Research Question & Purpose
Which is a stronger research question?
a) Is climate change bad?
b) How have rising global temperatures over the past 20 years impacted agricultural yields in Canada?
b) How have rising global temperatures over the past 20 years impacted agricultural yields in Canada?
True or False: Only studies that support your argument should be included in a literature review.
False — opposing or contradictory studies should also be included.
True or False: Results and discussion should be completely separate in all research papers.
False — sometimes journals allow combined “Results & Discussion.”
Paraphrase or quote: Which requires citation?
Both.
What is the main difference between a conceptual paper and an empirical paper?
Conceptual papers develop theories or ideas using existing literature; empirical papers report original data from experiments, surveys, or observations.
What is the purpose of a research question?
To guide the study and focus the investigation.
What is the purpose of a literature review?
To summarize and evaluate existing research on the topic.
What is the purpose of the results section?
To present the findings of the study, often with tables/figures.
In MLA format, how should the author’s name appear in a works cited entry?
Last name, First name. Example: Smith, John.
In MLA, how do you format an in-text citation for a source with two authors?
(LastName1 and LastName2 PageNumber). Example: (Smith and Jones 45).
What is the difference between a research question and a thesis statement?
Research question = what you want to find out
Thesis = your claim/answer after research.
True or False: A literature review is just a list of sources. If false, why?
False — it should synthesize, not just summarize.
True or False: Conceptual papers report original experimental data in the results section.
False — they focus on theory, frameworks, or synthesis of ideas.
What information is required in the heading of a research paper formatted in MLA style?
The MLA heading includes:
Student’s name
Instructor’s name
Course name or number
Date
What is an annotated bibliography?
A list of sources with a summary and/or evaluation of each source. It shows how the source is relevant to your research.
Why should a research question be specific rather than broad?
A specific question focuses the study and makes it manageable.
What is a “theoretical gap”?
A missing explanation or unresolved issue in existing research that your study can address.
Should you include citations in the results/analysis section of a conceptual paper?
Yes — to connect your theoretical argument to prior research.
True or False: In MLA, titles of articles are italicized.
False — article titles are in quotation marks; book/journal titles are italicized.
What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?
Primary source: Original, firsthand material that provides direct evidence (e.g., experiments, interviews, surveys, original documents, artworks).
Secondary source: Analysis, interpretation, or summary of primary sources (e.g., review articles, textbooks, critical essays).
Name two qualities of a strong thesis.
Specific
Precise
Arguable (not too broad or obvious).
Demonstrable
Assertive
Confident
Name two strategies to critically evaluate sources in a literature review.
Assess credibility, methodology, sample size, bias, or relevance.
What should the discussion section do?
Interpret results, explain significance, and connect to the research question.
What is self-plagiarism?
Reusing your own previous work without proper acknowledgment.
What is a peer-reviewed source?
A source that has been evaluated by experts in the field before publication.