Question 1

A potential drawback of secondary sources is that they ____.
A) typically do not contain detailed information about any specific study
B) often cover a decade or more of research in a given area
C) provide detailed information about research methods but little about results
D) offer no statistical analysis in support of their conclusions

Accepted Answer

Secondary sources typically do not contain detailed information about any specific study.

Question 2

A ____ source contains original research reports.
A) primary
B) secondary
C) premier
D) germinal

Accepted Answer

A primary source contains original research reports. Primary sources are first-hand accounts of an event or time period and are considered to be more reliable than secondary sources, which are interpretations or analyses of primary sources. Examples of primary sources include research studies, historical documents, and original artwork.

Question 3

Finding out why clients diagnosed with schizophrenia do not consistently take their medication would be an example of ____.
A) basic research
B) applied research
C) pseudoresearch
D) common sense research

Accepted Answer

This is an example of applied research, as it seeks to understand and address a practical issue related to a specific population (clients diagnosed with schizophrenia and their medication adherence). Basic research, on the other hand, is focused on exploring fundamental principles and knowledge without immediate practical application. Pseudoresearch refers to research that is portrayed as legitimate but lacks scientific rigor, while common sense research is not a recognized term in the field of research methodology.

Question 4

You can safely assume that ____.
A) any publication in a journal is a primary source
B) secondary sources do not contain any statistical analyses
C) any publication with a section describing methodology is a primary source
D) primary sources contain descriptions of research by those who conducted it

Accepted Answer

Primary sources are ones which describe research conducted by the researchers themselves.

Question 5

While driving, you notice that you seem to encounter more impatient and rude people on the road than you do in person, and you wonder why that would be the case. This is an example of getting research ideas from ____.
A) theory
B) casual observation
C) systematic observation
D) second-hand information

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes a casual observation, which is an informal way of generating research ideas based on personal experiences or observations.

Question 6

When using PsycINFO for a literature search, it is most common to enter a(n) ____ into the database.
A) subject word
B) description of the article
C) journal name
D) article title

Accepted Answer

When using PsycINFO, it is most common to enter a subject word or keyword into the database to generate a list of relevant articles. This allows for a broader search and the ability to refine results based on specific topics or areas of interest. While it is possible to search by journal name, article title, or description of the article, these are less commonly used search criteria in PsycINFO.

Question 7

Research studies that are intended to answer practical problems would be classified as ____.
A) basic
B) applied
C) systematic
D) statistically significant

Accepted Answer

Applied research studies are conducted to address practical problems, unlike basic research studies which aim to add to knowledge without immediate practical application. Systematic refers to the rigorous and thorough methodology used in research studies, and statistical significance refers to the probability that an observed result occurred by chance.

Question 8

After you have scanned through a list of titles to determine which articles might be relevant to your research question, you should then read the ____ of each article to determine whether to keep it in your literature review.
A) introduction
B) abstract
C) discussion section
D) results section

Accepted Answer

The abstract provides a brief summary of the article's purpose, methods, and results, making it easier to quickly determine whether the article is relevant to your research question. The introduction, discussion section, and results section provide more detailed information but are more time-consuming to read, so it's best to reserve those for articles that have already been deemed relevant based on the abstract.

Question 9

The review of the literature in the introduction section of a research report is an example of a ____ source.
A) primary
B) secondary
C) premier
D) germinal

Accepted Answer

The review of the literature in the introduction section of a research report is an example of a secondary source because it summarizes and analyzes information from primary sources such as articles and books. A primary source is direct evidence, such as original research studies, while a secondary source interprets or analyzes primary sources. Premier and germinal are not commonly used terms in reference to sources.

Question 10

Suppose you are looking for reliable psychological information about a specific keyword. What tool will be most effective?
A) Yahoo
B) Wikipedia
C) PsycINFO
D) About.com

Accepted Answer

PsycINFO is a specialized database that indexes and abstracts psychological literature, providing academic and scholarly content. It is the most effective tool when it comes to finding reliable psychological information on a specific topic. Yahoo and About.com are general search engines, while Wikipedia is an open-content platform that can be edited by anyone, thus the quality of information found may not always be reliable.

Question 11

A researcher is intrigued by an explanation of children's problem-solving strategies found in a journal article and develops a research study to determine whether the article's ideas are correct. This study can be classified as ____ research.
A) basic
B) applied
C) systematic
D) necessary

Accepted Answer

Basic research is conducted to increase understanding of fundamental principles and theories, often without immediate practical application. The researcher's study aims to test the validity of theoretical ideas, which aligns with basic research.

Question 12

While watching your kids play in the backyard, you get some ideas about what factors may be causing them to compete or collaborate. This is an example of getting research ideas from ____.
A) theory
B) casual observation
C) systematic observation
D) second-hand information

Accepted Answer

Observing a natural setting, such as watching children play in the backyard, is an example of casual observation. It can provide insights and generate research ideas but it is not a systematic approach to research. Theory involves using existing explanations and frameworks to explain phenomena, while second-hand information involves gathering information from sources other than direct observation.

