of the social sciences?

A) Reviewers lack the means to provide feedback to the authors of reviewed articles.
B) Reviewers may be direct competitors of the authors of reviewed articles.
C) Reviewers are paid more if they find more errors.
D) Reviewers may be from non-scientific backgrounds.

Question 60

Mahoney (1977), in his study of factors that affect reviewer evaluations, found that:

A) reviewers are remarkably unbiased in their assessments of research.
B) a paper was rated higher if the results supported the reviewer's theoretical point of view.
C) the most important factor contributing to evaluations of a paper was how the results were interpreted.
D) statistical significance of the results reported actually had little to do with ratings of a paper.

Question 61

Peters and Ceci (1982) found that, when previously published articles were retyped as manuscripts and resubmitted to the journal that originally published them, _____.

A) only 3 of 12 papers were identified as resubmissions and rejected for that reason
B) reviewers easily identified the articles as resubmissions and rejected all of them
C) even though reviewers did not identify the articles as resubmissions, all 12 papers were rejected
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 62

In most cases, according to Peters and Ceci (1982), resubmitted published papers:

A) were accepted a second time for publication without being detected as resubmissions.
B) if not detected as resubmissions were likely to be rejected on methodological grounds.
C) were most likely to be rejected because they were resubmissions.
D) were rejected over the protests of the editor.

Question 63

Which of the following is most likely to improve the peer-review process?

A) Soliciting reviews from direct competitors of authors of research articles
B) Reducing the accountability of the reviewers
C) Soliciting more reviews for each paper submitted
D) Reducing the number of manuscripts to be reviewed by reviewers

Question 64

Unsystematic observation is not a particularly rich source of research ideas.

Question 65

In the context of developing research questions, questions that lack obvious practical applications for research should be automatically considered unimportant.

Question 66

Reading published research is an example of getting a research idea from systematic observation.

Question 67

When two theories provide competing explanations for behavior, you should shy away from doing research on those theories.

Question 68

"Why does war exist?" is an answerable research question.

Question 69

A good research question is one that is global, broad, and relatively unfocused.

Question 70

A literature review should be attempted only after you have firmly settled on your research question.

Question 71

A secondary source is as good as a primary source for obtaining information about research.

Question 72

A meta-analysis is a good example of a primary source of information for research.

Question 73

Secondary sources should never be used.

Question 74

Primary sources provide the best source of full reports of research.

Question 75

Books, although useful, may contain outdated information.

Question 76

The review process that books undergo may not be as rigorous as the review process that journal articles undergo.

Question 77

Information in a nonrefereed journal is likely to be sketchier than information in a refereed journal.

Question 78

PsycARTICLES allows you to obtain full copies of articles published in the journals of the American Psychological Association.

Question 79

JSTOR may not be the best choice for searching specific topics in psychology, but used as a supplement to other databases, it may turn up articles that give a different perspective on a topic.

Question 80

A list of the equipment used in an experiment is usually found in the introduction to a research report.