Designing and Conducting Research in Education

by Clifford J. Drew

• ISBN13: 9781412960748
• ISBN10: 1412960746
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-10-13
• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc

Summary

The research process in this book begins with identification of the research question and proceeds through each step including planning data collection, actual collection and analysis of the data, and writing the report. This text proceeds through multiple methodologies including experimental and non-experimental, quantitative and qualitative. At every step the emphasis is on planning and executing the study. Key features: o Simulations and feedback that may be used in class sessions for both individual and small group participation o Pedagogy to help students plan and conduct a research project in an actual classroom o Examples that demonstrate and explain what constitutes good and poor research questions o Case studies and 'real life' examples related to education o A Student Web site that provides students with the opportunity to interact with contemporary articles. This book provides an introduction to research that emphasizes the fundamental concepts of planning and design. It is designed to be a core text for the very first course on research methods.

Table of Contents

Preface
Toolbox of Educational Research
Pedagogical Features
Organization of the Text
Supplemental Materials
Acknowledgments
Overview of Research	p. 1
The Foundations of Research	p. 3
Chapter Outline	p. 3
Chapter Objectives	p. 4
Perspectives of Educational Research	p. 5
About Simulations	p. 7
Simulation 1.1	p. 8
Defining Ways of Conducting Research	p. 10
Research in Action	p. 13
Foundations of Research	p. 15
Simulation 1.2	p. 19
Research Types and Methods in Brief	p. 19
The Research Process	p. 21
Chapter Summary	p. 25
Key Terms	p. 26
Student Study Site	p. 27
Simulation Feedback 1.1	p. 27
Simulation Feedback 1.2	p. 28
The Research Process	p. 29
Chapter Outline	p. 29
Chapter Objectives	p. 30
Finding a Topic to Investigate	p. 30
Steps in the Scientific Method	p. 33
Research in Action	p. 37
Simulation 2.1	p. 41
Chapter Summary	p. 52
Key Terms	p. 53
Student Study Site	p. 53
Simulation Feedback 2.1	p. 54
Ethical Issues in Conducting Research	p. 55
Chapter Outline	p. 55
Chapter Objectives	p. 56
Ensuring the Protection of Human Participants	p. 56
Research in Action	p. 61
Simulation 3.1	p. 69
Ethical Considerations in Quantitative and Qualitative Research	p. 69
Monitoring Ethics in Research: Institutional Review Boards	p. 72
Ethics and Professionalism	p. 74
Chapter Summary	p. 78
Key Terms	p. 79
Student Study Site	p. 79
Simulation Feedback 3.1	p. 80
Participant Selection and Assignment	p. 81
Chapter Outline	p. 81
Chapter Objectives	p. 82
Participant Selection	p. 82
Research in Action	p. 84
Simulation 4.1	p. 87
Participant Assignment	p. 96
Chapter Summary	p. 106
Key Terms	p. 107
Student Study Site	p. 108
Simulation Feedback 4.1	p. 108
Measures and Instruments	p. 109
Chapter Outline	p. 109
Chapter Objectives	p. 110
Selection and Definition of a Criterion Measure	p. 110
Research in Action	p. 113
Simulation 5.1	p. 117
Instruments or Tasks	p. 117
Comments	p. 131
Chapter Summary	p. 132
Key Terms	p. 133
Student Study Site	p. 134
Simulation Feedback 5.1	p. 134
Research Methods and Designs	p. 135
Quantitative Research Methodologies	p. 137
Chapter Outline	p. 137
Chapter Obtectives	p. 138
Defining Quantitative Research	p. 138
Basic Experimental Design Formats	p. 142
Traditional Group Experimental Designs	p. 150
Research in Action	p. 152
Simulation 6.1	p. 155
After the Design: Analysis and Interpretation	p. 158
