Research Project Exercises - Part 3

These research project exercises deal with parts of research, qualitative and quantitative research, variables and search report.

Exercise 1                  

1. Distinguish between a Research Problem and other parts of research?

a. Research problem
b. Research topic
c. Research purpose
d. Research questions

2. Examine the following quantitative research question:

”Do fifth grade students who participate in a supplemental daily calendar math program learn more math content as demonstrated on the Verginia SOLs that those who do not receive this supplementary math program?”

a. What is the independent variable?
b. What is the dependent variable?

3. Which of the following is considered a type of Narrative Research?

a. Life stories
b. Participant observations
c. Observer stories
d. Researcher accounts

4. Define the term “Review of Literature” along with its objectives

5. Describe the similarities and differences among grounded theory designs, ethnographic designs, and narrative designs. Define each carefully, and provide examples.

6. What is the difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Research? Include mention of possible differences in purpose, method, data sources, and data analysis.

7. What is the difference between Result Interpretation and Result Discussion?

8. How do you evaluate the quality of a research report?


Exercise 2                  

1. What is the difference between stratified sampling and cluster sampling?

2. What makes the following research hypotheses bad?

• There is bias in the justice system.
• An airplane pilot can be warned with either an auditory signal or a visual signal.

3. Identify the participants, variables, and research methodology in the following scenario:

What strategies are being used by small businesses that have effective and viable workplace wellness programs?

4. Thinking Critically About Everyday Information: Why We Watch So Much Television.

A national news network reported the results of a study with an introduction that stated that researchers “found that switching on the tube helps distract people from their personal failings.” The study was published by Moskalenko and Heine (2003) in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. According to the news report, college students took an intelligence test and received predetermined feedback regarding how well they performed. Half of the students were told that they did well, and half were told that they did poorly. All of the students then had the opportunity to watch television for up to six minutes. Results showed that those students who were told that they had done poorly on the intelligence test watched TV for more minutes and also looked at the TV longer before looking at something else. Students also reported that after watching TV they “perceived less challenge to their chosen self-image.” Consider the following questions:

a. What was the independent variable in the study? is it a quantitative variable or a qualitative variable?

b.  What is the dependent variable(s) in the study?

c.  Although not mentioned in the description above, what do you suppose was the hypothesis for the study?

d.  Do you believe that the conclusion as stated in the opening sentence accurately reflects the results of the study? Why or why not?