A Guide to Research for Educators and Trainers of Adults

by Merriam, Sharan B.; Simpson, Edwin L.

• ISBN13: 9780894648496
• ISBN10: 0894648497
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1995-01-01
• Publisher: Krieger Pub Co

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. ix
List of Tables	p. ix
Preface to the Second Edition	p. xi
Preface to the First Edition	p. xiii
The Nature of Research	p. 1
The Meaning of Research	p. 2
Purposes and Types of Research	p. 7
The Research Process	p. 9
References	p. 13
Framing the Research Study	p. 15
What to Study?	p. 15
What Is the Problem?	p. 16
Setting Up the Problem	p. 18
Research Questions and Hypotheses	p. 21
Is the Problem Important?	p. 22
What Is a Theoretical/Conceptual Framework?	p. 23
Theory and the Research Process	p. 25
References	p. 29
Reviewing the Literature	p. 31
Functions of a Literature Review	p. 31
The Search Process	p. 33
Finding the Literature	p. 34
Selecting the Sources for Review	p. 39
Writing the Literature Review	p. 41
Parts of the Literature Review	p. 46
Guidelines for Doing a Literature Review	p. 49
References	p. 50
Experimental and Descriptive Designs	p. 51
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs	p. 51
Designing Quasi-Experimental Research	p. 54
Descriptive Designs	p. 61
Approaches to Descriptive Data Gathering	p. 63
Futures Research	p. 65
Descriptive Data-Gathering Techniques	p. 70
Strengths and Limitations of Descriptive Research	p. 71
Conclusion	p. 72
References	p. 73
Historical Inquiry and Philosophical Inquiry	p. 75
Historical Inquiry	p. 75
Doing Historical Research	p. 78
Interpretation	p. 82
Philosophical Inquiry	p. 84
Methods of Philosophical Inquiry	p. 85
Linguistic Analysis	p. 88
Phenomenology	p. 90
Conclusion	p. 93
References	p. 94
Meaning and Interpretation: Qualitative Methods	p. 97
Common Characteristics	p. 97
The Design of a Qualitative Study	p. 99
Validity and Reliability	p. 101
Three Types of Qualitative Research	p. 103
Ethnography	p. 104
Case Study	p. 108
Grounded Theory	p. 112
References	p. 117
Action, Participatory, Critical, and Feminist Research Designs	p. 121
Action Research	p. 121
Participatory Research	p. 125
Critical Research	p. 131
Feminist Research	p. 136
Summary	p. 138
References	p. 139
Data Collection Procedures and Techniques	p. 143
The Nature of Research Data	p. 144
Contributions of Survey Research	p. 145
Surveying	p. 146
Observation	p. 154
Testing	p. 160
Summary	p. 164
References	p. 169
Writing Up Your Findings	p. 173
The Standard Research Report	p. 173
Editorial Style and Documentation	p. 178
Tables and Figures	p. 180
Reporting Statistics	p. 182
Guidelines for Writing and Revising	p. 185
Disseminating Research	p. 188
How to Disseminate Findings	p. 190
Summary	p. 192
References	p. 192
Ethical Dilemmas in Doing Research	p. 195
Selecting What to Study	p. 195
Selection and Protection of Participants	p. 197
Data Collection	p. 199
Data Analysis	p. 202
Dissemination of Findings	p. 204
Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research	p. 205
Summary	p. 207
References	p. 207
Graduate Student Research	p. 209
Selecting a Topic	p. 210
Forming a Committee	p. 213
Presenting a Proposal	p. 215
Completing the Research	p. 217
Defending the Research	p. 220
Summary	p. 222
References	p. 222
Glossary	p. 225
Index	p. 231
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