Research Methods in Education : An Introduction

by Wiersma, William; Jurs, Stephen G.

• ISBN13: 9780205406098
• ISBN10: 0205406092
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

“This is a wonderful text book for an educational research course, and a highly desirable resource to help students or educators gain profound insight about methods, designs, procedures, and writing of educational research.”
Leping Liu, University of Nevada, Reno

“This text is the most "user-friendly" research text that I have found. The progression of ideas is wonderful, building on prior concepts without overwhelming or confusing the reader.”
Roxanne DelaVecchia, Towson University

A classic in its field, Research Methods in Education, Eighth Edition explores quantitative and qualitative research from beginning to end, starting with the formulation of a research question straight through to publication. Retaining the clear, concise writing style and organization that has made this text so popular, Research Methods in Education helps students evaluate research literature as well as master research methodology.

New To This Edition

• Enhanced experimental validity sections. Provides students with proper criteria for judging the quality of research (Chs. 16 & 17).
• New! Writing a research proposal. Thoroughly outlines each stage of the process to prepare students in developing their own proposal (Ch. 16).
• Improved coverage of the process of identifying and writing research questions—the driving force behind the entire research process.
• Expanded coverage of technology and the use of electronic resources. Offers students an in-depth exploration in research from web referencing to data analysis and much more!
• Brand new coverage of Mixed Methods and Delphi Studies. Adds a new dimension to the text to keep current with practice.

Research Navigator access is provided with the text and integration is provided through the use of key-term icons and chapter ending activities. This database provides discipline-specific academic resources as well as helpful tips on the writing process, online research, and finding and citing valid sources. See the inside front cover for details!

