Title: Research questions
Course: Library Instruction Tutorials

Q: In William Badke's book, Research Strategies, he says the best research questions are simple ones that still require a good deal of analysis to answer.
- True (Yes - "the best research questions are simple ones that still require a good deal of analysis to answer." See page 2.6.4 (p. 40) in the text.)
- False (No - "the best research questions are simple ones that still require a good deal of analysis to answer." See page 2.6.4 (p. 40) in the text.)
A: True

Q: Match each statement with the correct term.
- Addresses a problem to be solved | Research Question
- A tentative answer to a research question | Thesis Statement
- with this method you are more likely to have an open mind | Research Question
- students have a tendency to create a bias with this method | Thesis Statement
Also offered: Research Topic; Open-ended Question

Q: Which group of keywords best describes the information needed for the following assignment: “Prepare a presentation about the gains achieved by African-Americans in the 1960s?”
- gains, achieved, 1960s
- African-Americans, gains, achieved
- presentation, African-Americans, gains
- African-Americans, gains, 1960s
A: African-Americans, gains, 1960s

Q: For your psychology class you are writing a five-page paper about the treatment of depression. What would be the best approach for researching this topic?
- Get scholarly journal articles for recent/very specific information.
- Get an overview of the topic from a drug company’s website, and then get more recent/specific information from magazine articles
- Get an overview of the topic from an encyclopedia of psychology
- Get an overview of the topic from a current encyclopedia, and then get more recent/specific information from journal articles.
A: Get an overview of the topic from a current encyclopedia, and then get more recent/specific information from journal articles.

Q: William Badke offers five kinds of bad and ugly research questions. What kind of research question is the following:

Why was Adolf Hitler the way he was?
- The fuzzy question
- The multi-part question
- The open-ended question
- The question that will not fly
A: The fuzzy question

Your research question is: “Do students receive adequate physical science instruction in public schools?” How could you narrow this question? Write an example of a broader research question:

You need to make a presentation to the City Council meeting against the proposed regulation of banning dogs from city parks. You have already used Web search tools and databases to find information. You still need more information so you want to use other methods of inquiry. What are two approaches you could take to find information supporting your point of view?

Q: Which of the following research questions is the best example of narrowing a research question by demographic or population?
- What are the impacts of social media use?
- Why is the electrical grid in the western United States in need of upgrades and repairs?
- How will healthcare legislation impact access to prescription medication for the elderly?
- How has Facebook made it easier to participate in cyberbullying in the 21^st century?
A: How will healthcare legislation impact access to prescription medication for the elderly?

Q: Directions: The following questions refer to the text in the boxes. Read the text and the question after it carefully and select the one best answer.

LexisNexis Academic

COVERAGE: LexisNexis Academic is really several databases in one. In addition to indexing more than 400 magazines and journals, LexisNexis Academic is a news database that provides full text news stories from more than 350 international, national, and regional newspapers published between the late 1970s and the present. It is also a business database that can provide company news, history, and financial data from the 1970s and 1980s. It is a legal database that provides full-text court cases from the Supreme Court, federal and state sources, full text of state and federal codes, as well as legal news and reviews. It is a medical database that indexes medical journals and news sources from 1966 to the present. And it is also a reference database that provides polling information, statistics, country profiles, biographies and more. Content is updated daily.

LearningExpress Library

COVERAGE: Whatever your goal, LearningExpress Library's resources will help you succeed. Each of our Learning Centers offers the practice tests, exercises, skill-building courses, e-books, and information you need to achieve the results you want—at school, at work, or in life. Looking to land a job? You'll find an entire Learning Center dedicated to helping you get the one that's right for you.

CINAHL with Full Text

COVERAGE: Years Covered: 1982 to present. CINAHL = Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Includes some online articles and documents.

You want to become a registered nurse, which means you must take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. You want to take some practice tests to prepare for this important exam. Look at the database descriptions in the box above and then select the best source to search for this information need.
- LexisNexis Academic
- LearningExpress Library
- CINAHL with Full Text
- answers a., b., and c.
A: LearningExpress Library

Q: Imagine you are researching advances in AIDS treatments. What kind of information would the following sources provide? Write the number 1 or 2 in the blanks.

1. information on advances in the treatment of AIDS

2. background information about AIDS
- a. an encyclopedia article about immune diseases | 2. background information about AIDS
- b. an article from a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association describing research | 1. information on advances in the treatment of AIDS
- c. a magazine article on therapeutic uses of marijuana findings of a prescription drug study | 1. information on advances in the treatment of AIDS
- d. a book on the discovery and spread of AIDS | 2. background information about AIDS

Q: You need to research an aspect of the topic “education in public schools.” Which one of the following would be an appropriate research question?
- Does bilingual education help children attending public schools?
- Should all school children receive free lunches?
- Should states require standardized testing for religious schools?
- Do labor unions help teachers keep their jobs?
A: Does bilingual education help children attending public schools?

