Research Methods in Education: An Introduction: International Edition

A classic in its field, Research Methods in Education explains the research process with emphasis on the formulation of a research question, referencing current literature in the field, using appropriate research designs, and writing and evaluating research reports. Both quantitative and qualitative research designs are described. Measurement, sampling, and statistics are presented as essential research tools.   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. It emphasizes the rationale for commonly used research procedures and their applications. The authors outline the nature of educational research and clearly define the steps in the research process.   The text is broad in scope–covering both quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research methodologies as well as describing how to write research proposals and reports of completed research. Research Methods in Education gives students a solid understanding of all the elements of research.

Table of Contents:
Preface               Acknowledgements     1.                  Educational Research:  Its Nature and Characteristics   Introduction   The Nature of Educational Research               The Systematic Process of Research             The Validity of Educational Research                         Internal Validity                         External Validity             The Reliability of Educational Research             Research Has a Variety of Forms Classification of Educational Research             Basic and Applied Research             Qualitative and Quantitative Research             General Methods of Research                         Experimental Research                         Quasi-Experimental Research                         Nonexperimental Quantitative Research                         Historical Research                         Ethnographic Research The Role of Theory The Activities of the Research Process             Identification of the Research Problem             Data Collection             Analysis             Summarizing Results and Drawing Conclusions Summary             The Function of Educational Research Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   2.                  Identification of a Research Problem Selection of a Research Problem Statement of the Research Problem             Constants, Variables, and Operational Definition                         Independent and Dependent Variables                         Other Possible Types of Variables                         Variables as They are Measured                         Operational Definition             Hypotheses and the Statement of the Problem             Types and Forms of Hypotheses                         Examples of Hypotheses Related to Problem Statements                         Examples From the Research Literature Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   3.                  The Review of the Literature The Activities of the Review of the Literature Sources of Information             The Library             Periodical Literature             Education Index             Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)             An Example Using CIJE and RIE             Other Indexes and Abstracts             Review of Educational Research (RER)             Reports of Meta-Analysis             Abstracts and Reports in Periodicals             Theses and Dissertations             Books Computer Searches of Databases             Conducting a Search Searching a Database for a Specific Research Problem — One             Descriptor Searching a Database for a Specific Research Problem — More than             One Descriptor Other Sources Available Through the Computer                         Selecting Studies for the Review of the Literature                         Assembling and Summarizing Information                                     Abstract or Summary                                     Organizing Information                         Interpreting and Using Information                                     Critical Review                                     Writing the Review                                     Referencing                                     Preparing the Bibliography                         Summary                         Key Concepts                         Exercises                         Notes                         References   4.                  Research Design in Quantitative Research The Purposes of Research Design The Concept of Controlling Variance             Procedures for Controlling Variance                         Randomization                         Building in Factors as Independent Variables                         Holding Factors Constant                         Statistical Control                         Using Procedures for Control in Combination Characteristics of Good Research Design             Freedom from Bias             Freedom from Confounding             Control of Extraneous Variables             Statistical Precision for Testing Hypotheses Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   5.                  Experimental Research The Meaning of Experimental Design             Experimental Variables             Use of the Term Subject Criteria for a Well-Designed Experiment             Experimental Validity             Threats to Experimental Validity Posttest-Only Control Group Design Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design Solomon Four-Group Design Factorial Designs Repeated Measures Designs Designs Extended in Time             Time Series Designs Interpreting Results of Experiments Randomness and Representativeness Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   6.                  Quasi-Experimental Research The Problems of Validity Posttest-Only, Nonequivalent Control Group Design Pretest-Posttest, Nonequivalent Control Group Design Time Series Designs             Single-Group Time Series Design             Multiple-Group Time Series Design             Variations in Time Series Designs Single-Subject Designs             A-B Design             A-B-A Design             A-B-A-B Design             Multiple-Baseline Designs                         Multiple-Baseline Design Across Behaviors                         Multiple-Baseline Design Across Subjects                         Multiple-Baseline Design Across Situations Action Research and Quasi-Experimental Research Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   7.                  Non-Experimental Quantitative Research Non-Experimental Quantitative Research: Its Scope and Description       Ex post facto Research                   Causal-Comparative Research Examples                   Correlational Research Examples       Survey Research Survey Designs       Longitudinal Designs       Cross-Sectional Designs The Methodology of Survey Research Questionnaire Surveys       Item Construction       Item Format                   Pilot Run of the Items       The Cover Letter       Questionnaire Format       Procedures for Increasing Response Rate                   Follow-up Procedures       Identifying Sources of Nonresponse       Incomplete and Possible Dishonest Response       Examples                   Community Surveys                   Client Surveys       Web-Based Surveys                   Factors to Consider When Conducting Web-Based Surveys       Interview Surveys                   Interview Items                   Conducting the Interview                   Potential Sources of Error                   Telephone Interviews                   A Comment About Branching Items       Other Surveys       Analyzing and Reporting Survey Results                   Hypothetical Example 1                   Hypothetical  Example 2       Summary       Key Concepts       Exercises       Notes       References 8.                  Research Design in Qualitative Research The Epistemology of Qualitative Research Components of Research Design             Working Design             Working Hypotheses             Data Collection             Data Analysis and Interpretation                         Possible Codes                         Coding Examples Types of Designs in Qualitative Research Perspectives for Qualitative Research             Example:  Funnel Approach             Example:  Modified Analytic Induction Approach Reliability and Validity of Qualitative Research Use of Technology in Qualitative Research             Capabilities of Computer Software in Qualitative Research Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   9.                  