What source of information have people throughout history often used, besides
personal experience?
a. authority
What is the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning?
a. Deductive reasoning begins with dogma handed down as absolute truth,
and inductive reasoning relies on observations.
b. Deductive reasoning deals in isolated facts, and inductive reasoning aims
to deal with knowledge as a whole.
c. Deductive reasoning makes inferences from general principles to particular
things, and inductive reasoning makes inferences from particular things to general
truths.
The scientific method proceeds inductively from observations to hypotheses, and
then deductively to what the hypotheses predict.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following are steps in the scientific method?
a. deducing explanations
b. consulting relevant authorities
c. predicting consequences
d. stating of the problem
e. testing hypotheses
In their work, researchers assume that reliable knowledge can take a variety of
different forms.
a. True
b. False
Why were educators initially reluctant to accept the scientific method in educational
research?
a. The scientific method was not well known at the time.
b. They doubted educational outcomes could be measured.
c. They were not interested in improving educational practices.
How has evidence-based research been applied in schools?
a. State education agencies have implemented educational standards to be
applied to schools statewide.
b. The government has required schools that need improvement to
implement scientifically based interventions.
c. Teachers have undertaken research to find evidence about how their
students learn.
d. School administrators have researched the demographics of their students
to compare them.
Which of the following are steps in the evidence-based research process?
a. simplifying the subject matter until a subject can be easily researched
b. selecting a question that can be investigated empirically
c. choosing an appropriate research method
d. reviewing what has already been reported on the question
e. carrying out controlled experiments
Which of the following are areas of special difficulty encountered in social science
research as compared to research in the natural sciences?
a. measurement
b. excessive specialization
c. replication
d. ethical considerations
e. interaction of observer and subjects
The major difference between research in the social sciences and the natural
sciences is that social science research is by nature:
a. less complicated.
b. more specialized.
c. less precise.
d. more empirical.
Researchers use constructs to provide definitions for concepts.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following are classifications of variables?
a. continuous
b. dependent
c. constructive
d. categorical
e. constant
What is the mixed methods approach in educational research?
a. a way to limit research to that which can be done in a controlled setting
b. a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods
Which of the following are types of nonexperimental quantitative research?
a. controlled research
b. ex post facto research
c. dependent and independent variables
d. survey research
e. correlative research
Which of the following are types of research that are classified according to
purpose?
a. action research
b. survey research
c. qualitative research
d. applied research
e. basic research
How would you use a theory to generate a research problem?
a. Test something that the theory predicts.
Which of the following are characteristics of quantitative research problems?
a. narrow
b. inductive
c. open-ended
d. specific
e. static
Which of the following are characteristics of qualitative research problems?
a. theory-based
b. descriptive
c. inductive
d. emergent
e. logical
Which of the following are among the main factors that have to be considered in
evaluating research problems?
a. number of variables
b. significance
c. topics of other researchers at your institution
d. empirical subject of study
e. likeliness to lead to further research
A student decides to research the question of whether high school graduation
requirements are too lenient. This research problem is not appropriate because it is
not:
a. ethical.
b. significant.
c. generative of other questions.
d. researchable.
Which of the following questions is not appropriate for research because it is too
broad in scope?
a. How would increased bullying affect middle schoolers' educational
performance?
b. Are racial quotas in college admissions a good way to foster equality on
campuses?
c. Which aspects of classes make them more enjoyable for high school
students?
A research question is expressed more precisely than a problem.
a. True
b. False
A problem can be made into a research question by specifying the population and
variables.
a. True
b. False
The purpose of research is to try to prove a hypothesis.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following are among the main purposes of a hypothesis?
a. connecting the literature to the current study
b. increasing interest in the topic
c. giving direction to the research
d. providing a framework for reporting conclusions
e. specifying a way for data to be collected
Which of the following are characteristics of a usable hypothesis?
a. concise
b. consistent with what is already known
c. testable
d. predictive of only one outcome
e. positive
Which of the following is not considered a usable hypothesis because it is not
testable?
a. Nonacademic factors are important in college admissions.
b. High school students do not need to eat as much food as elementary
school students.
c. Students' academic outcomes in all subjects improve with tutoring.
d. Boys and girls generally have equal academic aptitudes throughout
elementary school.
The purpose of a null hypothesis is to:
a. provide guidance in forming a research plan.
b. determine whether a research question can be studied quantitatively.
c. determine whether a given relationship between variables occurs by
chance.
The purpose of a quantitative research plan is to:
a. compare the proposal with the existing literature on the subject.
b. determine whether a hypothesis is testable.
c. turn a research problem into a hypothesis.
d. outline a procedure in concrete form.
What should be included in a research plan?
a. design of a research methodology
