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Name:
Class:
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
Multiple Choice
1. Identify a characteristic of reports.
a.
Reports typically travel upward in an organization.
b.
Reports are very subjective in nature.
c.
Reports that follow an inductive organization answer the question first.
d.
Reports are generally prepared for a wide audience.
2. Which of the following is a characteristic of formal reports?
a.
They are usually short in length and bypass details.
b.
They include the use of personal pronouns.
c.
They are carefully structured.
d.
They are subjective.
3. The managers at Fazer Technologies Inc. prepared a report on the profits earned and the losses incurred by
the company over the last year and presented it to the stockholders of the company. In this scenario, Fazer
Technologies Inc.'s report is an example of a(n) _____.
a.
informal report
b.
vertical report
c.
external report
d.
lateral report
4. Which of the following statements is true of vertical reports?
a.
The main function of these reports is to assist in coordination in an organization.
b.
The main function of these reports is to contribute to management control.
c.
They are distributed outside an organization.
d.
They travel between units on the same organizational level.
5. Which of the following statements is true of a functional report?
a.
It is requested by most governmental and nonprofit agencies.
b.
It is a form of an external report.
c.
It serves a specified purpose within a company.
d.
It takes its functional designation from its form.
6. Which of the following statements is true of a proposal?
a.
Proposal preparation is not a major activity for many firms.
b.
Potential buyers prepare proposal reports telling what they need.
c.
Most governmental and nonprofit agencies issue requests for proposals.
d.
Proposal writing is done by all the internal employees of an organization.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
7. A convincing proposal:
a.
will lead to call for bids.
b.
will lead to obtaining a contract.
c.
will help develop an effective survey instrument.
d.
will help decide the authoritative style manual to be followed.
8. A _____ is a statement to be proved or disproved through research.
a.
hypothesis
b.
theorem
c.
parameter
d.
conjecture
9. Many researchers prefer to state hypotheses in the null form because the null hypothesis:
a.
reduces a problem to a workable size and also establishes some firm limits to the research.
b.
is easier to state than a regular hypothesis.
c.
tends to remove the element of prejudice toward a certain answer.
d.
states the relationship among the factors being studied.
10. Which of the following measures helps to establish boundaries in which a report will be researched and
prepared?
a.
Limiting the use of technical words
b.
Using the what, why, when, where, and who questions
c.
Listing the procedures in the methodology section
d.
Selecting secondary research methods rather than primary research methods
11. Boundaries imposed on a research project outside the control of researchers are called _____.
a.
delimitations
b.
citations
c.
limitations
d.
reservations
12. Brian works for Magnira Labs and is conducting research on a certain topic. For the research, he needs $50,000, but
the private agency funding the research is willing to give only $30,000. In this scenario, the restraint on the budget is an
example of a _____.
a.
reservation
b.
delimitation
c.
limitation
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
d.
citation
13. Fresnas Corp., a research company, has received a request to prepare a report on how to advertise effectively to
Millennials. To make the research less complicated, the researchers have selected a small sample and three online
databases. In this scenario, the selected sample and databases are examples of _____.
a.
delimitations
b.
problem scopes
c.
citations
d.
hypotheses
14. Which of the following statements is true of the procedures section of a report?
a.
It does not include the sources that were consulted.
b.
It adds credibility to the research process.
c.
It eliminates the need for secondary research.
d.
It lists the steps in alphabetical order.
15. Cheryl is conducting research on the effects of different advertising techniques. In a section of her report, she records
all the steps she has taken to prepare the report. This section is an example of _____.
a.
scope
b.
a citation
c.
methodology
d.
a bibliography
16. Which of the following studies best exemplifies a longitudinal study?
a.
A study of post-recession unemployment rates
b.
A study of the effects of high sugar consumption on the health of children and adults
c.
A study of the development of babies a month after birth and then again at age five
d.
A study of soil erosion during the Asian monsoon season in 2015
17. Which of the following is a difference between primary and secondary research?
a.
Unlike primary research, secondary research can be gathered by means of traditional printed sources or by
using electronic tools.
b.
Unlike secondary research, primary research provides information that has already been created by others.
c.
Unlike secondary research, primary research helps researchers save time and effort by not duplicating
research that has already been undertaken.
d.
Unlike primary research, secondary research includes observation, experimentation, and normative surveys.
18. Which of the following statements is true of newspapers as a research material?
a.
Newspapers are primary research materials.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
b.
Newspapers give condensed coverage of timely topics.
c.
Newspapers are written for specialized audiences.
d.
Newspapers are more research oriented than journals.
19. In the context of Internet search, Boolean operands:
a.
are quotation marks inserted around topic words.
b.
serve to limit the identified sites.
c.
provide access to the hidden Internet.
d.
direct users to other related topics.
20. _____ are a source of primary data.
a.
Journal articles
b.
Normative surveys
c.
Online government documents
d.
