Research In Education

by Best, John W.; Kahn, James V.

• ISBN13: 9780205458400
• ISBN10: 0205458408
• Edition: 10th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-05-17
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

This text provides comprehensive coverage of research methods and statistics in a readable and student-friendly format. A wide variety of methodologies including descriptive, experimental and quasi-experimental research, historical studies, qualitative methods, and single subject designs are covered. A complete range of research tools as well as descriptive and inferential statistics are also included, making this text the definitive resource for introductory research courses.Research in Educationis divided into three parts: Part I, "Introduction to Educational Research," focuses on the purpose of research, hypotheses, ethics in research, developing a research problem, and writing proposals and reports; Part II, "Research Methods," is unique in that it integrates chapters on qualitative research methods, historical research and single-subject methods with the more typical chapters on experimental methods; and Part III, "Data Analysis," includes both descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as examples of analyses using a computer.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Using Research Navigator™	xiii
PART I Introduction to Educational Research: Definitions, Research Problems, Proposals, and Report Writing	1	(78)
1 Fundamentals of Research	3	(25)
Why Should You Study Research?	3	(1)
The Search for Knowledge	3	(4)
Science	7	(2)
The Role of Theory	9	(1)
Operational Definitions of Variables	10	(1)
The Hypothesis	11	(2)
The Research Hypothesis	11	(1)
The Null Hypothesis (Ho)	12	(1)
Populations and Sampling	13	(7)
Populations	13	(1)
Sampling	13	(1)
Randomness	14	(1)
The Simple Random Sample	14	(1)
Random Numbers	14	(3)
The Systematic Sample	17	(1)
The Stratified Random Sample	17	(1)
The Area or Cluster Sample	18	(1)
Nonprobability Samples	18	(1)
Sample Size	19	(1)
Purposes of Research	20	(2)
Fundamental or Basic Research	20	(1)
Applied Research	21	(1)
Action Research	21	(1)
Descriptive Research, Assessment, and Evaluation	22	(1)
Types of Educational Research	23	(1)
Summary	24	(1)
Exercises	25	(2)
References	27	(1)
2 Selecting a Problem and Preparing a Research Proposal	28	(32)
The Academic Research Problem	29	(6)
Levels of Research Projects	30	(1)
Sources of Problems	30	(3)
Evaluating the Problem	33	(2)
Using the Library	35	(1)
Finding Related Literature	35	(1)
References and Bibliography	36	(1)
Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials	36	(1)
The Research Proposal	37	(5)
A Sample Proposal Format	37	(5)
The First Research Project	42	(3)
Submitting to a Funding Agency	45	(1)
Thesis Proposal	46	(1)
Ethics in Human Experimentation	47	(10)
History of Research Ethics	48	(5)
Regulations	53	(2)
From Regulations to Practice	55	(2)
Summary	57	(1)
Exercises	58	(1)
References	59	(1)
3 The Research Report	60	(19)
Style Manuals	60	(1)
Format of the Research Report	61	(4)
Main Body of the Report	62	(3)
References and Appendices	65	(1)
The Thesis or Dissertation	65	(1)
Style of Writing	66	(1)
Reference Form	67	(2)
Pagination	69	(1)
Tables	70	(1)
Figures	71	(5)
The Line Graph	72	(2)
The Bar Graph or Chart	74	(1)
The Circle, Pie, or Sector Chart	75	(1)
Maps	76	(1)
Organization Charts	76	(1)
Evaluating a Research Report	76	(1)
Summary	77	(1)
References	78	(1)
PART II Research Methods	79	(272)
4 Historical Research	83	(35)
Purpose of Historical Research on American Education	84	(3)
History and Science	87	(2)
Historical Generalization	88	(1)
The Historical Hypothesis	89	(2)
Hypotheses in Educational Historical Research	90	(1)
Difficulties Encountered in Historical Research	90	(1)
Sources of Data	91	(2)
Primary Sources of Data	91	(1)
Primary Sources of Educational Data	92	(1)
Secondary Sources of Data	93	(1)
