Deck 25: Preparing Research Proposals and Reports

Question 1

In writing the justification for a proposed study, the author should assume that:

A) readers are familiar with related studies
B) the importance of the problem is self-evident
C) interest in the question is sufficient
D) none of the above

Answer 1

none of the above

Question 2

Stating a research hypothesis is generally considered to be:

A) essential
B) desirable
C) undesirable
D) unnecessary

Answer 2

desirable

Question 3

The goal of the "definitions section of a proposal is to:

A) eliminate all ambiguity in terms used
B) reduce ambiguity as much as possible
C) state terms as they are commonly used
D) define each word in the research hypothesis

Answer 3

reduce ambiguity as much as possible

Question 4

The "sample section of a research proposal must state:

A) a detailed plan for obtaining subjects
B) the final number of subjects in a study
C) the size of the population to which generalization is intended
D) how the sample will be stratified

Question 5

In planning a study, a researcher should, in general:

A) plan to develop his or her own instruments
B) use instruments that are widely known and used
C) use only instruments with proven evidence of validity
D) plan to use existing instruments if appropriate

Question 6

When using existing instruments, a researcher should:

A) rely on accompanying manuals for evaluation of reliability and validity
B) plan to check reliability and validity as part of the study
C) consider positive reviews in "Mental Measurements Yearbooks" as sufficient
D) assume instruments sold commercially are adequate in regard to evidence of reliability and validity

Question 7

Using a second instrument to check validity is usually:

A) impossible
B) unnecessary
C) highly desirable
D) impractical

Question 8

Procedures used in a study should be described in detail so that:

A) validity of instrumentation is ensured
B) a reader can determine the importance of the study
C) deficiencies in internal validity can be explained
D) replication is possible

Question 9

The primary reason for considering threats to internal validity in a proposal is so that:

A) they can be defended against criticism
B) a small sample can be justified
C) steps can be taken to reduce them
D) weaknesses in instruments can be explained

Question 10

The "data analysis section of a proposal states:

A) how data collected will be analyzed
B) how the analyses were carried out
C) what the data demonstrate
D) what conclusions are justified by the data

Question 11

Which of the following would not usually appear in a proposal budget?

A) Employee benefits
B) Travel
C) Personnel resumes
D) Indirect costs

Question 12

Differences between a proposal and a report include all of the following except:

A) verb tense
B) results
C) conclusions
D) prior research

Question 13

Contradictions are often found in proposals between:

A) sampling plan and instrumentation
B) sampling plan and control of extraneous variables
C) definitions and instrumentation
D) all of the above

Question 14

The intent of the "review of related literature in a proposal is to:

A) demonstrate the writer's ability to do a literature search
B) critically review all pertinent literature
C) show how the proposed study builds on previous knowledge
D) show where the proposed instrumentation came from

Question 15

The purpose of operational definitions in a research proposal is to:

A) replace constitutive definitions
B) clarify constitutive definitions
C) clarify instrumentation
D) justify the importance of the planned-for study

Question 16

The reader should be able to judge the external validity of a study when reading which of the following sections of a research report?

A) Statement of the problem
B) Review of the literature
C) Instrumentation
D) Sampling

Question 17

When reading a research report, educators should:

A) accept the author's conclusions only if he or she is known to be an authority in the field
B) accept conclusions that agree with previous research
C) determine whether the conclusions are supported by the data of the study
D) accept the conclusions if they follow logically from the hypotheses of the study

Question 18

When reading a research report in a highly regarded journal, educators should:

A) accept the author's conclusions without question if based on statistically significant results
B) accept those conclusions that agree with their own opinions
C) reject any conclusions that are based on inductive reasoning
D) evaluate the conclusions according to the correctness of the research methodology used in the study

Question 19

When research results are the opposite of what was expected, the researcher should:

A) abandon the study
B) attempt to find what caused the study to go wrong
C) report the results the way they occurred
D) report that the instruments employed are inappropriate for measuring the variables involved

Question 20

"Students who understand the reasoning underlying arithmetic processes will learn algebra more rapidly than will students who merely memorize the steps in the processes without understanding them. This statement will be tested with a logically sound research design and sampling plan. If the results are in agreement with the statement, it can be considered to be a(n):

A) assumption on which hypotheses should be based
B) proven generalization that can be added to existing theory
C) single-variable hypothesis involving no cause-and-effect relationships
D) tentatively confirmed hypothesis that should be subjected to further testing

Question 21

Matching

-Justification section

A) Addresses the validity and reliability of data collection sources and conditions
B) Typically includes relevant demographic information on the subjects of the study
C) States explicitly the worth of the study
D) An integrated summary of previous work related to the focus of the study
E) Indicates how the data collected will be organized and analyzed

Question 22

Matching

-Review of related literature

A) Addresses the validity and reliability of data collection sources and conditions
B) Typically includes relevant demographic information on the subjects of the study
C) States explicitly the worth of the study
D) An integrated summary of previous work related to the focus of the study
E) Indicates how the data collected will be organized and analyzed

Question 23

Matching

-Sampling section

A) Addresses the validity and reliability of data collection sources and conditions
B) Typically includes relevant demographic information on the subjects of the study
C) States explicitly the worth of the study
D) An integrated summary of previous work related to the focus of the study
E) Indicates how the data collected will be organized and analyzed

Question 24

Matching

-Instrumentation section

A) Addresses the validity and reliability of data collection sources and conditions
B) Typically includes relevant demographic information on the subjects of the study
C) States explicitly the worth of the study
D) An integrated summary of previous work related to the focus of the study
E) Indicates how the data collected will be organized and analyzed

Question 25

Matching

-Data analysis section

A) Addresses the validity and reliability of data collection sources and conditions
B) Typically includes relevant demographic information on the subjects of the study
C) States explicitly the worth of the study
D) An integrated summary of previous work related to the focus of the study
E) Indicates how the data collected will be organized and analyzed

Question 26

A research report describes a completed study whereas a research proposal describes a future one.

Question 27

Operational definitions should not be provided for familiar key terms in a research proposal.

Question 28

A statement of the hypothesis is usually expected in qualitative research proposals.

Question 29

Developing your own data collection instrument eliminates the need to discuss validity and reliability in a research proposal.

Question 30

Suggestions for further resear