Chapter Summary	p. 161
Key Terms	p. 162
Student Study Site	p. 163
Simulation Feedback 6.1	p. 164
Designing Nonexperimental Research	p. 165
Chapter Outline	p. 165
Chapter Objectives	p. 166
Defining Experimental and Nonexperimental Research	p. 166
Survey Research	p. 166
Simulation 7.1	p. 170
Observation Studies	p. 174
Comments	p. 178
Research in Action	p. 179
Chapter Summary	p. 180
Key Terms	p. 180
Student Study Site	p. 181
Simulation Feedback 7.1	p. 182
Introduction to Qualitative Research and Mixed-Method Designs	p. 183
Chapter Outline	p. 183
Chapter Objectives	p. 184
An Overview of Qualitative Research	p. 184
Simulation 8.1	p. 189
Mixed-Method Designs	p. 200
Research in Action	p. 202
Chapter Summary	p. 205
Key Terms	p. 206
Student Study Site	p. 206
Simulation Feedback 8.1	p. 207
Research Design Pitfalls	p. 209
Chapter Outline	p. 209
Chapter Objectives	p. 210
Types of Design Validity	p. 210
Threats to Experimental Design Validity	p. 212
Research in Action	p. 228
Simulation 9.1	p. 230
Standards of Rigor	p. 233
Comments	p. 236
Chapter Summary	p. 237
Key Terms	p. 238
Student Study Site	p. 239
Simulation Feedback 9.1	p. 239
Data Analysis and Results Interpretation	p. 241
Statistics Choices	p. 243
Chapter Outline	p. 243
Chapter Objectives	p. 244
Statistics: What and Why	p. 244
The Decision Tree: Moving From the Question to the Analysis	p. 246
Simulation 10.1	p. 249
The Importance of Data Type in Selecting Statistics	p. 249
Research in Action	p. 252
Simulation 10.2	p. 254
Chapter Summary	p. 255
Key Terms	p. 255
Student Study Site	p. 256
Simulation Feedback 10.1	p. 256
Simulation Feedback 10.2	p. 257
Data Tabulation	p. 259
Chapter Outline	p. 259
Chapter Objectives	p. 260
Aggregating Data	p. 260
Research in Action	p. 262
Simulation 11.1	p. 264
Tables	p. 266
Graphing Data	p. 273
Chapter Summary	p. 284
Key Terms	p. 284
Student Study Site	p. 285
Simulation Feedback 11.1	p. 285
Descriptive Statistics	p. 287
Chapter Outline	p. 287
Chapter Objectives	p. 288
Categories of Descriptive Statistics	p. 288
Research in Action	p. 289
Simulation 12.1	p. 297
Simulation 12.2	p. 302
Chapter Summary	p. 302
Key Terms	p. 303
Student Study Site	p. 303
Simulation Feedback 12.1	p. 304
Simulation Feedback 12.2	p. 304
Inferential Statistics	p. 305
Chapter Outline	p. 305
Chapter Objectives	p. 306
General Background of Inferential Statistics	p. 306
Difference Questions: Which Statistic and When?	p. 311
Research in Action	p. 314
Simulation 13.1	p. 316
Simulation 13.2	p. 316
Relationship Questions: Which Statistic and When?	p. 328
Comments	p. 332
Chapter Summary	p. 333
Key Terms	p. 333
Student Study Site	p. 334
Simulation Feedback 13.1	p. 334
Simulation Feedback 13.2	p. 334
Analyzing Qualitative Data	p. 335
Chapter Outline	p. 335
Chapter Objectives	p. 336
Preliminary Analysis	p. 337
Post-Data-Gathering Analysis	p. 343
Simulation 14.1	p. 344
Research in Action	p. 345
Inductive and Deductive Analyses	p. 347
Phenomenological Analytical Techniques	p. 348
Reporting Qualitative Research	p. 350
Chapter Summary	p. 352
Key Terms	p. 352
Student Study Site	p. 353
Simulation Feedback 14.1	p. 353
Interpreting Results	p. 355
Chapter Outline	p. 355
Chapter Objectives	p. 356
Research as an Integrated Process	p. 356
Interpretation of Results	p. 361
Simulation 15.1	p. 362
Acquiring Interpretation Skills for Research	p. 365
Comments	p. 366
Research in Action	p. 367
Chapter Summary	p. 368
Key Terms	p. 368
Student Study Site	p. 369
Simulation Feedback 15.1	p. 369
Random Numbers Table	p. 370
Glossary	p. 375
References	p. 387
Index	p. 397
About the Authors	p. 405
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