What is likely the reason Cynthia cannot find her research proposal on her computer?

The correct answer centers on poor file management practices as a likely reason Cynthia cannot find her research proposal. Good file management involves organizing files in a clear and logical manner, using appropriate naming conventions, and being aware of where documents are saved on the computer. If Cynthia employed ineffective file management, she might have saved her document in an obscure location, renamed it in an unclear way, or even misplaced it among numerous similar files.

While it is possible that her computer may have malfunctioned or that the software might have crashed during saving, these scenarios are less likely to point directly to her inability to locate the document compared to her own practices in managing her files. Similarly, while not saving the document might seem like a plausible issue, it's more straightforward to assume she saved it but simply cannot locate it due to inadequate organization. Therefore, poor file management is indeed a critical skill that, when lacking, directly impacts one's ability to access important documents easily.