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Questions and Answers
What is the first step in developing a hypothesis?
What is the first step in developing a hypothesis?
What is the purpose of phrasing a hypothesis in three ways?
What is the purpose of phrasing a hypothesis in three ways?
What is the purpose of writing a hypothesis in an if...then form?
What is the purpose of writing a hypothesis in an if...then form?
What is the relationship between the number of lectures attended and exam scores according to the hypothesis?
What is the relationship between the number of lectures attended and exam scores according to the hypothesis?
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What is the purpose of a null hypothesis?
What is the purpose of a null hypothesis?
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What is the research question being investigated in the example?
What is the research question being investigated in the example?
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What is the primary purpose of a literature review in a research paper?
What is the primary purpose of a literature review in a research paper?
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What is synthesis in the context of a literature review?
What is synthesis in the context of a literature review?
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What is the tone that a writer should aim for in a literature review?
What is the tone that a writer should aim for in a literature review?
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What is the purpose of evaluating arguments and ideas in a literature review?
What is the purpose of evaluating arguments and ideas in a literature review?
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What is the ultimate goal of a literature review?
What is the ultimate goal of a literature review?
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What is the difference between a literature review and a literature report?
What is the difference between a literature review and a literature report?
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What is the main difference between a literature review and a literature report?
What is the main difference between a literature review and a literature report?
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What is the purpose of evaluating and selecting sources in a literature review?
What is the purpose of evaluating and selecting sources in a literature review?
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What should a well-structured literature review include?
What should a well-structured literature review include?
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What is the purpose of synthesizing sources in a literature review?
What is the purpose of synthesizing sources in a literature review?
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Why is it important to vary the way you report data in a literature review?
Why is it important to vary the way you report data in a literature review?
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What is the purpose of using clear descriptions in a literature review?
What is the purpose of using clear descriptions in a literature review?
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Why is it important to use the correct tense when writing about others' research?
Why is it important to use the correct tense when writing about others' research?
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What is the main outcome of a literature review?
What is the main outcome of a literature review?
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What is one of the main purposes of a literature review?
What is one of the main purposes of a literature review?
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What does a literature review demonstrate about the author's skills?
What does a literature review demonstrate about the author's skills?
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How should the length of a literature review relate to the length of the entire paper?
How should the length of a literature review relate to the length of the entire paper?
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What is a key aspect of a literature review, beyond simply summarizing previous studies?
What is a key aspect of a literature review, beyond simply summarizing previous studies?
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What is one of the ways a literature review helps to establish the significance of the current research?
What is one of the ways a literature review helps to establish the significance of the current research?
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What does a literature review help to avoid?
What does a literature review help to avoid?
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Study Notes
Developing a Hypothesis
- A hypothesis begins with a research question that is focused, specific, and researchable within the constraints of a project.
- The research question should be written in a clear and concise sentence, such as "Do students who attend more face to face lectures obtain better exam results?"
Formulating a Hypothesis
- A hypothesis is an initial answer to the research question, written in a clear and concise sentence.
- For example, "Attending more lectures leads to better exam results."
Phrasing a Hypothesis
- A hypothesis can be written in three ways:
- In an "if...then" format, stating the independent and dependent variables, such as "If a first-year student starts attending more lectures, then their exam scores will improve."
- In a correlational format, stating the predicted relationship between variables, such as "The number of lectures attended by first-year students has a positive effect on their exam scores."
- In a comparative format, stating the expected difference between two groups, such as "First-year students who attended most lectures will have better exam scores than those who attended few lectures."
Writing a Null Hypothesis
- A null hypothesis is not explicitly mentioned in the provided text, but it would be a statement of no predicted effect or difference, such as "Attending more lectures has no effect on exam results."
Literature Review
- A literature review is a part of a paper that extensively references related research in a field, making connections between sources and positioning one's own work among them.
Synthesis
- Synthesis refers to combining multiple sources and ideas to create new ones based on analysis.
- It involves interpreting, understanding, and making connections between various pieces of information.
Writing a Literature Review
- A literature review should be an
- It should weigh up arguments and critique ideas, rather than just providing a list of what different writers have said.
Steps for Writing a Literature Review
- Step 1: Search for relevant literature on the topic.
- Step 2: Evaluate and select sources, reading abstracts and scanning bibliographies.
- Step 3: Identify themes, debates, and gaps, looking for trends, patterns, and debates.
- Step 4: Structure the literature review, using methods such as chronological, thematic, methodological, or theoretical.
Structure and Content
- A literature review should have an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
- The main body should summarize and synthesize sources.
- Tips for writing a literature review include:
- Summarize and synthesize
- Analyze and interpret
- Critically evaluate
- Explain yourself using clear descriptions
- Vary the way you report data to avoid a single pattern of writing
- Use correct tenses when writing about others' research
Purpose and Benefits
- A literature review provides an opportunity to:
- Identify a gap in previous research
- Outline the main arguments in a field
- Show familiarity with the literature on a topic
- Indicate who the main writers are in a particular area
- Emphasize the timeliness of the topic
- Evaluate previous studies
- Position one's work in relation to other writers
- Identify areas of controversy
- Support one's own work by citing other authors
- See what previous methodologies have been used and avoid making the same mistakes
- Avoid plagiarism and demonstrate referencing skills
Length
- The length of the literature review should be proportionate to the length of the entire paper.
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Description
Learn how to develop a hypothesis in research, from asking a focused question to formulating a clear and concise statement. This quiz covers the basics of hypothesis development in research projects.
