Applying Educational Research (with MyEducationLab)

This text brings research alive for educators by introducing readers to people who actually “do” research. It is intended for instructors who emphasize teaching students how to locate, read, and interpret and apply the findings of educational research studies. The revision addresses how to design and conduct a research study in more detail. The text includes numerous recent, published research articles involving high-interest problems of educational practice. The chapters, which treat quantitative, qualitative, and applied forms of educational research, stand alone, allowing instructors to choose those they want to cover. Designed for courses focused primarily on applying, rather than conducting research, this text includes 13 actual research articles, reprinted in their entirety. The primary author of each article then offers original commentary on his/her piece. Through this format, the text presents a comprehensive explanation of the methodologies used by present-day researchers, data-collection challenges, and the meaning of the results. The book makes no assumptions about readers' prior knowledge of research or statistics. This text builds students' confidence so that they are able to successfully read research reports and research. Through its clear yet scholarly treatment and numerous examples of educational research the text addresses the learning and application needs of an increasingly wider spectrum of students and practitioners in the field of education. For the first time, readerswill see the relevance of research to educational practice.

Table of Contents:
PART I: INTRODUCTION   Chapter 1          Using Research Evidence to Improve Educational Practice Introduction Evidence-Based Professional Practice Evidence-Based Practice in Education           Collaborating with Researchers The Purpose of Educational Research Characteristics of Research as an Approach to Inquiry             Quantitative and Qualitative Research A Personal Note: The Research “Spark” An Example of How Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study     Chapter 2          Doing Your Own Research: From Proposal to Final Report Introduction Identifying a Research Problem Outlining a Quantitative or Qualitative Research Proposal             Other Steps in the Research Process             Examples of Outlining a Research Proposal Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study     PART II: APPLYING EXISTING RESEARCH STUDIES TO PROBLEMS             OF PRACTICE          Chapter 3          Conducting and Writing Your Own Literature Review Introduction Two Types of Literature Review A Systematic Procedure for Doing Formal Literature Reviews Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study             Sample Literature Review: Shifting the Paradigm from “At Risk” to “At Promise”: A Review of the Construct of Resilience and Its Educational Applications                             Chapter 4          Using Search Engines in a Literature Review The Purpose of Search Engines and Indexes Selecting a Useful Search Engine             Using a Search Engine to Focus a Literature Review Obtaining a Publication after a Literature Search Self-Check Test Chapter Reference Resources for Further Study     Chapter 5          Making Use of Available Literature Reviews Advantages of Available Literature Reviews Systematic Syntheses of Research Findings Professional Literature Reviews Locating Published Reviews of the Education Literature             Criteria for Evaluating Published Literature Reviews An Example of How Literature Reviews Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   PART III: USING QUANTITATIVE METHODOLOGY TO STUDY             PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE     Chapter 6          Analyzing and Evaluating Reports of Quantitative Research Studies Organization of a Quantitative Research Report Abstract and Introduction             Method Section: Sampling Procedures Method Section: Measures Types of Measures Validity of Measures Reliability of Measures Item Response Theory Limitations to Tests of Validity and Reliability Sources of Information about Established Measures Developing a Measure Method Section: Research Design and Procedures Results Section Discussion Section An Example of How Quantitative Research Can Help in Solving Problems                           of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study     Chapter 7          Using Descriptive Statistics to Study Problems of Practice Introduction Constructs, Variables, and Measurement Scales Statistical Analysis of Data            Descriptive Statistics  Measures of Variability   Multivariate Descriptive Statistics Calculating Descriptive Statistics An Example of How Descriptive Statistics Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   Chapter 8          The Practical Significance of Statistical Results The Practical Significance of Statistical Results Comparisons with Personal and Organizational Standards Comparisons with Ideal Standards Comparisons with Curriculum Standards Comparisons Based on Rankings Comparisons Involving Tables of Norms Comparisons Involving Standard Scores             Effect Sizes Gain Scores An Example of How Determining the Practical Significance of Statistical Results Can  Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study               Chapter 9          Tests of Statistical Significance The Logic of Statistical Significance and Confidence Intervals             Inferential Statistics             Tests of Statistical Significance             