| Preface |
|
xi | |
| Acknowledgments |
|
xvi | |
| About the Author |
|
xviii | |
|
PART I INITIAL RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS |
|
|
|
1 What Is Educational Research? |
|
|
2 | (19) |
|
Finding Answers to Questions |
|
|
2 | (2) |
|
|
|
4 | (1) |
|
Educational Research---What It Is and What It Is Not |
|
|
5 | (4) |
|
Educational Research as a Process |
|
|
9 | (8) |
|
Knowing Your Specific Discipline |
|
|
17 | (1) |
|
|
|
17 | (1) |
|
|
|
18 | (1) |
|
|
|
19 | (2) |
|
2 Overview of the Educational Research Process |
|
|
21 | (12) |
|
Identifying and Limiting a Research Topic or Problem |
|
|
22 | (1) |
|
Formally Stating and Refining Research Question(s) |
|
|
23 | (1) |
|
Reviewing Existing Literature Related to the Problem |
|
|
24 | (1) |
|
Writing a Literature Review |
|
|
24 | (1) |
|
Developing a Research Plan |
|
|
24 | (1) |
|
Implementing the Research Plan and Collecting Data |
|
|
25 | (1) |
|
|
|
26 | (1) |
|
Stating Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations in a Written Research Report |
|
|
27 | (1) |
|
The Educational Research Process---A Brief Example |
|
|
28 | (3) |
|
|
|
31 | (1) |
|
|
|
31 | (2) |
|
3 Identifying a Research Problem |
|
|
33 | (19) |
|
Identifying a Research Topic or Problem |
|
|
33 | (6) |
|
Preliminary Considerations in Selecting Topics |
|
|
34 | (2) |
|
|
|
36 | (1) |
|
Sample Educational Research Topics |
|
|
36 | (3) |
|
Necessary Terminology Related to Research |
|
|
39 | (6) |
|
Research Questions and Hypotheses |
|
|
45 | (5) |
|
|
|
50 | (1) |
|
|
|
50 | (2) |
|
4 Ethics in Educational Research |
|
|
52 | (13) |
|
Ethical Considerations in the Conduct of Research |
|
|
52 | (4) |
|
Ethics in Qualitative Versus Quantitative Studies |
|
|
56 | (2) |
|
Institutional Review Boards |
|
|
58 | (2) |
|
Formal Preparation for Research With Human Participants |
|
|
60 | (2) |
|
|
|
62 | (1) |
|
|
|
63 | (2) |
|
5 Reviewing Related Research Literature |
|
|
65 | (23) |
|
What Is a Literature Review? |
|
|
65 | (3) |
|
Sources for Literature Related to Your Research Topic |
|
|
68 | (3) |
|
Searching the ERIC Online Database |
|
|
71 | (5) |
|
Searching the Google Scholar Online Database |
|
|
76 | (4) |
|
Writing Your Literature Review |
|
|
80 | (4) |
|
Not Just for Conducting Research---Valuable Sources for Professional Development |
|
|
84 | (1) |
|
|
|
85 | (1) |
|
|
|
85 | (3) |
|
PART II DESIGNING A RESEARCH STUDY |
|
|
|
6 Qualitative Research Methods |
|
|
88 | (19) |
|
Characteristics of Qualitative Research |
|
|
88 | (2) |
|
The Qualitative Research Process |
|
|
90 | (1) |
|
Approaches to Conducting Qualitative Research |
|
|
91 | (5) |
|
|
|
92 | (1) |
|
|
|
92 | (1) |
|
|
|
93 | (1) |
|
|
|
93 | (1) |
|
Phenomenological Research |
|
|
94 | (1) |
|
|
|
95 | (1) |
|
More About Ethnographic Research |
|
|
96 | (5) |
|
Topics and Procedures in Ethnographic Research |
|
|
98 | (1) |
|
Strengths and Concerns in Ethnographic Research |
|
|
98 | (3) |
|
More About Narrative Research |
|
|
101 | (3) |
|
Procedures in Narrative Research |
|
|
102 | (1) |
|
Strengths and Concerns in Narrative Research |
|
|
103 | (1) |
|
|
|
104 | (1) |
|
|
|
104 | (3) |
|
7 Quantitative Research Methods |
|
|
107 | (37) |
|
Characteristics of Quantitative Research |
|
|
107 | (2) |
|
The Quantitative Research Process |
|
|
109 | (1) |
|
Approaches to Conducting Quantitative Research |
|
|
110 | (28) |
|
Nonexperimental Research Designs |
|
|
111 | (15) |
|
Experimental Research Designs |
|
|
126 | (12) |
|
Threats to Validity in Quantitative Designs |
|
|
138 | (2) |
|
|
|
140 | (1) |
