Question 1

Ken is interested in determining if there are differences between men's occurrence of obesity and prior football team experience. He compares three different groups of men. In one group he has men that played football in jr. high, but not high school or post-high school. Those in the second group played in jr. high and high school but not post-high school. Those in the third group played all three. As part of the study he weighs the men to calculate obesity.
-What type of research method is Ken employing?

Accepted Answer

Ken is using a causal-comparative research method as he is comparing groups of men with differing levels of football experience to determine if there is a difference in the occurrence of obesity. He is not manipulating any variables, so it is not experimental. He is not collecting data through self-report, so it is not a survey. There is no indication that he is measuring the strength of a relationship between variables, so it is not correlational.

Question 2

Brian has completed data collection for a study of college learners' self-regulation. Which of the following steps of the research process will Brian next approach?

Accepted Answer

Once data collection is complete, the next step in the research process is to analyze the collected data. After analyzing the data, Brian can move on to stating the results or implications of the study.

Question 3

Cameron is conducting a study that addresses the differences in achievement scores between schools that use block scheduling and schools that use a traditional scheduling format. He has accessed average achievement scores for 1200 schools and now is comparing the two groups. In which research step is Cameron engaged?

Accepted Answer

Cameron is in the process of comparing achievement scores between two groups, which involves analyzing the collected data to determine any differences or patterns.

Question 4

Won is interested in academic procrastination. She provides her participants a number of instruments on academic procrastination and then examines the relationships among the answers they provide. Of the following, which type of research does Won's study represent?

Accepted Answer

Won's study is a survey because she is collecting data from participants through a set of instruments (questionnaires) and examining the relationships among the answers they provide.

Question 5

Kai is a qualitative researcher. The topic of his study is the homework strategies used by middle school children in an after-school homework club. He has reviewed the literature on both homework strategies and after-school programs and he has selected five children to study over the next 3 months. Of the following, which is most likely the next step in Kai's study?

Accepted Answer

The next step in Kai's study is likely to be collecting data. Before conducting any statistical analysis, Kai needs to collect data from the five children that he has selected to be participants in his study. This data collection will likely involve interviews, observations, and/or surveys to gather information about the homework strategies used by these children in the after-school homework club. Only after data has been collected can he move forward with statistical analysis and reporting his findings. Random assignment of participants to a condition may not be relevant, as it is not stated that there are different conditions in this study.

Question 6

Kurt is interested in describing a typical day of a teacher in an ungraded school. He studies three teachers over the course of a full school year and collects data through the use of interviews and classroom observations. Of the following, which type is the most likely form of Kurt's research?

Accepted Answer

Kurt's research is focused on describing a typical day of a teacher, which suggests a narrative approach. He is collecting data through interviews and observations, which further supports the narrative approach as it involves collecting detailed, qualitative data about the experiences of individuals.

Question 7

Katelin is interested in examining the relationship between years of gymnastics classes taken as a child and osteoporosis as an adult. She is concerned only with females because more girls take gymnastics than do boys and more women have osteoporosis than do men.
-Based upon this description, what type of research is Katelin conducting?

Accepted Answer

Katelin is conducting applied research as she is interested in examining the relationship between gymnastics classes and osteoporosis in females, with the intention of it being useful in practical applications.

Question 8

Jeremy, a researcher at a local university, is interested in the nature of playground bullying. He obtains permission for his research and goes to a local middle school to observe playground behaviors. He spends several months watching and taking notes. As he begins to understand the context of the playground, he interviews some students and teachers. He incorporates these interviews into his notes. He systematically identifies themes and categorizes his findings. At the end of his study he describes his findings and how these findings relate to other studies that have been conducted on playground behaviors. Of the following, which best describes Jeremy's research?

Accepted Answer

Jeremy's research involves observing and taking notes on playground behaviors, conducting interviews with students and teachers, identifying themes and categorizing findings. This is a qualitative research approach, which focuses on understanding the meaning and interpretation of experiences, behaviors, and interactions. A narrative approach involves telling a story or personal account, while an experimental design involves manipulating variables and comparing groups. A survey approach involves collecting data through questionnaires or other standardized measures.

Question 9

Juanita recently told me that 98% of businesses emit toxins into the environment. I informed her that I thought that number had to be incorrect because not 98% of businesses are manufacturers. She said, hastily, "well that is the figure the EPA is using". Which method of knowing is Juanita relying upon?

Accepted Answer

Juanita is relying on expert authority by citing the EPA as the source of her information.