Historical Research The Value of Historical Research Sources of Information in Historical Research                         The Methodology of Historical Research                                                 Identification of the Research Problem                                     Collection and Evaluation of Source Materials                                                 External Criticism                                                 Internal Criticism                                     Synthesis of Information                                     Analysis, Interpretation, and Formulating                         Quantitative Methods in Historical Research                         Comments on the Reporting of Historical Research                                     Reports in Professional Journals                         Summary                         Key Concepts                         Exercises                                References   10.              Ethnographic Research The Nature of Ethnography in Education             The Phenomenological Nature             The Naturalistic Nature             The Holistic and General Perspective A Conceptual Schema for Ethnographic Research The Process of Ethnographic Research             Identification of the Phenomenon to be Studied             Identification of Subjects             Hypothesis Generation             Data Collection                         Observation                         Videotaping                         Interviewing                         Reviewing Other Sources                         Triangulation             Analysis                         Coding                         Use of Numbers             Drawing Conclusions Examples of Ethnographic Research in Education The Reliability and Validity of Ethnographic Research             Reliability             Validity The Role of Ethnographic Research Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   11.              Mixed, Modeling and Delphi Methods Mixed Methods             Summary Modeling Methods             Application of Modeling Methods                         Developing the Conceptual Model                         Model Specification                         Model Fitting           Summary Delphi Method             The Delphi Process                         Question Definition                         Delphi-Panel Creation                         First-Round Questionnaire: Initial Subject Consideration                         Subsequent-Round Questionnaires and the Analysis of                                     Responses             Variations of the Delphi             Examples of the Delphi             Considerations When Conducting a Delphi             Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   12.              Sampling Designs The Concept of a Random Sample             Random Selection and Random Assignment             Use of a Random Number Table             Use of the Computer in Sample Selection             Sampling Error and Sampling Bias Criteria for a Sampling Design Stratified Random Sampling             Allocation of Sample Size Among Strata Cluster Sampling Systematic Sampling             Possible Problem of Periodicity Considerations in Determining Sample Size–Random Sampling Purposeful Sampling             Comprehensive Sampling             Maximum Variation Sampling             Extreme Case Sampling             Typical Case Sampling             Homogeneous Sampling             Other Variations of Purposeful Sampling             Sample Size of Purposeful Samples Summary Key Concepts Notes References   13.              Measurement and Data Collection Concepts of Measurement             Types of Measurement Scales             Reliability of Measurement             Empirical Procedures for Estimating Reliability             Expected Reliability Coefficients for Various Types of Tests             Validity of Measurement                         Content-Related Evidence                         Criterion-Related Evidence: Concurrent and Predictive                         Construct-Related Evidence The Variables Measured in Educational Research Tests and Inventories Used for Measurement             Achievement Tests in Academic and Skills Areas             Attitude Inventories                         Likert Scale                         Semantic Differential             Aptitude Tests             Personality Measures             Rating Scales             Observation Systems Measures Involving Holistic Scoring Where to Find Test Information Scoring and Data Preparation             Coding Data               An Example of a Data File Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   14.              Data Analysis: Descriptive Statistics The Multiple Meanings of Statistics Distributions             Describing a Distribution of Scores                         Measures of Central Tendency                         Measures of Variability                         Shapes of Distributions             Standard Scores                         Properties of Standard Scores                         Determining Standard Scores Correlation — A Measure of Relationship             Uses of Correlation             Different correlation Coefficients Data Analysis by Computer Summary Key Concepts Exercises Note   15.              Data Analysis: Inferential Statistics Context for Using Inferential Statistics Testing Hypotheses and Estimating Parameters       Concept pf a Sampling Distribution       Building a Confidence Internal — The Example Continued       Possible Errors in Hypothesis Testing Inferences from Statistics to Parameters: A Reviews Parametric Analyses       The t-Distribution — Another Sampling Distribution       Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Nonparametric Analyses       The Chi-Square (χ2) Test and Distribution Correlational Analyses       Analysis of Covariance Selecting an Appropriate Statistical Analysis Comments About Statistical Analysis Meta-Analysis Summary Key Concepts Exercises Notes References   16.       Communicating About Research                         Major Sections of the Research Proposal                                     Identification of the Problem                                     Review of the Literature                                     Methods of Procedures                                     Significance of the Proposed Research                                     Other Sections of the Research Proposal                                                 Cover Page                                                 Abstract                                                 Budget                                                 Timeline                                                 Staff Resumes                                                 Appendices                         Major Sections of the Research Report                                     Introduction, Including the Statement of the Problem                                     Review of the Literature                                     Methods or Procedures                                     Results                                                 Use of Tables                                     Conclusions, Recommendations, and Implications                         Other Sections of the Research Report                                     Abstract                                     Bibliography and Reference List                                     Appendix                         Putting a Report Together                                     Software for Word Processing                         Guidelines for Presenting Papers at Meetings                         Presentations to Dissertation and Thesis Committees                         Summary                         Key Concepts                         Exercises                         Note                         References   16.              Evaluating Research Reports Types of Errors and Shortcomings in Reports Critiquing Major Sections of a Research Report             Introduction             Review of the Literature             Methods or Procedures             Results             Conclusions, Recommendations, and Implications Overall Impressions When Evaluating a Report The Review Process for Journals             Suggested Disposition The Evaluation of Proposals             Significance of the Proposed Research             Quality of the Proposed Research Summary Key Concepts Exercises References             Appendix 1:    Ethical and Legal Considerations in Conducting Research             Appendix 2:    Solutions to Exercises             Appendix 3:    Tables                         Table A.  Ordinates and Areas of the Normal Curve                         Table B.  Critical Values of t                         Table C.  Upper Percentage Points of the χ2 Distribution                         Table D.  Upper Percentage Points of the F-Distribution                         Table E.  Critical Values of the Correlation Coefficient             Glossary of Research Methods Terms             Name Index             Subject Index             Disk Instructions