Table Of Contents:
Preface xv

PART ONE The Research Process

Educational Research: Its Nature and Characteristics 1(27)

Introduction 1(2)

The Nature of Educational Research 3(8)

The Empirical Nature of Research 3(1)

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 Paradigms 10(1)

Classification of Educational Research 11(8)

Basic and Applied Research 11(2)

Qualitative and Quantitative Research 13(2)

General Methods of Research 15(4)

The Role of Theory 19(2)

The Activities of the Research Process 21(4)

Identification of the Research Problem 23(1)

Data Collection 23(1)

Analysis 23(1)

Summarizing Results and Drawing Conclusions 24(1)

Summary 25(1)

Key Concepts 26(1)

Exercises 26(1)

Notes 27(1)

References 27(1)

Identification of a Research Problem 28(23)

Selection of a Research Problem 28(2)

Statement of the Research Problem 30(17)

Constants, Variables, and Operational Definition 33(4)

Hypotheses and the Statement of the Problem 37(1)

Types and Forms of Hypotheses 38(9)

Summary 47(1)

Key Concepts 48(1)

Exercises 49(1)

Notes 50(1)

References 50(1)

The Review of the Literature 51(25)

Conducting a Search of the Literature 51(2)

The Activities of the Review of the Literature 53(9)

Sources of Information 54(1)

The Library 55(1)

Periodical Literature 55(1)

Indexes and Abstracts 56(1)

ERIC 57(2)

Reports of Meta-Analysis 59(1)

Review of Educational Research (RER) 59(1)

Theses and Dissertations 60(1)

Books 61(1)

Computer Searches of Databases 62(2)

Conducting a Search 63(1)

Selecting Studies for the Review of the Literature 64(1)

Assembling and Summarizing Information 65(3)

Abstract or Summary 66(1)

Organizing Information 67(1)

Interpreting and Using Information 68(5)

Critical Review 68(1)

Writing the Review 69(2)

Referencing 71(1)

Preparing the Bibliography 72(1)

Summary 73(1)

Key Concepts 73(1)

Exercises 74(1)

Notes 75(1)

References 75(1)

Communicating About Research 76(27)

Major Sections of the Research Proposal 77(8)

Identification of the Problem 78(2)

Review of the Literature 80(1)

Methods or Procedures 80(3)

Significance of the Proposed Research 83(1)

Other Sections of the Research Proposal 84(1)

Major Sections of the Research Report 85(8)

Introduction, Including the Statement of the Problem 86(1)

Review of the Literature 87(1)

Methods or Procedures 88(1)

Results 89(2)

Conclusions, Recommendations, and Implications 91(2)

Other Sections of the Research Report 93(2)

Abstract 93(1)

Bibliography and Reference List 94(1)

Appendix 95(1)

Putting a Report Together 95(1)

Guidelines for Presenting Papers at Meetings 96(2)

Presentations to Dissertation and Thesis Committees 98(2)

Summary 100(1)

Key Concepts 100(1)

Exercises 101(1)

References 102(1)

Evaluating Research Reports 103(15)

Types of Errors and Shortcomings in Reports 103(1)

Critiquing Major Sections of a Research Report 104(4)

Introduction 105(1)

Review of the Literature 105(1)

Methods or Procedures 106(1)

Results 107(1)

Conclusions, Recommendations, and Implications 107(1)

Overall Impressions When Evaluating a Report 108(1)

The Review Process for Journals 109(4)

Suggested Disposition 109(1)

Standards for Publications 110(3)

The Evaluation of Proposals 113(2)

Summary 115(1)

Key Concepts 116(1)

Exercises 116(1)

Notes 117(1)

References 117(1)

PART TWO Research Designs

Research Design in Quantitative Research 118(16)

The Purposes of Research Design 119(1)

The Concept of Controlling Variance 119(9)

Procedures for Controlling Variance 120(8)

Characteristics of Good Research Design 128(2)

Freedom from Bias 129(1)

Freedom from Confounding 129(1)

Control of Extraneous Variables 129(1)

Statistical Precision for Testing Hypotheses 130(1)

Summary 130(1)

Key Concepts 131(1)

Exercises 131(2)

Notes 133(1)

References 133(1)

Experimental Research 134(31)

The Meaning of Experimental Design 134(3)

Experimental Variables 136(1)

Use of the Term Subject 137(1)

Criteria for a Well-Designed Experiment 137(7)

Experimental Validity 139(1)

Threats to Experimental Validity 140(4)

