Deck 3: Solve Problems and Succeed in College

Question 1

Carl has a problem. He has been getting C's and lower grades on his tests and assignments all term. What is a question he could ask himself to help identify the cause of his poor grades?
(a) Should I pray with more fervor?
(b) Should I eat more protein?
(c) Am I in love?
(d) Are my study habits effective?
(e) Do my high school friends still like me?

Answer 1

D

Question 2

When problem solving, it is useful to anticipate consequences so that we can do which of the following?
(a) Adjust our expectations.
(b) Reinforce our preconceptions.
(c) Confirm our snap judgments.
(d) Remember what we were taught as children.
(e) Pretend to be making a good decisions.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following metrics is used to describe the percentage of entering freshmen who complete their baccalaureate in a timely way?
(a) freshmen to sophomore year retention rate
(b) 6-year graduation rate
(c) alumni giving rate
(d) alumni employment rate
(e) net tuition rate

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The questions "Was the short-term goal of my decision achieved? Why or why not?" are associated with which step in the IDEAS process?
(a) Identify the problem and set priorities.
(b) Determine relevant information and deepen understanding.
(c) Enumerate options and anticipate consequences.
(d) Assess the situation and make a preliminary decision.
(e) Scrutinize the process and self-correct as needed.

Question 5

Using brief examples, illustrate what the text means by calling social relationships complex.

Question 6

What does the "A" in IDEAS stand for?
(a) Analyze the hypothesis and anchor the decision.
(b) Assess the situation and make a preliminary decision.
(c) Avoid dealing with annoying people.
(d) Ask questions and apply the relevant stereotype.

Question 7

Explain how the five step IDEAS process enables a person to improve their problem solving at any point along the way.

Question 8

Suppose your professor has scheduled an exam for tomorrow's class. According to the text, what is the best way to prepare for that exam?
(a) Study off and on for 2 hours.
(b) Study intensely for the entire evening.
(c) Study for 30 solid minutes and then take a break.
(d) Study for 5 minutes before the exam.
(e) Go to the gym for a long workout.

Question 9

When problem solving, why is it important to enumerate options? Enumerating options helps us ________.
(a) focus on consequences that have a greater likelihood of occurring
(b) hold true to our preconceived beliefs
(c) align possible outcomes with pre-existing stereotypes
(d) remember why we are trying to solve the problem in the first place

Question 10

According to the text, which of the following statements about college students is true?
(a) All college students are the same.
(b) More than 75% of college students are irresponsible.
(c) There is no one stereotypic kind of college student.
(d) Most college students study too much.

Question 11

Wendy is using the IDEAS process to solve a problem. She just deepened her understanding by gathering relevant information. What should she do next?
(a) Identify the problem and set priorities.
(b) Enumerate options and anticipate consequences.
(c) Assess the situation and make a preliminary decision.
(d) Scrutinize the process and self-correct.

Question 12

What are some examples of the kinds of issues and concerns college students may have in the physical domain?

Question 13

What is IDEAS?
(a) a liberal arts degree program
(b) an open-minded way of viewing the world
(c) a complicated approach to making new friends
(d) a general problem-solving process

Question 14

Problem solving is defined as the process of ________.
(a) moving from the point at which we realize we have difficulty to the point at which we consider the difficulty to be resolved
(b) avoiding dealing with difficulties that seem overwhelming
(c) calling on someone to tell what to do whenever difficulties arise
(d) allowing small difficulties to become big enough to affect many different aspects of life

Question 15

What is the value of beginning the problem-solving process with identifying problems and setting priorities?

Question 16

The questions "If the situation did not turn out as I had anticipated, how might I rethink this problem, minimize the damage my error may have caused, and make the best out of the position I now find myself in?" are associated with which step in the IDEAS process?
(a) Identify the problem and set priorities.
(b) Determine relevant information and deepen understanding.
(c) Enumerate options and anticipate consequences.
(d) Assess the situation and make a preliminary decision.
(e) Scrutinize the process and self-correct as needed.

Question 17

What is the vocational domain and how does that domain relate to college students?

Question 18

The IDEAS process is presented as multi-step approach because ________.
(a) we must go all the way through Step 5 before we are allowed to correct our thinking
(b) we may make mistakes when we first try to identify the problem
(c) we must apply the steps in an exact order, fully completing each one before moving on to the next
(d) problem solving involves applying our critical thinking skills in an organized and reflective way

Question 19

What is the value of assessing the situation and making a preliminary decision when we are problem solving?

Question 20

As we mature what makes the decade or so from late adolescence through young adulthood particularly important?

Question 21

What is the "S" step in the IDEAS process?

Question 22

If you were concerned to clarify your career vocation options, what are some of the questions you might reasonably ask yourself in order to determine relevant information and deepen your understanding?

Question 23

Describe the goal of Step 4 of the IDEAS process-"Assess the Situation and Make a Preliminary Decision."

Question 24

How do institutions of higher education, accrediting bodies, and the media measure student success in college? Are those measures consistent with your own sense of what it means to you to be successful in college? Explain why or why not.

Question 25

The IDEAS process is a general ____________________ problem-solving process.

Question 26

If memorizing definitions, facts, and theories is not enough in the academic domain, what more is needed to achieve success in understanding college level material and getting high marks on tests?

Question 27

In college or in any other part of your life, when you are getting ready to finalize your resolution of a problem, what questions might you ask yourself to be sure that you have scrutinized your problem-solving process and made needed corrections?

Question 28

When problem solving, one reason it is important to gather relevant information is because the information can help us deepen our understanding of the problem we are trying to address.

Question 29

What is the primary purpose of higher education? Give detailed examples and explain your answers with reasons and evidence.

Question 30

William, who graduated with a degree in Biology last year, is considering whether to go into high school teaching because he is finding the job he took with a biotech start-up is extremely routine and boring. He feels that he wants to do something more with his energy and education than just running the same DNA lab tests over and over again every day. Although no longer a college student, William is struggling with a problem in the _________ domain.

Question 31

Why is there no stereotypic kind of college student? Is there anything we can say about all college students?

Question 32

Problems and issues in the spiritual domain can be very troubling. Different religions have different beliefs and practices, and often people devoted to a given religion have an incomplete knowledge of about their own religion and even less of an understanding about other religions. Discuss the factors that predict religious knowledge. Using your critical thinking skills, analyze how knowing a religion relates to practicing a religion.

Question 33

Successful studying at the college level means becoming intimately, actively, and, at times, even passionately engaged with the material.

Question 34

One of the shortcomings of the IDEAS process is that it only works for the problems relating to success in college.

Question 35

Kari is thinking about majoring in economics. She is in the process of researching the various jobs that economics majors hold and trying to figure out which of those jobs actually required the person to have majored in economics. This puts her in the ______________________ step of the IDEAS process.