Historical Criticism	93	(5)
External Criticism	93	(1)
Internal Criticism	93	(3)
Examples of Topics for Educational Historical Study	96	(2)
Writing the Historical Report	98	(1)
Summary	99	(1)
Exercises	100	(1)
References	100	(2)
Sample Article	102	(16)
5 Descriptive Studies: Assessment, Evaluation, and Research	118	(46)
Assessment Studies	120	(8)
The Survey	121	(1)
Social Surveys	122	(1)
Public Opinion Surveys	123	(2)
National Center for Education Statistics	125	(1)
International Assessment	126	(1)
Activity Analysis	127	(1)
Trend Studies	127	(1)
Evaluation Studies	128	(4)
School Surveys	128	(1)
Program Evaluation	129	(3)
Assessment and Evaluation in Problem Solving	132	(1)
Descriptive Research	133	(5)
Causal-Comparative Research	134	(4)
Correlational Research	138	(1)
The Follow-Up Study	138	(3)
Other Descriptive Research	140	(1)
Replication and Secondary Analysis	141	(3)
The Post Hoc Fallacy	144	(2)
Summary	146	(1)
Exercises	146	(1)
References	147	(3)
Sample Article	150	(14)
6 Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Research	164	(52)
Early Experimentation	165	(1)
Experimental and Control Groups	166	(1)
Variables	167	(2)
Independent and Dependent Variables	167	(1)
Confounding Variables	168	(1)
Controlling Extraneous Variables	169	(2)
Experimental Validity	171	(6)
Threats to Internal Experimental Validity	172	(3)
Threats to External Experimental Validity	175	(2)
Experimental Design	177	(19)
Pre-Experimental Designs	177	(2)
True Experimental Designs	179	(4)
Quasi-Experimental Designs	183	(9)
Factorial Designs	192	(4)
Summary	196	(1)
Exercises	197	(1)
References	198	(2)
Sample Article	200	(16)
7 Single-Subject Experimental Research	216	(30)
General Procedures	218	(4)
Repeated Measurement	218	(1)
Baselines	219	(1)
Manipulating Variables	220	(1)
Length of Phases	220	(1)
Transfer of Training and Response Maintenance	221	(1)
Assessment	222	(1)
Target Behavior	222	(1)
Data Collection Strategies	223	(1)
Basic Designs	223	(9)
A-B-A-B Designs	224	(2)
Multiple Baseline Designs	226	(3)
Other Designs	229	(3)
Evaluating Data	232	(1)
Summary	233	(1)
Exercises	233	(2)
References	235	(1)
Sample Article	236	(10)
8 Qualitative Research	246	(42)
A Qualitative Research Model	247	(2)
Themes of Qualitative Research	249	(4)
Design Strategies	249	(2)
Data Collection and Fieldwork Strategies	251	(1)
Analysis Strategies	252	(1)
Research Questions	253	(1)
Theoretical Traditions	254	(2)
Research Strategies	256	(8)
Document or Content Analysis	257	(2)
The Case Study	259	(2)
Ethnographic Studies	261	(3)
Data Collection Techniques	264	(8)
Observations	264	(1)
Interviews	265	(2)
Review of Documents	267	(2)
Other Qualitative Data Collection Techniques	269	(1)
Data Analysis and Interpretation	270	(1)
Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Research	271	(1)
Summary	272	(1)
Exercises	272	(1)
References	273	(2)
Sample Article	275	(13)
9 Methods and Tools of Research	288	(63)
Reliability and Validity of Research Tools	288	(1)
Quantitative Studies	289	(2)
Qualitative Studies	291	(1)
Psychological and Educational Tests and Inventories	292	(8)
Validity	294	(3)
Reliability	297	(2)
Economy	299	(1)
Interest	299	(1)
Types of Tests and Inventories	300	(5)
Achievement Tests	301	(1)
Aptitude Tests	301	(2)
Interest Inventories	303	(1)
Personality Inventories	303	(1)
Projective Devices	304	(1)
Observation	305	(7)
Validity and Reliability of Observation	308	(1)
Recording Observations	309	(1)
Systematizing Data Collection	309	(3)
Characteristics of Good Observation	312	(1)
Inquiry Forms: The Questionnaire	312	(17)
The Closed Form	313	(1)
The Open Form	314	(1)
Improving Questionnaire Items	314	(5)
Characteristics of a Good Questionnaire	319	(1)
Preparing and Administering the Questionnaire	320	(4)
A Sample Questionnaire	324	(1)
Validity and Reliability of Questionnaires	324	(5)
Inquiry Forms: The Opinionnaire	329	(6)
Thurstone Technique	330	(1)
Likert Method	330	(4)