Question 10

Lisa is designing her dissertation. She is testing the strength of copper. She prepares samples and tests the strength of copper by applying random amounts of pressure on the samples. Her research is best described as

Accepted Answer

Lisa's research is focused on testing the strength of copper, which falls under the category of basic research. Basic research aims at gaining a deeper understanding of a particular topic or phenomenon, without necessarily having any immediate practical applications. In this case, Lisa's research is aimed at increasing our understanding of the properties of copper, rather than solving a specific problem or issue, which makes it a basic research project.

Question 11

Jill is a first grade teacher. Her class is a bit out of control and she needs a classroom management strategy. Which of the following strategies illustrates inductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Jill is using inductive reasoning because she is using her own observations and experiences to come up with a solution. She has noticed that the proximity approach (being physically close to students who are misbehaving) has been effective for her so far, so she decides to continue using it. The other choices involve either relying on an authority figure or following the majority, which are not examples of inductive reasoning.

Question 12

Leslie is finishing her final research report on challenges faculty face when using new technologies. She includes some direct quotations from her participants to best illustrate her main findings. Of the following, which type of research best represents Leslie's study?

Accepted Answer

Leslie's study includes direct quotations from participants, which indicates a qualitative approach. Of the options given, a narrative study would best fit this description, as it focuses on collecting and analyzing individuals' stories and experiences. The other options, experimental, research and development, and survey, typically involve quantitative data or more structured formats.

Question 13

Sally conducts narrative research. She is particularly interested in the challenges of school/community relationships as schools are redistricted. Which of the following approaches to data collection is Sally likely to most heavily rely on?

Accepted Answer

Sally's interest in the challenges of school/community relationships suggests a need for in-depth understanding of individual perspectives and experiences. Participant interviews are a qualitative data collection method that allows for rich descriptions of personal experiences and insights. Tests and questionnaires, student achievement records, and broad-based surveys would not provide the same level of detailed information specific to individual perspectives and experiences regarding school/community relationships during a redistricting process.

Question 14

Which of the following examples illustrates reliance on deductive reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Bill is using deductive reasoning by applying a general principle (all Escorts use unleaded fuel) to a specific case (his car is an Escort) to draw a conclusion.

Question 15

Basic researchers collect data primarily to

Accepted Answer

Basic researchers collect data in order to develop theories and understand fundamental principles rather than to solve practical problems or make decisions about programs. The goal of basic research is to advance knowledge and understanding of a subject rather than to provide immediate practical applications or solutions. Developing educational 'best practices' or determining methods for practical problems are more likely to be the focus of applied research.

Question 16

Chris is interested in the role of attitudes about weight training. He developed a questionnaire and sent it out to a sample of 30-59 year old males and females. Of the following, Chris's attitude study could best be described as ____________ research.

Accepted Answer

Chris's study is a survey because he developed a questionnaire and sent it out to a sample of people to gather their attitudes about weight training. The study does not involve manipulating variables or testing cause-and-effect relationships, which would be characteristic of experimental or correlational research. There is also no indication that the study involves collecting narratives.

Question 17

Which of the following is an example of a correlational study?

Accepted Answer

A correlational study examines the relationship between two variables. This question specifically asks if there is a relationship between the amount of silent independent reading time allocated and reading test scores.

Question 18

Katelin is interested in examining the relationship between years of gymnastics classes taken as a child and osteoporosis as an adult. She is concerned only with females because more girls take gymnastics than do boys and more women have osteoporosis than do men.
-What type of research method is Katelin employing?

Accepted Answer

Katelin is using a correlational research method to examine the relationship between years of gymnastics classes taken as a child and osteoporosis as an adult. She aims to identify how strongly two or more variables are related to each other without manipulating the variables themselves.

Question 19

Katelin is interested in examining the relationship between years of gymnastics classes taken as a child and osteoporosis as an adult. She is concerned only with females because more girls take gymnastics than do boys and more women have osteoporosis than do men.
-Katelin addressing this concern and then developing research questions and hypotheses involves which step of the research process?

Accepted Answer

Katelin is in the initial stage of the research process where she identifies a topic to be studied. She has already defined the population she wants to study and narrowed down the variables she wants to investigate. Therefore, the correct choice is A) Recognition and identification of a topic to be studied.

Question 20

Ken is interested in determining if there are differences between men's occurrence of obesity and prior football team experience. He compares three different groups of men. In one group he has men that played football in jr. high, but not high school or post-high school. Those in the second group played in jr. high and high school but not post-high school. Those in the third group played all three. As part of the study he weighs the men to calculate obesity.
-The weighing of the men would be included in which step of the research process?

Accepted Answer

The weighing of the men is part of the execution of procedures step in the research process. This step involves carrying out the planned procedures and collecting data.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Educational Research