Table of Contents

Preface	xv
Acknowledgments	xviii
Using Research Navigator	xix
CHAPTER ONE Educational Research: Its Nature and Characteristics	1	(27)
THE NATURE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH	2	(8)
The Systematic Process of Research	3	(2)
The Validity of Educational Research	5	(4)
The Reliability of Educational Research	9	(1)
Research Has a Variety of Forms	10	(1)
CLASSIFICATION OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH	10	(8)
Basic and Applied Research	10	(3)
Qualitative and Quantitative Research	13	(2)
General Methods of Research	15	(3)
THE ROLE OF THEORY	18	(3)
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS	21	(3)
Identification of the Research Problem	22	(1)
Data Collection	22	(1)
Analysis	23	(1)
Summarizing Results and Drawing Conclusions	23	(1)
SUMMARY	24	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	25	(1)
EXERCISES	25	(1)
NOTES	26	(1)
REFERENCES	26	(2)
CHAPTER TWO Identification of a Research Problem	28	(24)
SELECTION OF A RESEARCH PROBLEM	28	(2)
STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM	30	(18)
Constants, Variables, and Operational Definition	33	(6)
Hypotheses and the Statement of the Problem	39	(1)
Types and Forms of Hypotheses	40	(8)
SUMMARY	48	(2)
KEY CONCEPTS	50	(1)
EXERCISES	50	(1)
NOTES	51	(1)
REFERENCE	51	(1)
CHAPTER THREE The Review of the Literature	52	(31)
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE	53	(2)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION	55	(11)
The Library	55	(1)
Periodical Literature	55	(1)
Education Index	56	(1)
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)	56	(2)
An Example Using CIJE and RIE	58	(4)
Other Indexes and Abstracts	62	(1)
Review of Educational Research (RER)	62	(1)
Reports of Meta-Analysis	63	(1)
Abstracts and Reports in Periodicals	64	(1)
Theses and Dissertations	64	(1)
Books	65	(1)
COMPUTER SEARCHES OF DATABASES	66	(6)
Conducting a Search	67	(1)
Searching a Database for a Specific Research Problem: One Descriptor	68	(2)
Searching a Database for a Specific Research Problem: More than One Descriptor	70	(1)
Other Sources Available through the Computer	71	(1)
SELECTING STUDIES FOR THE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE	72	(1)
ASSEMBLING AND SUMMARIZING INFORMATION	73	(3)
Abstract or Summary	74	(1)
Organizing Information	75	(1)
INTERPRETING AND USING INFORMATION	76	(4)
Critical Review	76	(1)
Writing the Review	77	(1)
Referencing	78	(1)
Preparing the Bibliography	79	(1)
SUMMARY	80	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	80	(1)
EXERCISES	81	(1)
NOTES	82	(1)
REFERENCES	82	(1)
CHAPTER FOUR Research Design in Quantitative Research	83	(16)
THE PURPOSES OF RESEARCH DESIGN	83	(1)
THE CONCEPT OF CONTROLLING VARIANCE	84	(9)
Procedures for Controlling Variance	85	(8)
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD RESEARCH DESIGN	93	(2)
Freedom from Bias	93	(1)
Freedom from Confounding	94	(1)
Control of Extraneous Variables	94	(1)
Statistical Precision for Testing Hypotheses	94	(1)
SUMMARY	95	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	95	(1)
EXERCISES	96	(1)
NOTES	97	(1)
REFERENCES	98	(1)
CHAPTER FIVE Experimental Research	99	(31)
THE MEANING OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN	99	(3)
Experimental Variables	101	(1)
Use of the Term Subject	102	(1)
CRITERIA FOR A WELL-DESIGNED EXPERIMENT	102	(7)
Experimental Validity	103	(2)
Threats to Experimental Validity	105	(4)
POSTTEST-ONLY CONTROL GROUP DESIGN	109	(2)
PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN	111	(2)
SOLOMON FOUR-GROUP DESIGN	113	(2)
FACTORIAL DESIGNS	115	(3)
REPEATED MEASURES DESIGNS	118	(3)
Time Series Designs	120	(1)
INTERPRETING RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS	121	(3)
RANDOMNESS AND REPRESENTATIVENESS	124	(1)
SUMMARY	125	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	126	(1)
EXERCISES	126	(3)
NOTES	129	(1)
REFERENCES	129	(1)
CHAPTER SIX Quasi-Experimental Research	130	(25)
THE PROBLEMS OF VALIDITY	130	(1)
POSTTEST-ONLY, NONEQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUP DESIGN	131	(3)
PRETEST-POSTTEST, NONEQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUP DESIGN	134	(2)
TIME SERIES DESIGNS	136	(6)
Single-Group Time Series Design	137	(3)
Multiple-Group Time Series Design	140	(2)
Variations in Time Series Designs	142	(1)
SINGLE-SUBJECT DESIGNS	142	(6)
A-B Design	143	(3)
A-B-A Design	146	(2)
ACTION RESEARCH AND QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH	148	(2)
SUMMARY	150	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	151	(1)
EXERCISES	151	(3)
NOTES	154	(1)
REFERENCES	154	(1)
CHAPTER SEVEN Nonexperimental Quantitative Research	155	(46)
NONEXPERIMENTAL QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: ITS SCOPE AND DESCRIPTION	155	(4)