Question 13

A newspaper article discussing someone's research is an example of a ____ source.
A) primary
B) secondary
C) premier
D) germinal

Accepted Answer

A newspaper article discussing someone's research is not the original source of the research, but instead reports on the findings from someone else's study. Therefore, it is a secondary source.

Question 14

A researcher initiates a study to determine whether playing organized sports helps children with anxiety feel less anxious. This study can best be classified as ____ research.
A) basic
B) applied
C) systematic
D) necessary

Accepted Answer

The study is being conducted with the intention of solving a real-life problem, which is reducing anxiety in children through organized sports. This indicates that the research is applied.

Question 15

Which type of source summarizes information from sources of original research reports?
A) primary
B) secondary
C) premier
D) germinal

Accepted Answer

Secondary sources summarize information from sources of original research reports. Primary sources are original research reports, premier is not a type of source, and germinal is not commonly used terminology in this context.

Question 16

Combat veterans may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You wonder about the best way to treat PTSD. This is an example of getting research ideas from ____.
A) theory
B) random thoughts
C) practical problems
D) systematic observation

Accepted Answer

This question is an example of getting research ideas from a practical problem, as the researcher is wondering about the best way to treat a specific issue (PTSD in combat veterans) that has real-world implications. The other options (theory, random thoughts, and systematic observation) do not fit the situation as well.

Question 17

The database that contains brief summaries of psychology articles and information on where to find the original publication is ____.
A) Social Citation Index
B) MedLine
C) PsycINFO
D) ERIC

Accepted Answer

PsycINFO is specifically designed to provide access to psychological literature including abstracts, citations, and full-text articles from thousands of psychology-related publications.

Question 18

An empirical journal article is an example of a ____ source.
A) primary
B) secondary
C) premier
D) germinal

Accepted Answer

An empirical journal article is a primary source because it reports on original research and data. Primary sources are firsthand accounts of data or information, and they are the original sources from which information is collected. Empirical journal articles are typically peer-reviewed and published in academic journals, making them a reliable source of information for researchers in a specific field.

Question 19

Your PsycINFO search has yielded several hundred articles. The most efficient next step is to ____.
A) read the abstracts to determine if you want to read the articles
B) cross-check the references with the lists obtained with other, related subject words
C) print off the articles so that you can read them at your convenient
D) scan through the titles to see which ones seem most suited to your interests

Accepted Answer

Scanning through the titles is the quickest way to narrow down the list to articles that are most relevant to your interests before delving deeper into abstracts or full texts.

Question 20

A study that aims to modify existing psychological theory related to personality traits would be considered ____ research.
A) basic
B) applied
C) systematic
D) statistically significant

Accepted Answer

Basic research aims to expand or modify existing theories and knowledge, rather than directly applying them to practical problems. Modifying existing psychological theory related to personality traits would fall under the definition of basic research. Applied research, on the other hand, is focused on solving specific practical problems or issues. Systematic research refers to the use of scientific methods to investigate a particular phenomenon, which could apply to both basic and applied research. Statistical significance refers to the likelihood of an observed effect or relationship occurring by chance, and is not a type of research.

Quiz 2: Research Ideas and Hypotheses

A potential drawback of secondary sources is that they ____.

A ____ source contains original research reports.

Finding out why clients diagnosed with schizophrenia do not consistently take their medication would be an example of ____.

You can safely assume that ____.

While driving, you notice that you seem to encounter more impatient and rude people on the road than you do in person, and you wonder why that would be the case. This is an example of getting research ideas from ____.

When using PsycINFO for a literature search, it is most common to enter a(n) ____ into the database.

Research studies that are intended to answer practical problems would be classified as ____.

After you have scanned through a list of titles to determine which articles might be relevant to your research question, you should then read the ____ of each article to determine whether to keep it in your literature review.

The review of the literature in the introduction section of a research report is an example of a ____ source.

Suppose you are looking for reliable psychological information about a specific keyword. What tool will be most effective?

A researcher is intrigued by an explanation of children's problem-solving strategies found in a journal article and develops a research study to determine whether the article's ideas are correct. This study can be classified as ____ research.

While watching your kids play in the backyard, you get some ideas about what factors may be causing them to compete or collaborate. This is an example of getting research ideas from ____.

A newspaper article discussing someone's research is an example of a ____ source.

A researcher initiates a study to determine whether playing organized sports helps children with anxiety feel less anxious. This study can best be classified as ____ research.

Which type of source summarizes information from sources of original research reports?

Combat veterans may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . You wonder about the best way to treat PTSD. This is an example of getting research ideas from ____.

The database that contains brief summaries of psychology articles and information on where to find the original publication is ____.

An empirical journal article is an example of a ____ source.

Your PsycINFO search has yielded several hundred articles. The most efficient next step is to ____.

A study that aims to modify existing psychological theory related to personality traits would be considered ____ research.