RESEARCH METHODS IN EDUCATION COURSE CODE MAJB EDS312
RESEARCH METHODS IN EDUCATION COURSE CODE: MAJ/B. EDS-312 INSTRUCTOR: DR. GHAZALA NOUREEN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION(PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT) LAHORE COLLEGE FOR WOMEN UNIVERSITY, LAHORE. B. ED(HONS) SECONDARY SEMESTER VI SESSION(2017 -21) SPRING 2020
Unit. 2 Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
Learning outcomes § After this chapter students will be able to: § Describe the importance of developing a good research topic. § Identify a research topic. § Formulate and state a hypothesis.
WHAT IS RESEARCH PROBLEM Research problem is exactly a problem that someone would like to research. A problem can be anything that a person finds unsatisfactory or unsettling, a difficulty of some sort, a state of affairs that needs to be changed, anything that is not working as well as it might. Problems involve areas of concern to researchers, conditions they want to improve, difficulties they want to eliminate, questions for which they seek answers. The first step in selecting a research topic is to identify a general subject area that is related to your area of expertise and is of particular interest to you.
SOURCES OF RESEARCH PROBLEM Selecting a good topic is well worth the time and effort consuming The three main sources of research topics are theories, personal experiences, and library searches. For beginning researchers, selection of a problem is the most difficult step in the research process. Some graduate students spend many anxiety-ridden days and sleepless nights worrying about where they are going to find a problem to address in their theses or dissertations.
SOURCES OF RESEARCH PROBLEM What is theory A theory is an organized body of concepts, generalizations, and principles Educationally relevant theories, such as theories of learning and behavior, can provide the inspiration for many research problems. Personal experience Another common way to identify research topics is to examine some of the questions we commonly ask ourselves about education. Library Searches Another commonly cited source for a research topic is a library search. It includes Electronic Mailing Lists, social media, books , journal, encyclopedia ect
NARROWING THE TOPIC For most quantitative researchers and some qualitative researchers, the general topic area must be narrowed to a more specific, researchable one. A topic that is too broad can lead to grief. First, a broad topic enlarges the task of reviewing the related literature, likely resulting in many extra hours spent in the library. Second, broad topics complicate the organization of the literature review itself. Finally, and most important, a topic that is too broad tends to result in a study that is general, difficult to carry out, and difficult to interpret. Conversely, a well defined, manageable problem results in a well defined, manageable study. The appropriate time to narrow a topic differs for quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative research typically requires that the researcher spell out a specific and manageable topic at the start of the research process. Conversely, for most qualitative research, the researcher often enters the research setting with only a general topic in mind. Following observation over a period of time, the qualitative researcher formulates a narrower research topic.
COMPARISON OF BROAD AND NARROW RESEARCH TOPICS BOARD RESEARCH TOPIC NARROW RESEARCH TOPIC • HOW IS PASSING THROUGH PIAGET’S FOUR STAGES OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT RELATED TO SUCCESS AT COLLEGE? • WHAT FACTORS AFFECTS THE LENGTH OF TIME CHILDREN TAKE TO PASS FROM ONE PIAGETIAN STAGE TO THE NEXT? • HOW IS USE OF THE INTERNET BY ELEMENTARY-AGED CHILDREN RELATED TO SUCCESS AT COLLEGE? • HOW DOES PROVIDING COMPUTERS TO CHILDREN WHO HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY HAD ACCESS TO SUCH TECHNOLOGY AFFECT THEIR ACHIEVEMENT?
CHARACTERISTICS Of GOOD RESEARCH TOPIC • • Your topic is interesting. It will hold your interest throughout the entire research process. • Your topic is researchable. It can be investigated through the collection and analysis of data and is not stated as an effort to determine what should be done. • Your topic is significant. It contributes in some way to the improvement or understanding of educational theory or practice. • Your topic is ethical. It does not involve practices or strategies that may embarrass or harm participants. • Your topic is manageable. It fits your level of skill, available resources, and time restrictions.
STATING RESEARCH PROBLEM
STATING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PROBLEM • For a quantitative study, a well-written topic statement generally describes the variables of interest, the specific relations among those variables, and, ideally, important characteristics of the participants (e. g. , gifted students, fourth graders with learning disabilities, teenage mothers). An example of a problem statement is “The topic to be investigated in this study is the effect of positive reinforcement on the quality of 10 th graders’ English compositions. ” It is clear that the variables in this study are positive reinforcement and quality of English compositions, and the participants will be 10 th graders.