Ex post facto Research	156	(3)
Survey Research	159	(1)
SURVEY DESIGNS	159	(4)
Longitudinal Designs	160	(2)
Cross-Sectional Designs	162	(1)
THE METHODOLOGY OF SURVEY RESEARCH	163	(2)
QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS	165	(17)
Item Construction	165	(4)
Item Format	169	(3)
The Cover Letter	172	(2)
Questionnaire Format	174	(1)
Procedures for Increasing Response Rate	175	(3)
Identifying Sources of Nonresponse	178	(2)
Incomplete and Possibly Dishonest Responses	180	(2)
Examples	182	(1)
WEB-BASED SURVEYS	182	(4)
Factors to Consider when Conducting Web-Based Surveys	186	(1)
INTERVIEW SURVEYS	186	(6)
Interview Items	187	(1)
Conducting the Interview	188	(2)
Potential Sources of Error	190	(1)
Telephone Interviews	191	(1)
A Comment about Branching Items	192	(1)
OTHER SURVEYS	192	(1)
ANALYZING AND REPORTING SURVEY RESULTS	193	(1)
Hypothetical Example	194	(1)
SUMMARY	194	(2)
KEY CONCEPTS	196	(1)
EXERCISES	196	(2)
NOTES	198	(1)
REFERENCES	199	(2)
CHAPTER EIGHT Research Design in Qualitative Research	201	(22)
THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH	201	(2)
COMPONENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN	203	(7)
Working Design	203	(1)
Working Hypotheses	204	(1)
Data Collection	204	(1)
Data Analysis and Interpretation	205	(5)
TYPES OF DESIGNS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH	210	(1)
PERSPECTIVES FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH	211	(4)
Example: Funnel Approach	213	(1)
Example: Modified Analytic Induction Approach	214	(1)
RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH	215	(1)
USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH	216	(3)
Capabilities of Computer Software in Qualitative Research	217	(2)
SUMMARY	219	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	220	(1)
EXERCISES	220	(1)
NOTES	221	(1)
REFERENCES	221	(2)
CHAPTER NINE Historical Research	223	(19)
THE VALUE OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH	224	(2)
SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH	226	(1)
THE METHODOLOGY OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH	226	(9)
Identification of the Research Problem	227	(3)
Collection and Evaluation of Source Materials	230	(2)
Synthesis of Information	232	(1)
Analysis, Interpretation, and Formulating Conclusions	233	(2)
QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN HISTORICAL RESEARCH	235	(1)
COMMENTS ON THE REPORTING OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH	235	(3)
Reports in Professional Journals	236	(2)
SUMMARY	238	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	239	(1)
EXERCISES	239	(1)
REFERENCES	240	(2)
CHAPTER TEN Ethnographic Research	242	(32)
THE NATURE OF ETHNOGRAPHY IN EDUCATION	242	(3)
The Phenomenological Nature	243	(1)
The Naturalistic Nature	244	(1)
The Holistic and General Perspective	245	(1)
A CONCEPTUAL SCHEMA FOR ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH	245	(3)
THE PROCESS OF ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH	248	(14)
Identification of the Phenomenon to Be Studied	249	(2)
Identification of Subjects	251	(1)
Hypothesis Generation	252	(1)
Data Collection	252	(6)
Analysis	258	(3)
Drawing Conclusions	261	(1)
EXAMPLE OF ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH IN EDUCATION	262	(2)
THE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH	264	(4)
Reliability	264	(1)
Validity	265	(3)
THE ROLE OF ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH	268	(1)
SUMMARY	269	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	270	(1)
EXERCISES	271	(1)
NOTES	272	(1)
REFERENCES	272	(2)
CHAPTER ELEVEN Mixed, Modeling, and Delphi Methods	274	(21)
MIXED METHODS	274	(3)
Summary	277	(1)
MODELING METHODS	277	(4)
Application of Modeling Methods	278	(2)
Summary	280	(1)
DELPHI METHOD	281	(10)
The Delphi Process	282	(4)
Variations of the Delphi	286	(1)
Examples of the Delphi	287	(3)
Considerations When Conducting a Delphi	290	(1)
SUMMARY	291	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	291	(1)
EXERCISES	291	(2)
NOTES	293	(1)
REFERENCES	293	(2)
CHAPTER TWELVE Sampling Designs	295	(27)
THE CONCEPT OF A RANDOM SAMPLE	295	(6)
Random Selection and Random Assignment	296	(1)
Use of a Random Number Table	297	(2)
Use of the Computer in Sample Selection	299	(1)
Sampling Error and Sampling Bias	300	(1)
CRITERIA FOR A SAMPLING DESIGN	301	(1)
STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLING	302	(3)
Allocation of Sample Size among Strata	303	(2)
CLUSTER SAMPLING	305	(1)
SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING	306	(2)
Possible Problem of Periodicity	307	(1)
CONSIDERATIONS IN DETERMINING SAMPLE SIZE-RANDOM SAMPLING	308	(3)
PURPOSEFUL SAMPLING	311	(6)
Comprehensive Sampling	312	(1)
Maximum Variation Sampling	312	(1)
Extreme Case Sampling	313	(1)
