Quiz 5: How to Write a Research Proposal

Answer in some depth the question "What is a research proposal?"

Specify the components that must be included in a research proposal.

Specify the kind of content included in each of the major components of a research proposal. Multiple Choice

In the introduction section of a research proposal, which of the following are discussed? A) Procedures for carrying out the study B) A description of the research participants C) The apparatus or research instruments used D) How the study fits in with and is an extension of prior research

Below are the main headings for a research proposal indicating which set of headings is likely to come from a good research proposal. A) Topic of study, research questions, research methods B) Prior research, research methods C) Topic of study, research questions D) Topic of study, research questions, prior research, research methods.

Which of the following is not included in a good research proposal: A) Introduction to the research topic B) Specification of the research participants C) Specification of the procedure by which the data are to be collected D) Discussion of the results of the research study E) Proposed analysis of the data obtained from the research participants

In which part of a research proposal should you identify the research topic and indicate the importance of it? A) Introduction B) Method C) Results D) Discussion

How can you show the importance of the research study you are proposing in your research proposal? A) By repeatedly stating and emphasizing, in the proposal, that the topic is important B) By stating that others with whom you have spoken have stated that they consider it to be important C) By pointing to a Web site that says it is important D) By demonstrating that the proposed study would fill a gap found in the research literature on the topic

The introduction to the research proposal should: A) Present the results of the study B) Provide a detailed description of the research methods used C) Suggest and lead into a statement of the purpose of the study you are proposing D) Always be no more than 2 pages.

After stating the purpose of the research study, a ____________study would typically state one or more hypotheses to be tested. A) Quantitative research B) Qualitative research C) Grounded theory D) Ethnographic

In preparing a research proposal, you specify exactly how you are planning to conduct the study. This specification will appear in which section of the research proposal? A) Abstract B) Introduction C) Method D) Discussion

In the method section of a research proposal, which of the following is/are discussed? A) The reason for conducting the study B) The purpose of the study C) The procedures proposed for conducting the study D) How the study fits with and is an extension of prior research

The methods section includes all of the follow information except: A) A description of the research participants B) Any apparatus or instruments to be used in the study C) The procedure to be followed in collecting data D) The review of prior research

If you have established the plan or strategy that will be used to investigate your research question, you have identified the study ________. A) apparatus B) methodology C) design D) instrumentation

If you plan to use a questionnaire or a standardized test in your proposed study, in which section would you include your description and justification of it? A) Procedure B) Instruments or apparatus C) Design D) Participants

In which section would you describe the way you will execute the study? A) Participants B) Design C) Procedure D) Results

What should be included in the "procedure" section of a study? A) A description of the research participants B) A description of the instruments or apparatus to be used in the study C) A description of the way you will actually collect the study data D) A description of how you reviewed the literature

What should be included in the "Instruments" section of a study? A) A description of the research participants B) A description of the instruments or apparatus to be used in the study C) A description of the way you will actually collect the study data D) All of the above

In the data analysis section of the research proposal, which of the following are discussed? A) A description of statistical tests to be used to test the hypothesis B) The purpose of the study C) The procedures used to carry out the study D) How the study fits with and is an extension of prior research

The way in which the data will be analyzed evolves directly from ___________. A) the type of research participants included in the study B) the design of the study C) the purpose of the study D) a discussion with a statistical consultant

If your proposed data analysis involves coding and searching for relationships in data collected from observations, interviews, documents, films, etc. you have proposed a ___________ study. A) qualitative B) quantitative C) correlational D) longitudinal

In a ___________ study, there is typically a specific way of analyzing the data whereas in a _______________ study there is no single "right" way of analyzing the data. A) quantitative; qualitative B) qualitative, ethnographic C) qualitative; quantitative D) phenomenological; qualitative

If the research proposal includes a "brief description of the essential characteristics of the study," you will have included which section? A) Introduction B) Abstract C) Method D) Results

To specify the appropriate way of analyzing data collected from a quantitative research study, you must have some knowledge of ___________. A) statistics B) research design C) coding D) the characteristics of the research participants

The participants section of the research proposal should include: A) The approximate number of participants expected for the proposed study B) The research design C) The statistical analysis to be used in the study D) a reference list of research cited

If you are proposing a somewhat complicated mixed or quantitative research study then you should usually include a ____________ section in your proposal. A) Survey B) Design C) Factorial D) Protocol

The review of literature allows the researcher to: A) Situate his or her study within the larger body of related research B) Describe the data analysis approach C) Describe the results of the study D) Describe conclusions from the study

The document that summarizes prior research and details how a study will be conducted to answer a specific question is called a(n): A) Introduction B) Review of the literature C) Meta-analysis D) Research proposal

When you write a research proposal, the purpose of the ________________ section of the research proposal is to convince the reader of the importance of your study. A) abstract B) introduction C) method D) procedure

In the research participants' section of a research proposal, it is important to describe: A) The instruments that will be used in the study B) If participants have been offered something to encourage their participation. C) The procedures for collecting data in the study. D) The statistical analysis

For a study involving the observation of behavior, a description of the specific behaviors to be observed, who will be doing the observations, and when and where the observations will occur should be included in _____________ section. A) apparatus and/or instruments B) data analysis C) participants D) abstract

What do action researchers call research proposals? A) Research proposals B) Two chapter papers C) Action plans D) Prospectus

Action plans include: A) The identification of a problem B) Contracts that will be signed by external evaluators C) The results of the study D) No literature review at all

Which of the following best describes how the different types of research proposals handle the inclusion of specific hypotheses as well as research questions? A) Qualitative researchers tend to include specific hypotheses as well as research questions B) Mixed researchers never include specific hypotheses C) Most of the time quantitative researchers, and sometimes mixed researchers, include specific hypotheses as well as research questions D) There is no connection between the types of research and the inclusion of specific hypotheses

The review of the literature should help sell the study by doing which of the following? A) Showing how someone else has already done the same research before B) Showing how the study fills gaps in the literature or extends the literature to new populations or settings C) Showing how the study is unrelated to the literature that was reviewed D) Describing the population, methods, and procedures that will be used in the study

An abstract is always a required part of a research proposal.

The method section of the proposal focuses on establishing the importance and significance of the research.

The participants section should give general information about the participants, such as age range and where they are located, but should never indicate if they are volunteers or are compensated in some way.

Part of the reason you should describe your equipment or materials in complete detail is so that anyone wishing to duplicate your study can acquire the same or similar equipment.

Qualitative researchers are likely to have specific hypotheses as well as research questions.

One way for organizing a research proposal is a "three chapter approach" (i.e., Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 are major headings in the proposal).

It is a good idea to include a picture of your research design to accompany what is written about your study's design.

The procedure section describes the step-by-step procedures that will be followed with all research participants.

An action plan describes how to solve a practitioner's local problem.

The purpose of a research proposal is to "sell" the reader on the research project that is being proposed.

There is universal agreement on what sections and subsections should be included in research proposals.

Describe the differences and similarities in the structure and content of the three chapter versus the two chapter approach to writing a research proposal.

How does the data analysis section for a quantitative proposal differ from the data analysis section for a qualitative one?

Why might you include or not include a design section in your research proposal?

Compare and contrast the content of a research proposal for a qualitative versus quantitative study.

What are the elements that need to be included in a research participants section? Why do these elements need to be included?