Movie reviews
21. Alicia is conducting research on consumer behavior. The study requires her to note the number of people
who shop at Fresnas Mart, a grocery store, in the afternoons during weekdays. She also needs to pay attention to
the customers' preferred brands, the customer service, and the arrangement of items in the store. She needs to
conduct the study without interacting with the customers so that she does not influence their behavior and
choices. In this scenario, Alicia is conducting a(n) _____.
a.
observational study
b.
normative study
c.
experimental study
d.
replication study
22. _____ is based on the principle that a sufficiently large number drawn at random from a population will be
representative of the total population.
a.
Secondary research
b.
Sampling
c.
Referencing
d.
Correlation analysis
23. In the context of note-taking, the _____ involves citing the exact words from a source.
a.
paraphrase method
b.
explanatory method
c.
direct quotation method
d.
summary method
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
24. In the context of note-taking, the _____ involves summarizing information in your own words without
changing the author's intended meaning.
a.
paraphrase method
b.
citation method
c.
direct quotation method
d.
statistical analysis method
25. Darren had to submit a research paper as part of his final exam. The assignment needed weeks of careful study and
experimentation. Darren, however, did not work on the paper until the day before the submission. As a result, he had no
choice but to use another research article and present the article as his own. In this scenario, Darren is guilty of _____.
a.
plagiarism
b.
libel
c.
heresy
d.
spin doctoring
26. Which of the following is a similarity between online surveys and telephone surveys?
a.
Both require a proper interviewer.
b.
Both are inexpensive.
c.
Both allow personal contact between the interviewer and the correspondent.
d.
Both are useful for obtaining detailed information.
27. Which of the following statements is true of personal interviews?
a.
They are relatively inexpensive to administer.
b.
They yield quick results that can be updated electronically as responses are received.
c.
They are not affected by the quality or consistency of the interviewer.
d.
They are useful to obtain in-depth answers.
28. An effective questionnaire uses:
a.
items that ask for multiple answers to one idea.
b.
different typefaces, bold, underline, and italics to emphasize important ideas.
c.
many skip-and-jump instructions.
d.
numerous open-ended questions that require essay-style answers.
29. An effective questionnaire:
a.
avoids specialized terms that respondents might not understand.
b.
includes as many skip-and-jump questions as possible.
c.
includes only the questions needed to meet the objectives of the study.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
d.
avoids text boxes and graphic lines.
30. Which of the following is a common error at the data-gathering stage?
a.
Using both primary and secondary data
b.
Gathering too much information
c.
Using the direct quotation method
d.
Gathering data from a large sample size
31. Which of the following statements is true of documenting sources of information?
a.
Documentation does not aid future researchers pursuing similar material.
b.
Documentation is easy and consumes a minimal amount of time.
c.
Documentation protects writers against plagiarism charges.
d.
Documentation does not include citing the sources consulted for a report.
32. Which of the following is true of source notes?
a.
They eliminate the need for footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical citations.
b.
They support a statistical table.
c.
They refer the reader to another section of a report.
d.
They acknowledge the contributions of others.
33. In-text parenthetical citations direct the reader to a list of sources that is arranged alphabetically by the:
a.
author's first name.
b.
author's last name.
c.
name of the publisher.
d.
place of publication.
34. In the context of referencing, which of the following is true of the use of footnotes?
a.
A list of footnotes can be included in an endnotes page at the end of the document in the order they appeared.
b.
Footnotes are used in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association style of referencing.
c.
The reader can conveniently refer to the source if the documentation is positioned before the text in the page.
Footnotes, which are usually placed at the end of a document, are referred to as bibliographies.
35. Which of the following is a similarity between the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (APA) and the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers?
a.
Both styles position source notes at the bottom of a page.
b.
Both styles permit the use of footnotes and endnotes.
c.
Both styles use the term references to refer to the list of the sources used in preparing a report.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
d.
Both styles permit the use of in-text citations only.
36. The term _____, which literally means description of books, is sometimes used to refer to an alphabetized
list of the sources used in preparing a report.
a.
hypothesis
b.
biography
c.
footnote
d.
bibliography
37. Unlike a footnote, a bibliography:
a.
includes the aims or objectives the researcher hopes to accomplish.
b.
includes sources that provide information but do not result in citations.
c.
does not contain the publication information about a source.
d.
does not give evidence of the nature of sources the author consulted.
38. In the context of analyzing survey results, which of the following statements is true of statistical analysis?
a.
It uses correlation analysis to reduce quantitative data, such as numerous answers, to questionnaire items.
b.
It uses tabulation techniques to determine whether a relationship exists between how respondents answered
one item and how they answered another.
c.
It involves specialized understanding that is gained through appropriate training.
d.
It is ineffective in drawing sound conclusions from the collected data.
39. For many kinds of studies, _____ might help in describing distributions of quantitative data.
a.
measures of reliability
b.
measures of central tendency
c.
correlation analyses
d.
regression analyses
40. In the context of analyzing research data, the mean, median, and mode:
a.
assist a researcher in understanding the distribution of scores in a study.
b.
are descriptions of the average value of the distribution of scores in a study.
c.
determine a possible relationship between answers to two different items.
d.
are located websites that contain the word or words specified in a search.
