Deck 2: The Research Problem

Question 1

Which of the following factors should not influence the decision when one is selecting a topic or problem for research?

A) Will solution of the problem advance knowledge in my field?
B) Will I be able to prove that my previously held beliefs are true?
C) Will the study lead to the development of other investigations?
D) Is the topic or problem amenable to research?

Answer 1

Will I be able to prove that my previously held beliefs are true?

Question 2

In conducting research, which of the following steps should generally be taken first?

A) Deciding on kinds of data to collect
B) Preparation of a summary of related research
C) Formulation of a working hypothesis
D) Formulation of the problem to be solved

Answer 2

Formulation of the problem to be solved

Question 3

Operational definitions are encouraged in research in order to:

A) conform to the requirement of statistical analysis
B) increase the probability that experiments will succeed
C) make terms used in a study as explicit as possible
D) make educational research more easily understood by laypersons

Answer 3

make terms used in a study as explicit as possible

Question 4

"In this study interest in science is represented by the sciences area score on the Occupational Interest Inventory, Grades 7 to Adult, McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1956. The preceding statement illustrates a(n):

A) operational definition
B) hypothesis
C) constitutive definition
D) research problem

Question 5

Which of the following would be the least legitimate reason for conducting research on methods of teaching French?

A) You want to test certain deductions derived from a theory of language instruction.
B) Your school needs to evaluate its present French teaching methods.
C) You know in your own mind which method of teaching French is best, but lack empirical evidence of its superiority.
D) There are contradictions and inconsistencies in the results of previous research.

Question 6

Which of the following is the most frequent error made by graduate students in education in formulating statements of the research problem?

A) Selecting a problem that is too broad or too narrow
B) Selecting a problem that is trivial
C) Basing the problem statement on faulty assumptions
D) Stating a problem that has already been solved

Question 7

Which of the following statements can be checked by means of scientific inquiry?

A) All high schools should teach driver education.
B) Driver education is more important than drug abuse education.
C) Driver education is an ideal subject for all students to take.
D) The accident rate of driver education graduates is lower than the accident rate of those who have not had driver education.

Question 8

Which of the following definitions of the term "aggressive behavior is operational?

A) Any act of hitting, shoving, or grabbing
B) Any behavior intended to cause injury to others
C) An "aggression" score on the XYZ behavior scale
D) Misbehavior resulting in removal from the classroom

Question 9

A constitutive definition is one that:

A) uses other terms to explain meaning as concisely as possible
B) explains meaning by the use of examples
C) is obtained from a published dictionary
D) has previously been defined by another researcher or scholar

Question 10

The authors argue that studies investigating relations are generally of more value because they:

A) make a greater contribution to knowledge
B) make it easier to clarify the study
C) are the starting place for all research
D) simplify data analysis

Question 11

Justification for a study is generally based on the study's contribution:

A) to general knowledge
B) to professional practice
C) to theory
D) all of the above

Question 12

Which of the following is the most compelling justification for a study describing drug use in high school?

A) This study will determine the percentage of high school students who have tried drugs.
B) The researcher believes that drug use is the most important problem facing the schools today.
C) This study will examine high school drug use and prevalence to determine which drugs should be given . priority in informational programs.
D) Student dropout rates and poor achievement are major concerns in society today.

Question 13

Which of the following fictitious diagrams shows a relationship between handedness and gender? ?

A) Option A
B) Option B
C) Option C
D) Option D

Question 14

Which of the following is the most suitable as a statement of a research problem?

A) What are the causes of the problems of high school dropouts in city schools?
B) How do eight- to ten-year-old Puerto Rican children in New York City respond to crises involving . serious illness of other members of their families?
C) How do young children express themselves?
D) How can the problem of delayed language acquisition be solved?

Question 15

This research problem, "What is the vocabulary level of the history books, both text and reference sources, used in the secondary schools of the United States? is:

A) a good research problem for a beginner to use to get started in research
B) far too broad
C) much too narrow
D) an area of concern for which no available research method is appropriate

Question 16

Why is personal interest generally considered insufficient justification for a research study in education?

A) Because the time and energy of other people is required
B) Because the researcher's bias would make the study worthless
C) Because such a study is likely to be trivial
D) Because researchers must be disinterested in the topics they study

Question 17

Matching

-Empirical research

A) Dictionary approach
B) Measurable
C) Observable
D) Justification

Question 18

Matching

-Constitutive definition

A) Dictionary approach
B) Measurable
C) Observable
D) Justification

Question 19

Matching

-Operational definition

A) Dictionary approach
B) Measurable
C) Observable
D) Justification

Question 20

Matching

-Rationale

A) Dictionary approach
B) Measurable
C) Observable
D) Justification

Question 21

A feasible research question is one that can be investigated with available resources.

Question 22

The best way to clarify the key terms in a research question is to provide dictionary definitions for them.

Question 23

An operational definition means to clarify by example.

Question 24

The potential for a research study to contribute to practice and/or to theory is the main criterion for evaluating its significance.

Question 25

In research terms, exploring "relationships" among data means that two or more individuals who are associated with one another are included in the sample.