Chapter 4 Suter Research Question Feasible Clear Significant

Chapter 4 Suter

Research Question • • Feasible Clear Significant Ethical

Research Question • Is it Feasible? • Can you actually carry it out given your resources? Poor: “The Campbell & Stanley Character education program will lead Quincy 3 rd graders to become good citizens by the time they are 18. ” “USA school superintendents of large districts will have different perceptions about character education than superintendents of small districts. ”

Research Question • Clear • Will others understand what you mean? Poor “The Campbell & Stanley Character education program will lead Quincy 3 rd graders to become good citizens by the time they are 18. ” “Middle school students who receive praise will have a higher selfesteem”

Research Question • Clear (continued) Operational definitions: Specify the actions that identify and measure a construct. Grades (defined by A, B, C…or percentages) Aggressiveness (defined by checklist) Once a term or construct has been operationally defined there is no ambiguity about how to define it or measure it. (Character, studying, citizenship, height, leadership)

Research Question • Significant • Will it add or contribute to the existing body of knowledge • Will the results have value to practitioners Poor: “Involving parents in children’s schooling will improve the children’s grades. ” “ 6 th grade boys who are bullied by older kids will have lower grades than boys who are not bullied. ”

Research Question • Ethical • Will it cause harm – bodily or psychological? • Will one group be deprived of something significant? • “ 4 th graders in Adams School who are made to wear “poor speller” signs for their poor spelling will become better spellers by the end of the year. ” • “ 5 th grade students who have regular gym class periods will have better grades than 5 th grade students who do not have gym class.

Research Question • A good research question: • The independent variable and the dependent variable will be easily identifiable • The (hypothesized) relationship between the IV and the DV will be evident. • 5 th grade students who participate in the after school reading program will improve their comprehension over the year as measured by the ISAT more than 5 th grade students who don’t participate.

Ethics • Protect the participants from harm – Bodily and psychological – Confidentiality – Informed Consent • State purpose • Withdraw anytime • Identify risks • Identify yourself and how to be contacted • Institutional Review Board – Human Subject Committee