Chapter 2
Developing Research Skills
Select the choice which best completes the statement, or answers the question, by clicking on the corresponding letter.
Literature in the context of a research project is?
- Published accounts of research that has been carried out and completed.
- Any paper resource.
- Any written material.
- Any highly regarded novel or book.
What is the most basic skill required of any researcher?
- The ability to calculate statistics.
- The ability to understand major philosophical issues and ideas.
- The ability to generate ideas for research projects.
- The ability to source data.
When can a research project be said to be researchable?
- When the researcher decides to carry it out.
- When the researcher supervisor approves the research idea.
- When ethical approval for the project has been secured.
- When there is sufficient time and money (if money is needed) to carry out the project, and if there is ready access to the necessary data.
A case study research methodology is useful in:
- Studies that involve very large populations.
- The study of a bounded entity, such as a business, or a class, or a club, or an event.
- Studies that involve large populations spread over large geographic areas.
- Statistical analysis.
A survey research methodology is particularly useful in facilitating the study of:
- People at work.
- Women at work.
- Very large populations and geographically scattered populations.
- The workforce
Validity in relation to the research project relates to:
- How logical, truthful, robust, sound, meaningful, reasonable and useful the research is.
- How long the research takes to carry out.
- The size of the written record of the research.
- The relationship between the researcher and the research supervisor.
Reliability in relation to the research project relates to:
- The reliability of the researcher.
- The dependability of the research, and the degree to which the research can be repeated while obtaining consistent results.
- The reliability of the research supervisor.
- The reliability of the participants in the research.
Triangulation in the research project means:
- The triangular relationship between the research, the researcher and the research supervisor.
- That there is a relationship between the literature review, the research methodology and the data gathering methods.
- That three data gathering methods must be used.
- Studying the phenomenon under investigation from more than one perspective.
Every research project should begin with:
- A statement of the research.
- A decision about the data gathering methods to be used.
- A decision about the research methodology to be used.
- An understanding of the overall conclusion that will be drawn.
The stated objectives of the research project are:
- Aspirations the researcher has for the research project.
- A complete list of all of the things the researcher hopes to accomplish with the research.
- The steps the researcher takes in order to accomplish the aim of the research.
- The standards the research supervisor sets down for the research project.
The theoretical framework is:
- The framework that succinctly presents all of the key concepts in the research project.
- The framework the researcher builds from the literature (theory) s/he reviews for the research project.
- The search for literature that the researcher carries out.
- Another name for the analytical framework.
Observation, questionnaires and interviews are all:
- Research methodologies.
- Theoretical frameworks.
- Fundamental philosophies.
- Data gathering methods.
Ethnography, grounded theory and action research are all:
- Examples of research methodologies.
- Examples of data gathering methods.
- Fundamental philosophies.
- Theoretical frameworks.
Positivism, constructivism and interpretivism are all:
- Examples of fundamental philosophies.
- Examples of data gathering methods.
- Examples of research methodologies.
- Examples of theoretical frameworks.
Plagiarism is:
- The study of research and research methodologies.
- The scholarship required in the research project.
- The term for the relationship between the research and the research supervisor.
- The use and/or presentation of somebody else’s work or ideas as your own.