Deck 2: The Research Process: From Proposal to Final Report

Question 1

Research knowledge and personal knowledge in that

A) they serve different purposes.
B) are judged against different standards.
C) research knowledge is cumulative across studies.
D) all of the above.

Answer 1

all of the above.

Question 2

An advantage of theory-based research is that it

A) allows the researcher to examine any question of personal interest.
B) provides a rational basis for explaining the research results.
C) enables the researcher to prove a particular hypothesis.
D) greatly reduces the possibility of conflicting interpretations of research findings.

Answer 2

provides a rational basis for explaining the research results.

Question 3

If a number of studies produce evidence in line with a theory and no disconfirming evidence is found, the most reasonable conclusion is that

A) the theory has been proved.
B) the theory has been supported.
C) more evidence is needed to prove the theory.
D) none of the above.

Answer 3

the theory has been supported.

Question 4

Theory in qualitative research typically involves

A) discovering a set of constructs, themes, or patterns in the data.
B) formulating a research problem based on an earlier researcher's findings.
C) testing hypotheses derived from an existing theory.
D) attempts to disconfirm previously held beliefs about educational phenomena.

Question 5

Replication studies in education

A) sometimes are done to test the generalizability of the original study's findings to new settings and populations.
B) almost always find corroborative evidence for the findings of the study being replicated.
C) are invalid unless they follow the same methodology as that used in the original study.
D) can be used to search for more effective interventions than the one originally tested, but cannot be used to search for more efficient interventions.

Question 6

Replication studies in education

A) have little value because they usually investigate problems of no interest to practitioners.
B) have little value because the important studies generally are well-funded and produce trustworthy results.
C) are of no value unless they literally reproduce the methodology of the original study.
D) can be considered "original" if they check the findings of an important study using different methodology.

Question 7

One of the main advantages of working on a team project in learning to carry out educational research is that

A) all team members are likely to have similar experience and research interests.
B) the research problem is likely to be closely allied with the student's interests.
C) a team project provides insight into how research teams operate.
D) nearly all research in education involves a team of researchers.

Question 8

A research proposal for a dissertation study

A) is similar in many respects to the organization of the final dissertation.
B) is not necessary for a qualitative investigation because of the emergent nature of the research design.
C) needs to include the research problem, hypotheses, and research design, but not a literature review.
D) should focus primarily on the research design, data-collection instruments, and probable method of statistical analysis.

Question 9

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Introduction

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 10

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Review of literature

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 11

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Research design

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 12

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Research method

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 13

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Data analysis

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 14

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Human subjects protection

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 15

Match each section of a research proposal with the appropriate example of the information that is presented in that section.

-Timeline

A) Whether the study will attempt to describe, predict, explain, or control the phenomena being studied
B) The methods of data collection to be used
C) Statement of the research hypotheses
D) When each step of the study will be completed
E) Critique of the methods used in previous research on the problem
F) The statistical tests that will be carried out
G) Description of how risks to participants will be minimized

Question 16

"There is no relationship between parental use of corporal punishment and the level of school misbehavior of third grade students."This is an example of a

A) null hypothesis.
B) research objective.
C) research question.
D) directional hypothesis.

Question 17

A directional hypothesis about the relationship between the type of reading instruction and reading comprehension might be stated in terms of

A) a question as to whether students receiving whole-language instruction or students receiving phonics instruction will score higher on a measure of reading comprehension.
B) a prediction that there will be no difference in the reading comprehension of students taught by phonics instruction and those taught by whole-language instruction.
C) a prediction that there will be a difference in the reading comprehension of students taught by phonics instruction and those taught by whole-language instruction, but without specifying which form of instruction will be superior.
D) a prediction that students taught phonics will have higher reading comprehension scores than students taught by the whole-language method.

Question 18

A dissertation is organized similarly to a research proposal except for the

A) problem statement.
B) literature review.
C) research method.
D) research findings.

Question 19

In writing a dissertation, the student should put in appendixes material that

A) is critical to the study but may not interest all readers.
B) presents statistical results that are essential to understanding of the study.
C) presents information about measures that the student developed.
D) all of the above.

Question 20

The most important step a researcher should take to ensure that her research study is worth doing is to

A) establish the validity and reliability of the measures to be used.
B) demonstrate that the findings of previous research in this area are inconclusive.
C) show how the study builds on and will add to the research literature.
D) provide evidence that the research presents no possible risk to research participants.

Question 21

A researcher should base the selection of a journal to which to submit a report of one's research primarily on whether

A) the journal is willing to publish the report in its original form.
B) the journal has published other studies dealing with your research topic.
C) the journal is published by a professional association.
D) the report covers a topic not previously addressed by this journal.

Question 22

If your proposal is accepted for presentation at a professional meeting, you have an obligation to

A) prepare a paper for submission to a journal published by the association that is sponsoring the meeting.
B) attend the meeting and present a paper.
C) submit the paper you present to the appropriate ERIC clearinghouse.
D) prepare a chart essay summarizing your findings.

Question 23

List the five stages of a research study.

Question 24

Explain two of the following terms: theory, construct, operational definition, and variable.

Question 25

List three purposes for doing a replication and extension of a previous study as one's research project.

Question 26

Give two reasons why working on a team project can be beneficial.

Question 27

Give two reasons why it is important to write a complete research proposal before undertaking a study.

Question 28

List two topics that typically are covered in the introductory section of a research proposal.

Question 29

Why do researchers often state a hypothesis in null form, i.e., that no relationship or difference will be found, even when they expect the opposite?

Question 30

Describe the nature and purpose of a pilot study in educational research.

Question 31

List two ways to check whether you are using the correct format and writing style in preparing your dissertation.

Question 32

List two of the topics that the discussion chapter of a dissertation should cover.

Question 33

Name two factors to consider in deciding on a journal to which to submit a report of your research study.

Question 34

Name two factors to consider in deciding on a journal to which to submit a report of your research study.

Question 35

Give one reason why a chart essay is a desirable format for presenting a paper at a professional meeting.

Question 36

A graduate student claims that it is not necessary for her to do a pilot study prior to conducting an experiment for her doctoral dissertation. Her experiment is primarily a replication of a previously published study on the effectiveness of a teacher inservice on classroom management, with a few modifications. Give at least two arguments in favor of her doing a pilot study under these conditions.Sample

Question 37

Rewrite the following dissertation titles so that they are brief yet informative.
a. "A Study Investigating the Relationship between Selected Personality Factors in First-, Second-, and Third Grade Children and their Attitudes toward School at Various Intervals in the School Year."
b. "A Preliminary Investigation into the Effects of Participation in a High School Counseling Program on Student Perceptions of Various Aspects of College."

Question 38

a. State three of your areas of interest in education.
b. Mention two problems in each of these areas that you think are worthy of research investigation.
c. Write (1) a null hypothesis, (2) a directional hypothesis, and (3) a research objective for one of the problems you mentioned.