Calculating Statistics Using Statistics to Improve Professional Practice An Example of How Tests of Statistical Significance Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study     Chapter 10        Descriptive Research The Relevance of Descriptive Research to Educational Practice Features of a Descriptive Research Report         Evaluating a Descriptive Research Study An Example of How Descriptive Research Can Help in Solving Problems of  Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study               Chapter 11        Group-Comparison Research Classification of Quantitative Research Designs          The Relevance of Group-Comparison Research to Educational Practice Examples of Group-Comparison Research           Features of a Causal-Comparative Research Report Evaluating a Causal-Comparison Research Study An Example of How Group-Comparison Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   Chapter 12        Correlational Research Comparison of Correlational and Group-Comparison Research Designs Examples of Correlational Research  Correlation between Two Variables  Multivariate Correlation  Features of a Correlational Research Report Discussion: Implications for Practice Evaluating a Correlational Research Study An Example of How Correlational Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   Chapter 13        Experimental Research The Relevance of Experimental Research to Educational Practice Characteristics of Experiments Examples of Experimental Research Features of a Report of a Pretest-Posttest Control-Group Experiment with Randomization Other Group-Experiment Designs Threats to the Internal Validity of Experiments Threats Directly Involving the Experimental Intervention Threats to the External Validity of Experiments Single-Case Experiments Features of a Report of a Single-Case Experiment Evaluating an Experimental Research Study An Example of How Experimental Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   PART IV: USING QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY TO STUDY             PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE   Chapter 14        Case Study Research Case Studies: Relevance to Educational Practice Key Characteristics of Case Studies Examples of Case Studies The Nature of Qualitative Research Features of a Case Study Report Applying Case Study Findings to Problems of Practice An Example of How Case Study Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   Chapter 15        Narrative Research Narrative Research: Relevance to Educational Practice Examples of Narrative Research in Education Features of a Narrative Research Report Evaluating a Narrative Research Study An Example of How Narrative Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   Chapter 16        Ethnographic and Critical Ethnographic Research The Use of Critical Ethnography to Study Problems of Practice in Education The Characteristics of Ethnographic Research Examples of Ethnographic Research Critical Research as a Field of Inquiry and Practice Foundations of Critical Research in Education Features of a Critical Ethnographic Research Report Evaluating Ethnographies and Critical Ethnographies An Example of How Ethnography and Critical Research Can Help in Solving Problems         of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study    Chapter 17        Historical Research   The Nature of Historical Research The Role of Historical Research in Education Methods of Historical Research Identifying Historical Sources Validating Historical Evidence Interpreting Historical Data Features of a Historical Research Report Evaluating Historical Research An Example of How Historical Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study    PART V: COMBINING QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGIES TO STUDY PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE         Chapter 18        Mixed-Methods Research The Need for Multiple Research Methods Types of Mixed-Methods Research Reading a Mixed-Methods Research Report Evaluating the Report of a Mixed-Methods Study An Example of How Mixed-Methods Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study    PART VI: USING OTHER METHODOLOGIES TO STUDY PROBLEMS OF PRACTICE   Chapter 19        Action Research The History of Action Research Using Action Research to Address Problems of Practice Examples of Action Research Studies Design Features of Action Research How Action Research Differs from Educators’ Other Approaches to             Problem Solving Purposes and Benefits of Action Research Applying Action Science to Action Research The Insider-Outsider Issue in Collaborative Action Research Evaluating the Credibility and Trustworthiness of Action Research An Example of How Action Research Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   Chapter 20        Evaluation Research The Use of Evaluation Research in Educational Decision-Making Examples of Evaluation Research Programs as a Focus of Evaluation Research Evaluation Research as a Political Activity Models of Evaluation Research How to Read an Evaluation Report Evaluating an Evaluation Research Study An Example of How Program Evaluations Can Help in Solving Problems of Practice Self-Check Test Chapter References Resources for Further Study   SELF-CHECK TEST ANSWERS     APPENDICES 1. Guide for Outlining a Quantitative  or Qualitative Research Proposal 2. Questions To Ask Yourself When Evaluating a Report of a Quantitative Study 3. Questions to Ask Yourself When Evaluating a Report of a Qualitative Study 4. Design-Specific Questions to Ask Yourself When Evaluating a Research Report