Q: Which group of keywords best describes the information needed for the following assignment: “Prepare a presentation about the gains achieved by women in the 1980s?”
- presentation, women, gains
- women, gains, achieved
- women, gains, 1980s
- gains, achieved, 1980s
A: presentation, women, gains

Your research question is: “Do elementary school students receive adequate physical science instruction in Idaho public schools?” How could you broaden this question? Write an example of a broader research question:

Q: Which option is not the correct way to properly use a source?
- To Summarize previous work
- Offer a fact
- Validate a method
- Prove an opinion
- None of the above
A: Prove an opinion

Q: When you want to narrow your search results, what are the special links you need to look for? Select all that apply.
- Selection
- Modify
- Refine
- Revise
- Qualify
A: Modify; Refine; Revise; Qualify

Q: Use the drop down menu to select the appropriate response to the following questions: What is an open-ended question? What is a fuzzy question?  What is a "question that will not fly?
- What is a fuzzy question? | There is a question. But the "question "isn't clear enough to make it possible to answer"
- What is a "question that will not fly"? | "They try to answer problems that the data simply will not answer."
- What is an open-ended question? | The question "fragment[s] your conclusions into many possible answers."
Also offered: It's "the question that isn't there."; These are "multi-part questions>"; It is "highly complex question" with a broad focus.
Feedback: See Badke, 2014, p. 38

Q: Answer the following questions by selecting the correct response from the drop-down window.  What is a fuzzy question? What is a question that "just isn't there"? What is a "will not fly" question? What is a multi-part question?
- What is a fuzzy question? | It is either unclear or ambiguous.
- What is a question that "just isn't there"? | It is a question that does not lead to real research.
- What is a "will not fly" question? | It is a question that seek solutions that can't be tested or measured; it delves into the unknown.
- What is a multi-part question? | It is a question with multiple goals, which divide your paper up...and destroy unity.
Also offered: It is a question without a valid topic.; The question focuses on specific research.
Feedback: Badke, W. (2014). Research Strategies: Finding your Way through the Information Fog. 5th ed. Bloomington: Universe LLC. (p. 250-263)

Q: According to William Badke, the more your project forms a clear, narrow and single-minded image in your head, the better off you are.
- True (Yes, William Badke emphasizes the word "focus," saying that a single-minded image of what you are trying to accomplish will you help you out a lot. Research questions written well can help provide this focus. See pages 252-253.)
- False (The answer is "True." According to William Badke, the more your project forms a clear, narrow and single-minded image in your head, the better off you are. See pages 252-253. William Badke emphasizes the word "focus," saying that a single-minded image of what you are trying to accomplish will you help you out a lot. Research questions written well can help provide this focus.)
A: True
Feedback: Badke, W. (2014). Research Strategies: Finding your Way through the Information Fog. 5th ed. Bloomington: Universe LLC. (p. 250-263)

Q: According to Solomon, Wilson, and Taylor (2012), "Information-Literate individuals critically analyze information and its sources to ensure that it is useful. Critically analyzing information for its effectiveness and usefulness is an academic process." Match the correct statement to the step in the research process. [Each step is worth 0.5 points for a total of 2.5 possible points]
- Step 1: | Define the need.
- Step 2: | Find the information.
- Step 3: | Evaluate the information.
- Step 4: | Organize the information.
- Step 5: | Communicate the information.
Feedback: All questions and answers are drawn from Solomon, Wilson, and Taylor (2012).

Q: Why does William Badke say in general terms that "you need to assume that few books will be exactly on your topic"? Mark all that apply.
- Because they are blunt instruments.
- Because they provide information in physical or electronic formats.
- Books may be about the broader topic, taking up 200 or more pages.
- Because they tend to function best when targeting specific and/or non-traditional approaches to topics.
- Because keyword searching is an inexact science.
A: Because they are blunt instruments.; Books may be about the broader topic, taking up 200 or more pages.

Q: How can a research topic be narrowed down?
- Take away one of your main concepts.
- Ask yourself who you want to consider and choose a population.
- Try to resolve one of the big dilemmas of our society.
- Look at a particular place or geographic area affected by your topic of interest.
- Limit your scope to a time period, such as the last five years or the 1980's.
- Add another aspect or keyword to your topic
A: Ask yourself who you want to consider and choose a population.; Look at a particular place or geographic area affected by your topic of interest.; Limit your scope to a time period, such as the last five years or the 1980's.; Add another aspect or keyword to your topic

Q: Distance students can request that materials (books & articles) be sent to the campus closest to them for free.
- True (Yes- it is free to have the materials sent to the Idaho Falls or Meridian campus. There is only a charge if we need to send the item to your house.)
- False
A: True