Posttest-Only Control Group Design 144(2)

Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design 146(3)

Solomon Four-Group Design 149(2)

Factorial Designs 151(3)

Repeated Measures Designs 154(2)

Time Series Designs 155(1)

Interpreting Results of Experiments 156(3)

Randomness and Representativeness 159(1)

Summary 160(1)

Key Concepts 160(1)

Exercises 161(3)

Notes 164(1)

References 164(1)

Quasi-Experimental Research 165(24)

The Problems of Validity 165(1)

Posttest-Only, Nonequivalent Control Group Design 166(3)

Pretest-Posttest, Nonequivalent Control Group Design 169(3)

Time Series Designs 172(5)

Single-Group Time Series Design 172(3)

Multiple-Group Time Series Design 175(2)

Variations in Time Series Designs 177(1)

Single-Subject Designs 177(6)

A-B Design 178(3)

A-B-A Design 181(2)

Action Research and Quasi-Experimental Research 183(2)

Summary 185(1)

Key Concepts 186(1)

Exercises 186(2)

References 188(1)

Nonexperimental Quantitative Research 189(43)

Nonexperimental Quantitative Research: Its Scope and Description 189(5)

Ex Post Facto Research 190(3)

Survey Research 193(1)

Survey Designs 194(4)

Longitudinal Designs 194(2)

Cross-Sectional Designs 196(2)

The Methodology of Survey Research 198(2)

Questionnaire Surveys 200(20)

Item Construction 202(1)

Item Format 203(3)

The Cover Letter 206(3)

Questionnaire Format 209(1)

Procedures for Increasing Response Rate 209(3)

Identifying Sources of Nonresponse 212(1)

Incomplete and Possibly Dishonest Responses 213(2)

Web-Based Surveys 215(5)

Interview Surveys 220(5)

Interview Items 220(2)

Conducting the Interview 222(1)

Potential Sources of Error 223(1)

Telephone Interviews 224(1)

Summary 225(2)

Key Concepts 227(1)

Exercises 227(2)

Notes 229(1)

References 230(2)

Research Design in Qualitative Research 232(22)

The Epistemology of Qualitative Research 232(2)

Components of Research Design 234(7)

Working Design 234(1)

Working Hypotheses 235(1)

Data Collection 236(1)

Data Analysis and Interpretation 237(1)

Coding 238(3)

Writing Up Results---Thick Description 241(1)

Types of Designs in Qualitative Research 241(2)

Perspectives for Qualitative Research 243(3)

Reliability and Validity of Qualitative Research 246(2)

Use of Technology in Qualitative Research 248(2)

Capabilities of Computer Software in Qualitative Research 249(1)

Computer Software in Qualitative Research 250(1)

Summary 250(1)

Key Concepts 251(1)

Exercises 251(2)

Notes 253(1)

References 253(1)

Historical Research 254(19)

The Value of Historical Research 255(2)

Sources of Information in Historical Research 257(1)

The Methodology of Historical Research 257(9)

Identification of the Research Problem 258(4)

Collection and Evaluation of Source Materials 262(1)

Synthesis of Information 263(1)

Analysis, Interpretation, and Formulating Conclusions 264(2)

Quantitative Methods in Historical Research 266(1)

Comments on the Reporting of Historical Research 267(3)

Reports in Professional Journals 268(2)

Summary 270(1)

Key Concepts 271(1)

Exercises 271(1)

References 272(1)

Ethnographic Research 273(33)

The Nature of Ethnography in Education 273(3)

The Phenomenological Nature 274(1)

The Naturalistic Nature 275(1)

The Holistic and General Perspective 276(1)

A Conceptual Schema for Ethnographic Research 276(4)

The Process of Ethnographic Research 280(13)

Identification of the Phenomenon to Be Studied 280(2)

Identification of Subjects 282(1)

Hypothesis Generation 283(1)

Data Collection 283(6)

Analysis 289(3)

Drawing Conclusions 292(1)

Examples of Ethnographic Research in Education 293(3)

The Reliability and Validity of Ethnographic Research 296(4)

Reliability 296(2)

Validity 298(2)

The Role of Ethnographic Research 300(2)

Summary 302(1)

Key Concepts 303(1)

Exercises 303(2)

Notes 305(1)

References 305(1)

Mixed, Modeling, and Delphi Methods 306(19)

Mixed Methods 306(3)

A Mixed Methods Example: Quasi-Experiment and Survey 307(1)

Advantages of Mixed Methods 308(1)