41. Which of the following is a common error that hinders the accurate interpretation of data?
a.
Interpreting results from a large sample
b.
Tabulating a questionnaire with many items
c.
Basing a conclusion on lack of evidence
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
d.
Applying statistical analysis
42. Identify is a common error that hinders the accurate interpretation of data.
a.
Attempting to compare when commonality is present
b.
Not hoping for spectacular results
c.
Assuming a cause–effect relationship when one does not exist
d.
Not trying to make results conform to a prediction or desire
True / False
43. At the end of every year, Trent Enterprise prepares an annual report. This report is an example of an
analytical report.
a.
True
b.
False
44. In our information-intensive society, proposal preparation is an insignificant activity for many firms.
a.
True
b.
False
45. A report is presented before attempting to solve a problem.
a.
True
b.
False
46. The problem statement, or statement of the problem, is the particular problem that is to be solved by research.
a.
True
b.
False
47. One advantage of primary research is that it avoids needless duplication of costly research efforts.
a.
True
b.
False
48. Newspapers are a good initial source for investigation.
a.
True
b.
False
49. A search engine is a cataloged database of websites that allows you to search specific topics.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
a.
True
b.
False
50. Certain types of databases that are not accessible by a search engine are described as the hidden Internet.
a.
True
b.
False
51. Secondary research methods include observational studies.
a.
True
b.
False
52. Collecting too much secondary information is one of the major deterrents to good report writing.
a.
True
b.
False
53. In the context of data collection, the smaller the sample, the more reliable are any conclusions based on
opinions.
a.
True
b.
False
54. In questionnaires, ranking scales, also called Likert scales, allow participants to indicate their opinion on a
numbered continuum.
a.
True
b.
False
55. Using research samples that are too small is an error at the data-gathering stage.
a.
True
b.
False
56. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association has become the most-used guide in the
social and soft sciences and in many scholarly journals.
a.
True
b.
False
57. In the context of citations, explanatory notes are not used for commenting on a source.
a.
True
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
b.
False
58. Two footnotes cannot appear on the same page.
a.
True
b.
False
59. In-text parenthetical citations do not direct the reader to the publication information on sources cited in a
report.
a.
True
b.
False
60. Statistical analysis is a simple task and does not require any training.
a.
True
b.
False
61. Correlation analysis can be used to determine whether a relationship existed between how respondents
answered one item and how they answered another.
a.
True
b.
False
62. The report process is one of reducing the information collected to a size that can be handled conveniently in
a written message.
a.
True
b.
False
63. While interpreting data, facts should determine conclusions.
a.
True
b.
False
64. To interpret data effectively, a researcher should assume constancy of human behavior.
a.
True
b.
False
Essay
65. Distinguish between formal and informal reports.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
66. Differentiate between internal reports and external reports.
67. What is a proposal?
68. Hasley's, a retail chain based in the Midwest, has offices in several locations throughout the United States.
The company is currently conducting research to determine the feasibility of opening an office at a new location
in the Southwest. The research team of the company has to write a feasibility report. The team must define the
scope of the report and develop a statement of purpose. Identify the five questions that will help the team limit
the scope of the report. Provide an answer to each question, and write a statement of purpose for the report.
69. Technicorp Electronics, a chain of stores selling electronics in the northeast region of the United States,
wants to determine whether it is paying its sales representatives a reasonable salary. The company has decided
to survey the salaries of the sales representatives employed in electronics stores in the northeast region to
determine how well it is paying its employees. Limit and define the scope of the report, and write a statement of
purpose.
70. Explain the benefits of conducting secondary research.
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Chapter 09: Understanding the Report Process and Research Methods
71. Distinguish between primary and secondary research.
72. A research firm wants to conduct a research study to determine what the U.S. population thinks of imported clothing
at a given point in time. Describe three primary research options that are available for this type of research. Which option
would you recommend to the research firm? Why?
73. Discuss the characteristics of valid and reliable data.
74. List some suggestions for developing an effective questionnaire.
75. Huran Industries, a small company, wants to improve the communication between its supervisors and their respective
subordinates. The company has developed a questionnaire to determine the subordinates' attitudes toward communicating
with their supervisors. The following questions are in the form of a draft and need to be rewritten for clarity and easy
tabulation.
a. Do you work in office, maintenance, assembly line, or shipping?
b. How long have you worked here?
c. Do you think the supervisors in the company are approachable?
d. Do you feel that you can talk to your supervisor when needed?
e. Is your supervisor available to answer your questions?
f. How do you prefer to communicate with your supervisor?
g. How does your supervisor usually communicate with you?
h. Does your supervisor give you feedback?
i. Does your supervisor reprimand you? If yes, how?
j. Do you think an employee suggestion box would be useful?
Required:
Rewrite the questions above for clarity and easy tabulation of results.
76. Explain the report process and the steps involved in it.
77. List seven common errors that seriously hinder the interpretation of data.