|
|
|
141 | (3) |
|
|
|
144 | (17) |
|
Characteristics of Mixed-Methods Research |
|
|
144 | (3) |
|
The Mixed-Methods Research Process |
|
|
147 | (2) |
|
Approaches to Conducting Mixed-Methods Research |
|
|
149 | (7) |
|
Mixed-Methods Research Designs |
|
|
150 | (6) |
|
Validity in Mixed-Methods Research |
|
|
156 | (1) |
|
Strengths and Limitations of Mixed-Methods Research |
|
|
157 | (1) |
|
|
|
158 | (1) |
|
|
|
158 | (3) |
|
|
|
161 | (18) |
|
Characteristics of Action Research |
|
|
161 | (5) |
|
Approaches to Conducting Action Research |
|
|
165 | (1) |
|
The Action Research Process |
|
|
166 | (4) |
|
Action Planning and Reflection |
|
|
170 | (2) |
|
Validity in Action Research |
|
|
172 | (3) |
|
Strengths and Limitations of Action Research |
|
|
175 | (1) |
|
|
|
176 | (1) |
|
|
|
177 | (2) |
|
10 Writing a Research Proposal |
|
|
179 | (17) |
|
Purpose of a Research Proposal |
|
|
179 | (2) |
|
General Aspects of a Research Proposal |
|
|
181 | (1) |
|
Components of a Quantitative Research Proposal |
|
|
182 | (6) |
|
Components of a Qualitative Research Proposal |
|
|
188 | (4) |
|
|
|
192 | (1) |
|
|
|
192 | (4) |
|
PART III COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA |
|
|
|
11 Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis |
|
|
196 | (26) |
|
Sampling Techniques in Qualitative Research |
|
|
196 | (2) |
|
Qualitative Data Collection Techniques |
|
|
198 | (11) |
|
|
|
200 | (2) |
|
|
|
202 | (6) |
|
|
|
208 | (1) |
|
Existing Documents and Records |
|
|
209 | (1) |
|
Characteristics of Qualitative Data: Accuracy, Credibility, and Dependability |
|
|
209 | (3) |
|
Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques |
|
|
212 | (7) |
|
|
|
213 | (6) |
|
|
|
219 | (1) |
|
|
|
219 | (3) |
|
12 Quantitative Data Collection |
|
|
222 | (39) |
|
Sampling Techniques in Quantitative Research |
|
|
222 | (11) |
|
Probability Sampling Techniques |
|
|
224 | (6) |
|
Nonprobability Sampling Techniques |
|
|
230 | (2) |
|
Sample Sizes in Quantitative Studies |
|
|
232 | (1) |
|
|
|
233 | (3) |
|
Quantitative Data Collection Techniques |
|
|
236 | (16) |
|
Surveys, Checklists, and Rating Scales |
|
|
237 | (11) |
|
Formative and Summative Classroom Assessments |
|
|
248 | (2) |
|
|
|
250 | (2) |
|
Characteristics of Quantitative Data: Validity and Reliability |
|
|
252 | (6) |
|
Validity in Quantitative Research |
|
|
252 | (2) |
|
Reliability in Quantitative Research |
|
|
254 | (3) |
|
Relationship Between Validity and Reliability |
|
|
257 | (1) |
|
|
|
258 | (1) |
|
|
|
258 | (3) |
|
13 Quantitative Data Analysis |
|
|
261 | (47) |
|
Quantitative Data Analysis Techniques |
|
|
261 | (43) |
|
Preparing Data for Analysis |
|
|
263 | (3) |
|
Selecting a Statistical Analysis Software Program |
|
|
266 | (4) |
|
Descriptive Statistical Analysis |
|
|
270 | (19) |
|
Inferential Statistical Analysis |
|
|
289 | (14) |
|
Cautions in Using Statistics |
|
|
303 | (1) |
|
|
|
304 | (1) |
|
|
|
304 | (4) |
|
PART IV THE RESEARCH REPORT |
|
|
|
14 Writing a Final Research Report |
|
|
308 | (21) |
|
Importance of the Audience |
|
|
308 | (1) |
|
General Guidelines for Writing a Research Report |
|
|
309 | (15) |
|
|
|
310 | (1) |
|
Conventions of Academic-Style Writing |
|
|
311 | (4) |
|
|
|
315 | (9) |
|
Practical Guidelines for Writing |
|
|
324 | (2) |
|
An Example of a Research Report |
|
|
326 | (1) |
|
|
|
326 | (1) |
|
|
|
327 | (2) |
| Appendix: Teachers' Perceptions of the Influence of No Child Left Behind on Classroom Practices |
|
329 | (21) |
| Glossary |
|
350 | (16) |
| References |
|
366 | (2) |
| Index |
|
368 | |
