Research ConceptsPart 2

Edisto High SchoolHSAP BlitzEnglish Department

HSAP Research Terms

Edisto Students take notes on the following slides

Validity is the quality of being rigorous and true. Research must have validity in order to be acceptable. Research questions should not have one word answers.Research questions should be free of bias – preference towards a particular subject.

Key Concepts

Sample Research Problems on HSAP

Which research question would lead to the most information about bees?1. Are bees insects?2. Where are bees located?3. How do bees pollinate flowers?

AnswerThe best answer is obviously (3) How they pollinate. There would have to be more research done in order to fully answer the question. It is more than a yes or no response. It requires detail thinking.

Sample HSAP QuestionWhich source would be the most bias free research question?1. An editorial in a newspaper about gun control.2. A personal internet web-page on gun control.3. A newspaper report on gun control laws

AnswerThe answer would again be (3) The other two might have too much personal bias in their reporting. Newspaper reports (not editorials) should be biased free.

HSAP Research QuestionsRead through the following HSAP Research Question slides. Indicate the correct answer on your paper.

Multiple Choice #1Which research question would provide the most in-depth, valid research?A. How many plays did Shakespeare write?B. On what historical factors did Shakespeare write Romeo & Juliet?C. In what years did Shakespeare write his thirty-six plays?

Multiple Choice #2Which research question source is the most valid source?A. An expert in the fieldB. A student written reportC. A column by a gossip columnistD. A fortune cookie

Multiple Choice #3Which research question would lead to the most information about the arts?A. What are the key concepts in the visual arts?B. How old is the painting, Mona Lisa? C. Are cave drawings considered art?D. How many art critics live in New York?

Multiple Choice #4Which research question would lead to the most biased response?A. How many ways can one slice a pizza?B. What events led to American involvement in World II? C. Who was responsible for the Civil War?

Multiple Choice # 5Which informational source would be the most valid for determining the causes of the Great Depression?A. a dictionary B. a video gameC. a newspaperD. an encyclopedia

True/False #6

Research must have validity in order to be acceptable. True or False.

True/False# 7The best research questions have one word answers. True or False.

True/False #8All research questions should be free of bias. True or False.

Multiple Choice #9

Which is potentially the most biased research topic?A. The genetic code in criminalsB. The death penalty for criminalsC. Criminal detection aspects founded in the 20th Century

Multiple Choice #10Which is the least biased research source?A. A student’s report on drug legalization in the US B. A college professor’s thesis on the origins of Shakespeare’s plays C. Chevrolet’s newsletter on the federal government’s bail-out of the auto industry

Answers1. B 2. A 3. A 4. C 5. D

6. T 7. F 8. T 9. B 10. B