How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education, 7th Edition

Cover Page......Page 1
Title Page......Page 3
Copyright Page......Page 4
About the Authors......Page 5
Dedication......Page 6
Preface......Page 22
Contents in Brief......Page 7
Contents......Page 8
PART 1: Introduction to Research......Page 31
1 The Nature of Research......Page 32
Some Examples of Educational Concerns......Page 33
Ways of Knowing......Page 34
Types of Research......Page 37
General Research Types......Page 44
Critical Analysis of Research......Page 46
A Brief Overview of the Research Process......Page 49
Main Points......Page 51
Notes......Page 52
Problem Sheet 1......Page 53
PART 2 The Basics of  Educational Research......Page 55
2 The Research Problem......Page 56
Research Questions......Page 57
Characteristics of Good Research Questions......Page 59
For Discussion......Page 65
Problem Sheet 2......Page 66
3 Variables and Hypotheses......Page 67
The Importance of Studying Relationships......Page 68
Variables......Page 69
Hypotheses......Page 75
Main Points......Page 78
For Discussion......Page 79
Problem Sheet 3......Page 81
4 Ethics and Research......Page 82
A Statement of Ethical Principles......Page 83
Protecting Participants from Harm......Page 85
Should Subjects Be Deceived?......Page 86
Three Examples Involving Ethical Concerns......Page 87
Research with Children......Page 89
Regulation of Research......Page 90
Main Points......Page 93
Notes......Page 94
Problem Sheet 4......Page 95
5 Locating and Reviewing the Literature......Page 96
Types of Sources......Page 97
Steps Involved in a Literature Search......Page 98
Doing a Computer Search......Page 106
Writing the Literature Review Report......Page 114
Main Points......Page 115
For Discussion......Page 116
Notes......Page 117
Problem Sheet 5......Page 118
6 Sampling......Page 119
What Is a Sample?......Page 120
Random Sampling Methods......Page 123
Nonrandom Sampling Methods......Page 126
A Review of Sampling Methods......Page 129
Sample Size......Page 131
External Validity: Generalizing from a Sample......Page 132
Main Points......Page 135
For Discussion......Page 136
Problem Sheet 6......Page 138
7 Instrumentation......Page 139
What Are Data?......Page 140
Means of Classifying Data-Collection Instruments......Page 142
Examples of Data-Collection Instruments......Page 146
Types of Scores......Page 164
Norm-Referenced Versus Criterion-Referenced Instruments......Page 166
Measurement Scales......Page 167
Preparing Data for Analysis......Page 170
Main Points......Page 171
For Discussion......Page 173
Notes......Page 174
Problem Sheet 7......Page 175
8 Validity and Reliability......Page 176
Validity......Page 177
Reliability......Page 184
Key Terms......Page 192
Notes......Page 193
Problem Sheet 8......Page 194
9 Internal Validity......Page 195
What Is Internal Validity?......Page 196
Threats to Internal Validity......Page 197
How Can a Researcher Minimize These Threats to Internal Validity?......Page 209
Main Points......Page 210
Note......Page 211
Problem Sheet 9......Page 212
PART 3 Data Analysis......Page 213
10 Descriptive Statistics......Page 214
Two Fundamental Types of Numerical Data......Page 215
Techniques for Summarizing Quantitative Data......Page 217
Techniques for Summarizing Categorical Data......Page 237
Main Points......Page 241
Key Terms......Page 242
For Discussion......Page 243
Problem Sheet 10......Page 244
11 Inferential Statistics......Page 245
What Are Inferential Statistics?......Page 246
The Logic of Inferential Statistics......Page 247
Hypothesis Testing......Page 253
Practical Versus Statistical Significance......Page 256
Inference Techniques......Page 258
Main Points......Page 267
Key Terms......Page 268
For Discussion......Page 269
Problem Sheet 11......Page 270
12 Statistics in Perspective......Page 271
Approaches to Research......Page 272
Comparing Groups: Quantitative Data......Page 273
Relating Variables Within a Group: Quantitative Data......Page 277
Comparing Groups: Categorical Data......Page 281
Relating Variables Within a Group: Categorical Data......Page 283
Main Points......Page 285
For Discussion......Page 286
Problem Sheet 12......Page 287
PART 4 Quantitative Research Methodologies......Page 289
13 Experimental Research......Page 290
The Uniqueness of Experimental Research......Page 291
Essential Characteristics of Experimental Research......Page 292
Group Designs in Experimental Research......Page 294
Control of Threats to Internal Validity: A Summary......Page 306
Evaluating the Likelihood of a Threat to Internal Validity in Experimental Studies......Page 307
Control of Experimental Treatments......Page 310
An Example of Experimental Research......Page 311
Research Report......Page 312
Analysis of the Study......Page 322
Main Points......Page 323
For Discussion......Page 325
Notes......Page 326
Problem Sheet 13......Page 327
14 Single-Subject Research......Page 328
Single-Subject Designs......Page 329
Threats to Internal Validity in Single-Subject Research......Page 335
An Example of Single-Subject Research......Page 341
Research Report......Page 342
Analysis of the Study......Page 353
Main Points......Page 354
For Discussion......Page 356
15 Correlational Research......Page 357
The Nature of Correlational Research......Page 358
Purposes of Correlational Research......Page 359
Basic Steps in Correlational Research......Page 365
Threats to Internal Validity in Correlational Research......Page 367
