MUKUBA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

REGULAR FINAL EXAMINATIONS

EDU 300: INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

MARCH, 2019

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DURATION: 3 HOURS MARKS: 100

INSTRUCTIONS AND VITAL INFORMATION

1. This question paper contains 7 printed pages.

2. Answer all q uestions in the answer booklet provided .

3 . Clearly write your particulars in the spaces provided in the answer booklet.

4. You will be accorded Five (5) minutes to go through the paper to help you organize your

answers.

5. There are Three (3) sections in this paper. Section A, Band C

6 . SECTION A consists of 20 multiple choice questions carrying 40 marks. Attempt all

questions by marking 'X' across the letter representing the correct answer on the answer

grid provid_e d .

7. SECTION B consists of 10 short answer questions which require fillin g in th e mi ssi ng

word/phrase. Each question carries two (2) mark s.

8. SECTION C consists of three (3) essay-t yp..::: q uL stions . .-'\11she1 two (2) cu estio ns. E~ ch

question carries 20 marks.

DO NOT START WRITING UNTIL YOU A1~2 TOLD TC' D O ~('

c.
 SECTION A: Multiple Choice (40 marksJ

Ans\\ er all questions in this section. Answer each question by marking an X on the
appropriate letter of your choice on the answer grid provided.

I. Which of the following best describes the phrase "education research'"?

A . A single large-sca le study conducted every five years to determine best practice,
in education
B . A series of conferences held by the Educational Research Associations
C. A scientific field of study into education and learnin g processes
D. Government policies that reflect educational trends

2. The main purpose of research in education is to _ _ _ __

A. Increase social status of students

8. Increa,se job prospects for an individual
C. Help in the academic growth of an individual
D. Help the candidate become an eminent educationist

3. What does it mean to p11t education research into prnctjce?

A. Not letting research recommendations influence ho\\ you operate a classroom.

B. Using knowledge gained from research in real educational settin gs and po/1cicc;
C. Take training on a topic and then folio,\ that gu idance until the end of) our
career.
D. None of the answers are correct.

4. What is an example of a potential challenge a r er~on work ing in ;:m cduc:.1t10na J settin£!
may face when aiming to pu t research into practice?

A. An educator revie ws a research p'1per on a tC''J;s r-f i1'tc~~-. t.,•,t fnrl< I 1c ir fc ·-:1w'ir-·,
5. Sampling 1s advantageous as it..

A. Saves time
B. Helps in capital saving
C. Both (a) and (b)
D. Increases accuracy

6. . ........... ... .. means that academic writing must be impersonal and maintains a certain
level of social distance.

A. Objectivity
B. Credibility
C. Partiality
D. Contextuality

7. The first few sentences in the introduction of a research report should be dedicated to:

A. Statement of position on the issue.

B. Identification of the debatable issue.
C. Exposition of the strongest argument or claim.
D. Wrap up of all claims and arguments.

8. Random sampling is helpful as it is .. ... .... ................ .

A. Reasonably accurate
B. Free from personal biases
C. An economical method of data collection
D. All the above

9. The following are qualities of a good research title EXCEPT.

A. clarity
B. relevant
C. focused
D. embracing

10. Mr. Mboo hands out a survey to find out the avi;:rage age and i;;cJwoii 'l !:'. i.;\TI of his cl''-~-
What type of research is this? ~

A. Historical
B. Cause and effect
C. Quasi-experimental
D. Descriptive
C
 11 \ lr lh\a lya . a spe c .ta I e du cato r rea d rcce r .l a res ear ch stu d) abo
Hl'-· ut a beh a\ 1,>ur
._ . ' ting spe ed in a nor
I - .
mo dd 1cat1on stra teg ) u., sed to dec rea se ea ma 1un ct1 oni ng Jdu lt h
_ e if the inte rve ntio n mig . d
d eci des to con duc t a stu dy 10 s~d ht be use suc ces ::,fu lly \\,tn '"
of his stud ent s, a men ta ll y retai d idd le sch ool stu den t. Bw aly a's res ear ch top
e m K
des crib ed as a stud y tha t :

A. test s the ory

B. is a rep lica tion
C. is dev elo ped thro u gh a libr ary
rese arc h
D. com es from que stio n s we gen
era ll y ask our se lves .

· s c I11·1d ren to diff ere nt tea chi

12 . M r. S apu tu ass ign ng me tho
_ d gro ups and test s the ir math
per for ma nce afte r s ix wee ks. Thi
s is an exa mr le of wh at typ e of
res ear ch•0
A. Des crip tive ·
B. His tori cal
C. Exp eri men tal
D. Un con trol led

13 . Wh at is the ma jor diff ere

nce bet ween app lied and bas ic
res ear ch?
A . Bas ic rese arc h tak es lon ger
B . Ap plie d rese arc h is less imp
to com ple te
orta nt
C. Bas ic rese arc h is mo re trad itio
1
na l
D . Bas ic rese arc h has no imm edi
ate app lica tion

14. Ms K.a ben gele is inte rest ed

in stud yin g the rela tion shi p bet
inte res t in ma jori ng in ph ys ics. wee n gen der diff ere nce s and
Thi s is an exa mp le of, ,ha t typ e of
res cm ch 0
A. Des crip tive
B. Qu asi- exp erim ent al
C. Cor rela tion al
D. Gen der rese arc h