Semantic Differential	334	(1)
The Interview	335	(2)
Validity and Reliability of the Interview	336	(1)
Q Methodology	337	(2)
Social Scaling	339	(4)
Sociometry	339	(1)
Scoring Sociometric Choices	340	(1)
The Sociogram	340	(1)
"Guess-Who" Technique	341	(1)
Social-Distance Scale	342	(1)
Organization of Data Collection	343	(2)
Outside Criteria for Comparison	344	(1)
Limitations and Sources of Error	345	(1)
Summary	346	(1)
Exercises	347	(1)
References	348	(3)
PART III Data Analysis	351	(120)
10 Descriptive Data Analysis	353	(49)
What Is Statistics?	354	(1)
Parametric and Nonparametric Data	354	(1)
Descriptive and Inferential Analysis	355	(1)
The Organization of Data	356	(2)
Grouped Data Distributions	357	(1)
Statistical Measures	358	(10)
Measures of Central Tendency	358	(5)
Measures of Spread or Dispersion	363	(5)
Normal Distribution	368	(5)
Nonnormal Distributions	371	(1)
Interpreting the Normal Probability Distribution	371	(2)
Practical Applications of the Normal Curve	373	(1)
Measures of Relative Position: Standard Scores	373	(5)
The Z Score (Sigma)	374	(1)
The T Score (T)	375	(1)
The College Board Score (Zcb)	376	(1)
Stanines	376	(1)
Percentile Rank	376	(2)
Measures of Relationship	378	(10)
Pearson's Product-Moment Coefficient of Correlation (r)	382	(3)
Rank Order Correlation (p)	385	(2)
Phi Correlation Coefficient (φ)	387	(1)
Interpretation of a Correlation Coefficient	388	(5)
Outliers	389	(1)
Misinterpretation of the Coefficient of Correlation	390	(1)
Prediction	391	(2)
Standard Error of Estimate	393	(2)
A Note of Caution	395	(1)
Summary	396	(1)
Exercises	397	(4)
References	401	(1)
11 Inferential Data Analysis	402	(45)
Statistical Inference	402	(1)
The Central Limit Theorem	403	(3)
Parametric Tests	406	(1)
Testing Statistical Significance	406	(3)
The Significance of the Difference between the Means of Two Independent Groups	406	(1)
The Null Hypothesis (H0)	407	(1)
The Level of Significance	408	(1)
Decision Making	409	(5)
Two-Tailed and One-Tailed Tests of Significance	411	(2)
Degrees of Freedom	413	(1)
A One-Sample Z Test	414	(1)
Student's Distribution (t)	414	(2)
Significance of the Difference between Two Small Sample Independent Means	415	(1)
Homogeneity of Variances	416	(7)
Significance of the Difference between the Means of Two Matched or Correlated Groups (Nonindependent Samples)	419	(2)
Statistical Significance of a Coefficient of Correlation	421	(2)
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)	423	(5)
Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Partial Correlation	428	(1)
Multiple Regression and Correlation	429	(4)
Nonparametric Tests	433	(8)
The Chi Square Test (χ²)	434	(4)
The Mann-Whitney Test	438	(3)
Outliers and Missing Data	441	(1)
Summary	441	(1)
Exercises	442	(4)
References	446	(1)
12 Computer Data Analysis	447	(24)
The Computer	447	(2)
Data Organization	449	(1)
Computer Analysis of Data	450	(11)
Example 1: Descriptive Statistics-Bivariate Correlation, Means, SDs	452	(1)
Example 2: Graphs	453	(1)
Example 3: Multiple Regression	454	(1)
Example 4: ANOVA from Chapter 11	455	(3)
Results from Analyses Using Appendix B Data	458	(3)
Statistics on the World Wide Web (Internet)	461	(1)
Qualitative Analyses Using Computer Software	462	(6)
Summary	468	(2)
References	470	(1)
Appendix A Statistical Formulas and Symbols	471	(5)
Appendix B Sample Data Microsoft Excel Format	476	(4)
Appendix C Percentage of Area Lying between the Mean and Successive Standard Deviation Units under the Normal Curve	480	(2)
Appendix D Critical Values for Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation (r)	482	(1)
Appendix E Critical Values of Student's Distribution (t)	483	(1)
Appendix F Abridged Table of Critical Values for Chi Square	484	(1)
Appendix G Critical Values of the F Distribution	485	(5)
Appendix H Research Report Evaluation	490	(1)
Appendix I Answers to Statistics Exercises	491	(3)
Author Index	494	(4)
Subject Index	498