How Much Do You Already Know?
1. What makes a good topic?
A. It is broad enough that you can find enough information on the subject.
B. It is focused enough that you are not overwhelmed with too much information.
C. The topic is interesting to you.
D. All of the above.
2. If you don’t know much about your topic, what resources would be most helpful when you being your research?
A. Encyclopedias and websites.
B. Scholarly articles.
C. Newspapers and magazines.
D. Statistical.
3. It is always a good idea to brainstorm different words for similar ideas when you first begin to research your topic.
A. True
B. False
4. What statement below is generally true about beginning research?
A. It is pretty easy to find information on any topic.
B. As long as you have a good topic, researching for it will not take a long time.
C. No matter the assignment, good research takes time and effort.
D. None of the above.
Too Broad, Too Narrow, or Just Right?
5.Air pollution in urban areas
A. Too broad
B. Too narrow
C. Just right
6. Respiratory diseases in children in high-density urban area
A. Too broad
B. Too narrow
C. Just right
7.Environmental consequences of California’s October 2007 forest fire
A. Too broad
B. Too narrow
C. Just right
8.Polar bear adaptation to global warming in the Arctic
A. Too broad
B. Too narrow
C. Just right
9.Renewable energy in the United States
A. Too broad
B. Too narrow
C. Just right
10. The design and implementation of Cal-cars-the California Cars Initiative
A. Too broad
B. Too narrow
C. Just right
What Have You Learned?
11.What are the characteristics of a good topic?
(Select all that apply)
A. It interests you.
B. It meet the requirements of your assignment.
C. 3. It's broad enough to give you several search options.
D. It's focused enough that you're not overwhelmed with information.
12. Rank the following questions in order from most general to most specific( 1 being the most general):
A. Are pesticides bad?
B. Do video games cause violent behavior in adolescent males?
C. Are agricultural workers in Mexico at a higher risk of health problems due to pesticide exposure because of lax government safety standards?
D. Is there a relationship on and obesity?
13. What is the best way to focus your topic?
A. think about the discipline that you are researching for.
B. Tailor your topic to the requirements of your assignment.
C. Talk to a librarian about the resources that are available for your topic.
D. All of the above
14. Pick the best set of keywords to begin searching for information on global warming.
A. Rising ocean levels, air pollution, greenhouse gases.
B. Biodiversity, atmospheric temperature, ozone layer.
C. Global climate change, greenhouse effect, atmospheric carbon dioxide.
D. Environment sustainability, alternative energy, biofuels.
15. Why is it a good idea to use different words to describe similar ideas when you are beginning research?
(Select all that apply)
A. Because there is only one right answer and you can find it by trial and error.
B. Because using different words will help you cast a broader net than just using the same term over and over.
C. Different researchers might use different terms to describe the same idea.
D. You might spell some of the words wrong and not get any results.
16. What is the most difficult aspect of beginning to research a topic that you don’t know very much about?
A. You don't know enough about the topic to know what is important and what is not.
B. You don’t understand the technical aspects of the topic.
C. It takes a lot of time to do research.
D. All of the above.
17. For you, what the most difficult part about beginning your research?
For each pair, select the better research question
18. Is global warming harmful? OR What are the adverse effects of global warming?
19. What factors influence the operating costs of physicians? OR Do doctors charge too much?
Test Yourself!
20. Which of the following would make the best research question to guide an 8-page analytical research paper?
A. Is fast food bad for children?
B. Do fast food companies focus their advertisements on children?
C. How do fast food companies create effective advertisements aimed at children?
21. Which type of assignment requires you to explore multiple aspects of your topic and present your research findings without attempting to persuade the reader to take a position?
A. basic report
B. analytical paper
C. argumentative paper
22. Your professor has assigned a 6-page report about an environmental issue. Which of the following would make the best topic (not too narrow or too broad)?
A. Air pollution in urban.
B. Respiratory diseases in children in high density areas.
C. Environmental consequences of California’s October 2007 forest fire.
D. Renewable energy in the United States.
23. Which is the first step in investigating your research topic?
A. Citing your sources
B. Searching a database
C. Reading a scholarly article about the topic
D. Analyzing the assignment
24. Which of the following statements about thesis statements is NOT correct?
A. A good thesis statement saves you time and keeps you focused.
B. Every thesis statement can be supported by research.
C. A thesis statement helps you concentrate on what you want and ignore information that is irrelevant.
D. A good thesis statement can often be converted into a question.
Answers
1. All of the above
2. A
3. True
4. C
5. Too broad. You’d need to identify an aspect of air pollution to narrow down the scop
6. Just right! This is a good topic. You'll continue to refine your ideas as you learn more about the topic.
7. A bit narrow. It will be hard to find information on just one event. Look more broadly for information forest fires in California or the West.
8. Just right. There should be just enough information to get you started. You will continue to refine ideas as you learn more about the topic
9. Too broad. This is a good starting place, but you’d want to focus the topic by selecting a specific renewable energy like solar or wind.
10. Too narrow. It's going to be difficult to find information on such a narrow topic. Broaden the focus look at initiatives like this one that are less regional.
11. A good topic will incorporate all these characteristics.
12.
A= Are pesticides bad?
B=Is there a relationship between fast food consumption and obesity?
C=Do video games cause violent behavior in adolescent males?
D= Are agricultural workers in Mexico at a higher risk of health problems due to pesticide exposure because of lax government safety standards?
The more a research question incorporates the concepts of Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How the more specific it will be.
13. All of the above
14. C; think carefully about which terms are closely related to global warming
15. B and C: there may be many ways to describe a single topic. Using as many related words as possible will help you find the most information!
16. All of the above; remember that research takes time and energy and isn't an easy thing to do!
17. No matter what, coming to the library and talking to a librarian will help you get started.
18. What are the adverse effects of global warming?
19. What factors influence the operating costs of physicians?
20. C Questions that can be answered with a "yes" or "no” generally do not make the best research question. It is preferable to start your question with "How, "What, or"Why
21. B
22. B is a good topic that you can continue to refine as you learn more about it.
23. D The type of assignment will determine what kind of research you need to do so you should begin by first analyzing the assignment.
24. B: A good thesis statement will save you time and keep you focused and will help you concentrate on the information you need; A good thesis statement can often be converted into a question. However, not every thesis statement can be supported by research because the topic may be too current or too obscure.