How Research Savvy Are You?

1.

Why do you think it would be beneficial to sit down and think about what you already know about a topic before you start your research? Check all that apply.

A.

Thinking about what you know will help you create a hypothesis.
B.

It will not help you at all.
C.

Even though it may take some time upfront, it will you save time in the end because this will help you develop a thorough research strategy.
D.

Thinking about what you already know will help you find keywords and subject headings that can help you find relevant sources.

Correct Answer(s)
A. Thinking about what you know will help you create a hypothesis.
C. Even though it may take some time upfront, it will you save time in the end because this will help you develop a thorough research strategy.
D. Thinking about what you already know will help you find keywords and subject headings that can help you find relevant sources.

Explanation
Thinking about what you already know about a topic will help you 1) develop an educated hypothesis 2) build a research strategy 3) find keywords and subject headings to make searching easier 4) save you time in the end since you are already organized.

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2.

Which of the following is not a hypothesis?

A.

What are the divorce rates in New York City?
B.

Divorce rates in New York State are higher than in Michigan because people work longer hours.
C.

Couples married in the 1970s and earlier have lower divorce rates than those couples married in the 1980s and after because they have different values regarding marriage.
D.

Couples who seek therapy during separation are less likely to get divorced than couples who do not.

Correct Answer
A. What are the divorce rates in New York City?

Explanation
Answer A is not a hypothesis. It is a simple reference question that can be answered by looking quickly at statistics. The others are all hypotheses. A hypothesis is your prediction or a possible explanation of why something happens. The goal of a research project is to find and present content that tests your hypothesis.

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3.

What is the purpose of creating a list of related questions when doing a research project?

A.

To make sure you get as many resources as possible to read through before you start your research paper.
B.

To make more work for yourself.
C.

Having a list of related questions will help you find supporting detail for your main argument.

Correct Answer
C. Having a list of related questions will help you find supporting detail for your main argument.

Explanation
Creating a list of related questions will help you save time in the end and help you find supporting detail. Also, when conducting research it is not so much quantity or resources as it is quality.

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4.

When searching in a library catalog/OPAC or database, what are some things you should consider when beginning your research? Check all that apply.

A.

You should know whether or not you need to use scholarly sources in your research project.
B.

You should have a list of keywords and/or subject headings.
C.

You should ask your librarian about library resources that can help you with your research.
D.

You should have looked through search engines to make sure you cannot find something better there, first.

Correct Answer(s)
A. You should know whether or not you need to use scholarly sources in your research project.
B. You should have a list of keywords and/or subject headings.
C. You should ask your librarian about library resources that can help you with your research.

Explanation
When beginning your research in a library catalog/OPAC or database, there are several things you should consider. First, you should determine whether or not you need to use scholarly sources for your research project. This will help you narrow down your search and focus on relevant materials. Second, having a list of keywords and/or subject headings will make your search more efficient and effective. These terms will help you find resources that are directly related to your topic. Lastly, it is always a good idea to ask your librarian about library resources that can assist you in your research. They can provide guidance and recommend specific materials that may be beneficial to your project.

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5.

What do we mean when we say supporting detail?

A.

Facts, statistics, and pieces of information that support the main idea(s) in text.
B.

Information in a text that is interesting, but not that important.
C.

It is another name for citations.
D.

Page numbers and other information that helps you locate material within a text.

Correct Answer
A. Facts, statistics, and pieces of information that support the main idea(s) in text.

Explanation
Supporting details are facts and statistics that support the main idea(s) in a text.

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6.

Why is it important to review your work before you hand it in? Check all that apply.

A.

You need to make sure that you have enough supporting details to help back your main idea(s).
B.

People reading my work may not take my ideas and opinions seriously if I have spelling and grammatical errors.
C.

You need to check your paper for length.
D.

You need to make sure that the paper is written for the intended audience.

Correct Answer(s)
A. You need to make sure that you have enough supporting details to help back your main idea(s).
B. People reading my work may not take my ideas and opinions seriously if I have spelling and grammatical errors.
C. You need to check your paper for length.
D. You need to make sure that the paper is written for the intended audience.

Explanation
All of the above is important!

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7.

Why is it important to reflect on your research strategy?

A.

It is not necessary to review your research strategy.
B.

You should review your research strategy so you can reflect on what worked and what did not, so that you can improve your process the next time around.
C.

You need to reflect on your process so that you can re-use this paper if you are ever assigned a similar project.

Correct Answer
B. You should review your research strategy so you can reflect on what worked and what did not, so that you can improve your process the next time around.

Explanation
It is very important to think back on what you did when researching. A little reflection on your process will go a long way the next time you need to do a project.

You should also never re-use a paper! While you should always be building on concepts that you've learned during the research process, re-using your paper or substantial amounts of work for another assignment is plagiarism.

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8.

Which of the following is a benefit of expressing your argument and research through a paper over a presentation?

A.

The paper is the best choice if you want your argument and research to reach a wide audience.
B.

The paper is the best choice if you want to go into great depth and detail with your argument and your research.

Correct Answer
B. The paper is the best choice if you want to go into great depth and detail with your argument and your research.

Explanation
While maybe not the best choice if you want your argument to reach a large audience, the paper allows you to deeply analyze your research and thoroughly explain your position.

A presentation, audio/video recording, or a blog post would be more effective if you are trying to reach a wide audience.

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