Lesson 7 will consist of the following topics
For lesson 7, read pages 77-96 in Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application, Seventh Edition by L. R. Gay and Peter Airasian (2003, Merrill/Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-099463-4)
or read pages 70-90 in Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application, Eighth Edition by Lorrie Gay, Geoffrey Mills, and Peter Airasian (2006, Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-118534-9)
or read
pages 271-286 in Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating
Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 3rd Edition by
John W. Creswell (2008, Merrill/Prentice Hall, ISBN-13: 978-0-13-613550-0)
In this course we have already started the process for preparing a research proposal. let's review the steps we have already taken and add the remaining steps for preparing a research proposal. Our goal is to prepare a formal research proposal, however, we would go through the same 12 steps to prepare a research report or a thesis.
1. State the problem
It all starts with an idea we might have as to what kind of a problem we want to solve or what question we might want to answer. As professionals in education or in related fields our everyday practices constantly bring up questions we might want to answer. Is this new way for teaching reading superior to the traditional method? Is the time I spend drilling students on the addition and subtraction facts with flash cards an effective use of their time and of my time?
We can also come up with excellent topics for a research project by reading widely in the professional journals in our field and also by purusing introductory textbooks in our area of specialization.
2. State operational definitions for all variables
Once we have identified a research problem we will want to clearly state operational definitions for all variables. In some cases we might have to provide tentative operational definitions untill we have done an extensive review of the related literature. For example, I am interested in the variable locus of control, as expressed in three groups of students (1-students with learning disabilities, 2-gifted students, and 3-gifted students with learning disabilities). However I do not know what the best instrument will be for measuring this variable. In this case I will provide a tentative operational definition of locus of control and find a specific instrument to measure locus of control as I pursue the related literature.
3. Identify keywords for literature review
Before we begin our search for articles and other materials relevant to our research topic we have to generate the keywords we will use for our search. These keywords can include, in addition to the content of our research topic, words representing the variables in our research and the catagorical representation of the subjects we intend to use in our research (e.g. gifted students with learning disabilities - could use keywords gifted learning disabled).
4. conduct a search for relevant literature
With our keywords in hand we can begin to search a database (e.g. the ERIC data base or Psychological Abstracts) for articles and other materials relevant to our research topic. We will also want to use other resources such as the Encyclopedia of Educational Research and the Review of Educational Research.
5. Abstract and code each relevant article
As you read the relevent literature you will want to take notes and paraphrase what you have read, to include in your literature review. You will also want to get the complete APA style reference to each article you read. You can also mark your notes with some sort of a code so that you can retrieve the note by its code.
6. Make an outline and put article codes in the outline
Before you write your review of the literature it is a good idea to create an outline for your review and then enter your article codes in to the outline. This should put you in good shape to actually write your review.
7. Write the review of related literature
As you write your review of the related literature, using your notes and your outline to assist you, you should end up suggesting, implying, or in some way pointing toward your research hypothesis.
8. State the research hypothesis
It is now time to formally state your research hypothesis. Your research hypothesis should clearly state the relationship that you conclude exists between the variables, particularily the independent and dependent variables. You should also include a definition of each variable in operational, measurable terms.
9. Prepare the research plan or proposal
The next step is to actually prepare the formal research plan or proposal. A suggested outline for the plan will follow in the next section of this lesson. This is as far as you will need to go for this course. The target goal for this course is to prepare a formal research plan or proposal. You will eventually want to actually do the study you have proposed, so you must go on to the next step of the process.
10. Obtain permissions and complete form for IRB
You will need to get permission to conduct your study in the public or private schools. Your advisor can be of assistance to you in this, but either or both of you must contact the chief school administrator for permission to conduct research in the school. In most districts this would be the Superintendent of Schools, however in larger districts you might contact an Assistant Superintendent whose major role has to do with research and curriculum in the school system. With the top level blessing you will then be able to proceed to the building level and secure the permission of the building principal and of the teachers or other staff members who will be involved in or impacted by your research. Finally you will need to secure the permission of the subjects of your study themselves (if eighteen or older) or of the parents or legal guardians of students under the age of 18. This is a legal requirement imposed on anyone who does research.
Before you go about the process of getting permission or of conducting the research you must have your research proposal and the plan of your research approved by a committee set up at your college to make such approvals. This Institutional Research Board or Committee (IRB) has been established particularily to see that the laws regarding the use of human subjects in research are followed and that the researcher intends to practice generally ageed upon ethics for conducting research. You may wish to follow a code such as the Ethical Principles of Psychologists a summary of which can be found in the textbook for this course (See Gay & Airasian, 2000, Table 3.2 on pages 96-98).
The laws involved in research in the schools are the National Research Act of 1974 which provides for the protection of subjects and insures that no harm will come to the subjects that participate in your study, that you have informed consent from the subjects or from their parents to particpate in the study, and the subjects understand that they are free to drop out of the study at any time they wish to do so. This law also mandates the creation of a committe like the IRB to review your research proposal.
The second law that impinges on your research activities in the schools is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This law provides for the privacy of student records and prevents the school from releasing records with the student's name on it to a researcher (or other persons for that matter). If you are using information from student records in such a way that the individual student is not identified and thus his or her privacy is respected, you can genrally obtain the necessary information from the school record.
11. Conduct the study
With all of the above done, you are finally ready to conduct your research.
12. Prepare the final report
With your research conducted, you are ready to prepare the final report or thesis, that your research generated.
Your research proposal or plan will have the following format. Some of these items you have already completed. A more specific outline can be found in lesson 15 for this course. You will want to refer to the specifications found there before submitting the final proposal for your research plan, which is the final target activity for this course.
13. Title page
The specific contents of the title page will be laid out in lesson 15
14. Introduction
§
Statement of the problem
You have concerned yourself with the statement of the problem in lesson 3 of
this course
§
Review of related literature
You have already conducted your review of the relevant literature and written
it up in Lessons 4 and 5 of this course.
§
Statement of the hypothesis
You considered the statement of the hypothesis as part of lesson 6, but will
actually state your research hypothesis as part of the assignment for the
current lesson (lesson 7).
15. Method
§
Subjects
We will consider the selection and description of subjects for your study in
lesson 8.
§
Instruments
We will also consider the instruments to be used for your study in lesson 8.
§ Experimental design
§
Procedure
The experimental design and procedures for your quantitative study will be
considered in lessons 10 through 13 as we discuss each of the major types of
quantitative research
§ Descriptive Research - lesson 10
§ Correlational Research - lesson 11
§ Causal-Comparative Research - lesson 12
§ Experimental Research - lessons 13 and 14
16. Data analysis
As we consider each of the types of quantitative research in lessons 10-14 we will also look at data analysis considerations for each type of research.
17.
References
Click on Lesson 7 Assignment to go to the assignment for Lesson 7.
Click on Lesson 7 Quiz to go to the Quiz for Lesson 7.
Please send electronic mail to the course instructor if you have any questions about this lesson or other concerns.