Modeling Methods 309(4)

The Steps in Modeling 310(1)

A Modeling Example 311(2)

Modeling Summary 313(1)

Delphi Methods 313(8)

The Delphi Process 314(5)

Variations of the Delphi 319(1)

A Delphi Example 319(1)

Considerations When Conducting a Delphi Study 320(1)

Summary 321(1)

Key Concepts 322(1)

Exercises 322(1)

Notes 323(1)

References 323(2)

PART THREE Research Tools

Sampling Designs 325(27)

The Concept of a Random Sample 325(7)

Random Selection and Random Assignment 326(1)

Use of a Random Number Table 327(2)

Use of the Computer in Sample Selection 329(1)

Sampling Error and Sampling Bias 330(2)

Criteria for a Sampling Design 332(1)

Stratified Random Sampling 333(2)

Allocation of Sample Size Among Strata 333(2)

Cluster Sampling 335(2)

Systematic Sampling 337(2)

Possible Problem of Periodicity 337(2)

Considerations in Determining Sample Size---Random Sampling 339(3)

Purposeful Sampling 342(5)

Comprehensive Sampling 343(1)

Maximum Variation Sampling 343(1)

Extreme Case Sampling 344(1)

Typical Case Sampling 345(1)

Homogeneous Sampling 345(1)

Other Variations of Purposeful Sampling 345(2)

Sample Size of Purposeful Samples 347(1)

Summary 347(2)

Key Concepts 349(1)

Exercises 349(1)

Notes 350(1)

References 351(1)

Measurement and Data Collection 352(29)

Concepts of Measurement 353(7)

Types of Measurement Scales 353(1)

Reliability of Measurement 354(1)

Empirical Procedures for Estimating Reliability 355(1)

Expected Reliability Coefficients for Various Types of Tests 356(1)

Validity of Measurement 356(4)

The Variables Measured in Educational Research 360(1)

Tests and Inventories Used for Measurement 360(14)

Achievement Tests in Academic and Skills Areas 360(2)

Attitude Inventories 362(5)

Aptitude Tests 367(1)

Rating Scales 368(2)

Observation Systems 370(4)

Where to Find Test Information 374(1)

Scoring and Data Preparation 374(3)

Coding Data 375(1)

An Example of a Data File 376(1)

Summary 377(1)

Key Concepts 378(1)

Exercises 378(1)

Notes 379(1)

References 380(1)

Data Analysis: Descriptive Statistics 381(23)

The Multiple Meanings of Statistics 381(1)

Distributions 382(7)

Describing a Distribution of Scores 383(4)

Standard Scores 387(2)

Correlation: A Measure of Relationship 389(6)

Uses of Correlation 392(1)

Different Correlation Coefficients 393(2)

Data Analysis by Computer 395(5)

Summary 400(1)

Key Concepts 401(1)

Exercises 402(1)

Notes 403(1)

Data Analysis: Inferential Statistics 404(32)

Context for Using Inferential Statistics 404(1)

Testing Hypotheses and Estimating Parameters 405(6)

Hypothesis Testing and Sampling Distributions 406(3)

Building a Confidence Interval: The Example Continued 409(1)

Possible Errors in Hypothesis Testing 410(1)

Inferences from Statistics to Parameters: A Review 411(2)

Parametric Analyses 413(7)

The t-Distribution: Another Sampling Distribution 413(3)

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 416(4)

Nonparametric Analyses 420(3)

The Chi-Square (x2) Test and Distribution 420(3)

Correlational Analysis 423(2)

Analysis of Covariance 425(1)

Selecting an Appropriate Statistical Analysis 425(3)

Comments About Statistical Analysis 428(1)

Meta-Analysis 429(2)

Summary 431(1)

Key Concepts 432(1)

Exercises 432(3)

Notes 435(1)

References 435(1)

Appendix 1 Ethical and Legal Considerations in Conducting Research 436(4)

Participant Consent 437(1)

Ethical Guidelines 438(2)

Appendix 2 Solutions to Exercises 440(23)

Appendix 3 Tables 463(12)

Table A Ordinates and Areas of the Normal Curve 464(2)

Table B Critical Values of t 466(1)

Table C Upper Percentage Points of the x2 Distribution 467(1)

Table D Upper Percentage Points of the F-Distribution 468(6)

Table E Critical Values of the Correlation Coefficient 474(1)
Glossary of Research Methods Terms 475(6)
Name Index 481(2)
Subject Index 483(9)
Disk Instructions 492