Typical Case Sampling	313	(1)
Homogeneous Sampling	314	(1)
Other Variations of Purposeful Sampling	314	(1)
Sample Size of Purposeful Samples	315	(2)
SUMMARY	317	(2)
KEY CONCEPTS	319	(1)
EXERCISES	319	(2)
NOTES	321	(1)
REFERENCES	321	(1)
CHAPTER THIRTEEN Measurement and Data Collection	322	(29)
CONCEPTS OF MEASUREMENT	322	(8)
Types of Measurement Scales	323	(1)
Reliability of Measurement	324	(1)
Empirical Procedures for Estimating Reliability	325	(1)
Expected Reliability Coefficients for Various Types of Tests	326	(1)
Validity of Measurement	326	(4)
THE VARIABLES MEASURED IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH	330	(1)
TESTS AND INVENTORIES USED FOR MEASUREMENT	330	(10)
Achievement Tests in Academic and Skills Areas	331	(1)
Attitude Inventories	332	(5)
Aptitude Tests	337	(1)
Rating Scales	338	(1)
Observation Systems	339	(1)
WHERE TO FIND TEST INFORMATION	340	(4)
SCORING AND DATA PREPARATION	344	(2)
Coding Data	344	(1)
An Example of a Data File	345	(1)
SUMMARY	346	(2)
KEY CONCEPTS	348	(1)
EXERCISES	348	(1)
NOTES	349	(1)
REFERENCES	349	(2)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN Data Analysis: Descriptive Statistics	351	(21)
THE MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF STATISTICS	351	(1)
DISTRIBUTIONS	352	(7)
Describing a Distribution of Scores	353	(3)
Standard Scores	356	(3)
CORRELATION: A MEASURE OF RELATIONSHIP	359	(6)
Uses of Correlation	361	(1)
Different Correlation Coefficients	362	(3)
DATA ANALYSIS BY COMPUTER	365	(3)
SUMMARY	368	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	369	(1)
EXERCISES	369	(2)
NOTE	371	(1)
CHAPTER FIFTEEN Data Analysis: Inferential Statistics	372	(36)
CONTEXT FOR USING INFERENTIAL STATISTICS	372	(1)
TESTING HYPOTHESES AND ESTIMATING PARAMETERS	373	(7)
Concept of a Sampling Distribution	374	(4)
Building a Confidence Interval: The Example Continued	378	(1)
Possible Errors in Hypothesis Testing	379	(1)
INFERENCES FROM STATISTICS TO PARAMETERS: A REVIEW	380	(2)
PARAMETRIC ANALYSES	382	(9)
The t-Distribution: Another Sampling Distribution	382	(3)
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)	385	(6)
NONPARAMETRIC ANALYSES	391	(3)
The Chi-Square (x²) Test and Distribution	391	(3)
CORRELATIONAL ANALYSES	394	(3)
Analysis of Covariance	395	(2)
SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS	397	(3)
COMMENTS ABOUT STATISTICAL ANALYSIS	400	(1)
META-ANALYSIS	401	(2)
SUMMARY	403	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	404	(1)
EXERCISES	404	(3)
NOTES	407	(1)
REFERENCES	407	(1)
CHAPTER SIXTEEN Communicating about Research	408	(29)
MAJOR SECTIONS OF THE RESEARCH PROPOSAL	408	(10)
Identification of the Problem	409	(2)
Review of the Literature	411	(3)
Methods or Procedures	414	(2)
Significance of the Proposed Research	416	(1)
Other Sections of the Research Proposal	417	(1)
MAJOR SECTIONS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT	418	(7)
Introduction, including the Statement of the Problem	419	(1)
Review of the Literature	420	(1)
Methods or Procedures	421	(1)
Results	422	(1)
Conclusions, Recommendations, and Implications	423	(2)
OTHER SECTIONS OF THE RESEARCH REPORT	425	(3)
Abstract	425	(1)
Bibliography and Reference List	426	(2)
Appendix	428	(1)
PUTTING A REPORT TOGETHER	428	(2)
Software for Word Processing	430	(1)
GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTING PAPERS AT MEETINGS	430	(2)
PRESENTATIONS TO DISSERTATION AND THESIS COMMITTEES	432	(2)
SUMMARY	434	(1)
KEY CONCEPTS	434	(1)
EXERCISES	435	(1)
NOTES	436	(1)
REFERENCES	436	(1)
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Evaluating Research Reports	437	(13)
TYPES OF ERRORS AND SHORTCOMINGS IN REPORTS	437	(1)
CRITIQUING MAJOR SECTIONS OF A RESEARCH REPORT	438	(5)
Introduction	439	(1)
Review of the Literature	439	(1)
Methods or Procedures	440	(1)
Results	441	(1)
Conclusions, Recommendations, and Implications	442	(1)
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS WHEN EVALUATING A REPORT	443	(1)
THE REVIEW PROCESS FOR JOURNALS	443	(2)
Suggested Disposition	444	(1)
THE EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS	445	(1)
Significance of the Proposed Research	445	(1)
Quality of the Proposed Research	446	(1)
SUMMARY	446	(2)
KEY CONCEPTS	448	(1)
EXERCISES	448	(1)
REFERENCES	448	(2)
Appendix 1 Ethical and Legal Considerations in Conducting Research	450	(4)
Appendix 2 Solutions to Exercises	454	(21)
Appendix 3 Tables	475	(12)
TABLE A. ORDINATES AND AREAS OF THE NORMAL CURVE	476	(2)
TABLE B. CRITICAL VALUES OF T	478	(1)
TABLE C. UPPER PERCENTAGE POINTS OF THE X² DISTRIBUTION	479	(1)
TABLE D. UPPER PERCENTAGE POINTS OF THE F-DISTRIBUTION	480	(6)
TABLE E. CRITICAL VALUES OF THE CORRELATION COEFFICIENT	486	(1)
Glossary of Research Methods Terms	487	(6)
Name Index	493	(2)
Subject Index	495	(8)
Disk Instructions	503