15 . In a stud y of the effe ct o f th

e amo unt T V vie\\'inc., P,l stuc
a mo unt of TY vie win g wo uld be ,_:3dem ic p :!rtorrnan 'e
\\h at typ~ Jf, ·~ , 1c..,
0 0 1
A. Ind epe nde nt var iab le
B. D epe nde nt var iab le
c. Con trol var iab k
o. Ext ran eou s var i c1blc
 1
ff (' I N B: COMPLETION (20 marks)
'-- 'IO
te an sn er ,
sw er all qu est io ns in this sectio 11 • F" •II
.
m the bla nk sp aces by writing appropria
An • •
111 the answer sheet provided.

.
.
I ... ... ... ... .. ... . · · · · · · · · · · · ··· ··· · .. is a research approach
aimed at generat ion theory
ation helpful
· .. is a part of a research report that provides inform
"I
· · · ·· ··· ·
- ······ ··· · · ··· ·· ·· ·· · ··· ·· · n of the probl em and what has been
· cuss1o
ct , 1·t s scope , and d1s
in underst andin g the subie J

it.
previo usl y done to so lve --. -•---•-· · · ·
theory is kn ow n as ... ... ... ... ... ..
which is aimed at testing
3. The research approach en is known
als . ob jec ts or ite ms fro m which samples are tak
ividu
4. The larger group of ind
. _.. _.......... ......... .
. .. ... ... ... ... .. .. __ ._ ... ... . .. __.. . __ .. _... ... ... __...
as ... .... ... .. ... ll be carried out
wh ich giv es an ov erv iew of how the project wi
t pro posal
5. The part of the projec to be emplo yed is
inn ov ati ve ap pro ac he s, techniques, and processes
together with an y
. . ... ... ... .. .. ... . .
called .. ... .. ... ... ... ... ... di fferences
na te ............ ..... .... ...... as a factor con tribu ti ng to
is to elimi
6. Our jo b as researchers
between group s. as the y
all y co nd uc ted by the professional pra cti tioners
earch is norm
7.... ....... .. ..... ... ... .... .... res
of improv ing them.
ca lly res ea rch the ir ovm actions in the hope
system ati ult. The
en tly tha t the tran sit ion to university life is diffic
eal consist
8. Revie\,VS of res earch rev women at Mukuba
is to de scr ibe the typ ica l first year experience for
purpose of this study ... ... ... ... . ... ... ... ... ... ..
... .. ... .
ach is likely to be ... ...
is research ap pro
Univers ity in Kitwe. Th ich provides summary
.. ... ... ... . ... is a ch ap ter of a research report wh
... . . ... ... ...
9... ... ... ... ..
of results or findings. report which shows the co
Pt~xt of the
is a ch ap ter of the res ear ch
JO .. ... ... ... ... .. ... . . ... ..

problem.
 16 I hi.? null hypothesis represents which of the following statements'!

A. No relationship between the variables under study

B. A positive relationship between the independent and dependent vanabl es
C. A negative relationship between the independent and dependent variables
D. A difference between the variables under study

17. Which type of study may NOT have an impli ed null hypothesis?

A. Correlational
B. Descriptive
C. Quasi-experiment al
D. Experimental

18. Which of the following is NOT one of the sources for identifying research topics ?

A . Theories
B. Library
C. Personal experience
D . Replications

19. What does a good research question usually pursue?

A. A small part of a broad topic

8 . A topic unrelated to any other topics
C. The same thing as the null hypothesis f
D. A broad topic

20. Mr. Senkwe needs a research topic for his project. He visits the library and peruses all the
journals searching for ideas. Evaluate Mr. Senhve's strategy for finding a research topic . This
strategy will likely .....
r
A. work well because he will be familiar with current research
B.
C.
not work becau se he wi II find too narrow a topic.
not work because librari es arc better us ' d after tl.e top,-.: i, ident ifie d .
(
D. work well becau se he ,, ill fin d soP1-.'•h i1 g j,, \\ hich I e i - l oth :-,k.ill eJ ,:rnd interested.
r
r
r
1r
sl
C•

r
 marks)
SE CT IO N C: Essay (40
f
on e o
ns in th is se ·on
cti A nswer question one (1) and an y ot he r
e th re e qu es tio · •
l·hcrc ar
,our choic e.

llo wi ng item s:
an y fiv e (5 ) of the fo
I. Write br ief no tes on
mp lin g
tw ee n pr o ba bil ity an d no n- pr ob ab ili ty sa
a). Difference be

b Advantages of a qu
es tio nn air e
ur em en t
c). Reliability of me as
d). Sig nif ica nc e of th
e stu dy

e) Survey
g) Se co nd ary da ta

ta co lle cti on .
tat ive an d qu an tit ati ve da ta in ter ms of da
ce be tw een qu ali
2. Explain th e dif fer en in ter ms as me an s of
da ta co lle cti on .
air e an d int e rv iew s
es of qu es tio nn
3. Di sc us s th e ad va nt ag