Evaluating Threats to Internal Validity in Correlational Studies......Page 371
An Example of Correlational Research......Page 373
Research Report......Page 374
Analysis of the Study......Page 387
Main Points......Page 389
Key Terms......Page 390
Notes......Page 391
16 Causal-Comparative Research......Page 392
What Is Causal-Comparative Research?......Page 393
Steps Involved in Causal-Comparative Research......Page 396
Threats to Internal Validity in Causal-Comparative Research......Page 397
Evaluating Threats to Internal Validity in Causal-Comparative Studies......Page 399
Data Analysis......Page 400
Associations Between Categorical Variables......Page 402
Research Report......Page 403
Analysis of the Study......Page 414
Main Points......Page 416
Note......Page 418
17 Survey Research......Page 419
Why Are Surveys Conducted?......Page 420
Types of Surveys......Page 421
Steps in Survey Research......Page 422
Nonresponse......Page 431
An Example of Survey Research......Page 434
Research Report......Page 435
Analysis of the Study......Page 444
Main Points......Page 446
For Discussion......Page 447
Notes......Page 448
PART 5 Introduction to Qualitative Research......Page 449
18 The Nature of Qualitative Research......Page 450
What Is Qualitative Research?......Page 451
General Characteristics of Qualitative Research......Page 452
Philosophical Assumptions Underlying Qualitative as Opposed to Quantitative Research......Page 453
Postmodernism......Page 454
Steps in Qualitative Research......Page 455
Approaches to Qualitative Research......Page 457
Generalization in Qualitative Research......Page 462
Ethics and Qualitative Research......Page 463
Qualitative and Quantitative Research Reconsidered......Page 464
Main Points......Page 465
Key Terms......Page 466
Notes......Page 467
19 Observation and Interviewing......Page 469
Observation......Page 470
Interviewing......Page 475
Validity and Reliability in Qualitative Research......Page 483
An Example of Qualitative Research......Page 484
Research Report......Page 485
Analysis of the Study......Page 496
Main Points......Page 498
For Discussion......Page 499
Notes......Page 500
20 Content Analysis......Page 501
What Is Content Analysis?......Page 502
Some Applications......Page 503
Steps Involved in Content Analysis......Page 504
An Illustration of Content Analysis......Page 510
Using the Computer in Content Analysis......Page 512
Disadvantages of Content Analysis......Page 513
Research Report......Page 514
Analysis of the Study......Page 525
Main Points......Page 526
Notes......Page 528
PART 6 Qualitative Research Methodologies......Page 529
21 Ethnographic Research......Page 530
What Is Ethnographic Research?......Page 531
Ethnographic Concepts......Page 533
Do Ethnographic Researchers Use Hypotheses?......Page 535
Data Collection in Ethnographic Research......Page 536
Data Analysis in Ethnographic Research......Page 540
Roger Harker and His Fifth-Grade Classroom......Page 542
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethnographic Research......Page 543
Research Report......Page 544
Analysis of the Study......Page 558
Main Points......Page 560
For Discussion......Page 561
Notes......Page 562
22 Historical Research......Page 563
What Is Historical Research?......Page 564
Steps Involved in Historical Research......Page 565
Generalization in Historical Research......Page 570
Advantages and Disadvantages of Historical Research......Page 571
An Example of HistoricalResearch......Page 572
Research Report......Page 573
Analysis of the Study......Page 580
Main Points......Page 581
Key Terms......Page 582
Notes......Page 583
PART 7 Mixed-Methods Studies......Page 585
23 Mixed-Methods Research......Page 586
What Is Mixed-Methods Research?......Page 587
Drawbacks of Mixed-Methods Studies......Page 588
A (Very) Brief History......Page 589
Types of Mixed-Methods Designs......Page 590
Other Mixed-Methods Research Design Issues......Page 592
Steps in Conducting a Mixed-Methods Study......Page 593
Evaluating a Mixed-Methods Study......Page 594
An Example of Mixed-Methods Research......Page 595
Research Report......Page 596
Analysis of the Study......Page 610
Main Points......Page 613
Key Terms......Page 614
Notes......Page 615
PART 8 Research by Practitioners......Page 617
24 Action Research......Page 618
What Is Action Research?......Page 619
Types of Action Research......Page 620
Steps in Action Research......Page 622
Similarities and Differences Between Action Research and Formal Quantitative and Qualitative Research......Page 624
Some Hypothetical Examples of Practical Action Research......Page 626
An Example of Action Research......Page 631
A Published Example of Action Research......Page 632
Research Report......Page 633
Analysis of the Study......Page 640
Main Points......Page 641
For Discussion......Page 642
Notes......Page 643
PART 9 Writing Research Proposals and Reports......Page 645
25 Preparing Research Proposals and Reports......Page 646
The Major Sections of a Research Proposal or Report......Page 647
Sections Unique to Research Reports......Page 654
A Sample Research Proposal......Page 657
For Review......Page 670
Notes......Page 671
Appendixes......Page 673
APPENDIX A: Portion of a Table of Random Numbers......Page 674
APPENDIX B: Selected Values from a Normal Curve Table......Page 675
APPENDIX C: Chi-Square Distribution......Page 676
APPENDIX D: Using SPSS......Page 677
Glossary......Page 689
Index......Page 698