EXAMPLES OF QAUNTITATIVE RESEARCH TOPICS • “The topic to be investigated in this study is secondary teachers’ attitudes toward required after-school activities. ” • “The purpose of this study is to investigate the relation between school entrance age and reading comprehension skills of primary-level students. ” • “The problem to be studied is the effect of wearing required school uniforms on the self esteem of socioeconomically disadvantaged sixth-grade students. ”
STATING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TOPIC • Qualitative research topics often are stated in more general language than quantitative ones because in many cases, the qualitative researcher needs to spend time in the research context for the focus of the study to emerge. Remember, the qualitative researcher usually is much more attuned to the specifics of the context in which the study takes place than is the quantitative researcher. Qualitative topic statements eventually narrow as the researcher learns more about the research context and its inhabitants, and these more precise statements appear in the research report.
EXAMPLES OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TOPICS “The purpose of this study is to describe the nature of children’s engagement with mathematics. The intention is to gather details about children’s ways of entering into and sustaining their involvement with mathematics. ” “This qualitative study examines how members of an organization identify, evaluate, and respond to organizational change. The study examines the events that members of an organization identify as significant change events and whether different events are seen as significant by subgroups in the organization. ” “The purpose of this research is to study the social integration of children with disabilities in a general education third-grade class. ”
DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS Developing research questions breathes life into the research topic statements. To use a teaching analogy, it is like taking the aims of the lesson (the topic statement, broad statement of outcomes) and developing the instructional objectives for the lesson (the research questions, “bite-sized, ” narrow questions). These research questions will also validate that you have a workable way to proceed with your research.
WHY RESEARCH QUESTIONS There is a direct connection between the research question and the data collection strategies the researcher will use to answer the question. The research questions add another level of specificity to the development of the research and provide the researcher with an action plan for the development and identification of research instruments. Also provide guideline for selection data analysis techniques
EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS The topic to be investigated in this study is secondary teachers’ attitudes toward required after-school activities. ” Research questions: What are secondary teachers’ attitudes toward varsity athletics programs? What instructional strategies do secondary teachers use to accommodate studentathletes? How do these instructional strategies affect student achievement? “The purpose of this study is to investigate the relation between school entrance age and reading comprehension skills of primary-level students. ” Research question: What is the correlation between student entrance age at the beginning of primary school and their performance in reading comprehension at the end of first grade?
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD RESEARCH QUESTIONS The question is feasible (i. e. , it can be investigated without expending an undue amount of time, energy, or money). 2. The question is clear (i. e. , most people would agree as to what the key words in the question mean). 3. The question is significant (i. e. , it is worth investigating because it will contribute important knowledge about the human condition). 4. The question is ethical (i. e. , it will not involve physical or psychological harm or damage to human beings or to the natural or social environment of which they are a part).
FORMULATING AND STATING A HYPOTHESIS A hypothesis is a researcher’s prediction of the research findings, a statement of the researcher’s expectations about the relations among the variables in the research topic A hypothesis should be based on a sound rationale. It should derive from previous research or theory and its confirmation or disconfirmation should contribute to educational theory or practice. Therefore, a major characteristic of a good hypothesis is that it is consistent with theory or previous research. A good hypothesis provides a reasonable explanation for the predicted outcome. If your telephone is out of order, you may hypothesize that butterflies are sitting on your telephone wires, but such a hypothesis does not provide a reasonable explanation. More reasonable hypotheses are that you forgot to pay your bill or that a repair crew is working outside.
CONT • A GOOD HYPOTHESIS STATES AS CLEARLY AND CONCISELY AS POSSIBLE THE EXPECTED RELATION (OR DIFFERENCE) BETWEEN VARIABLES AND DEFINES THOSE VARIABLES IN OPERATIONAL, MEASURABLE TERMS. • A SIMPLY BUT CLEARLY STATED HYPOTHESIS MAKES THE RELATION EASIER FOR READERS TO UNDERSTAND, IS SIMPLER TO TEST, AND FACILITATES THE FORMULATION OF CONCLUSIONS. A RELATION BETWEEN VARIABLES MAY BE EXPRESSED AS A CORRELATIONAL OR A CAUSAL ONE.
CONT • A WELL-STATED AND WELL-DEFINED HYPOTHESIS MUST ALSO BE TESTABLE— AND IT WILL BE TESTABLE IF IT IS WELL FORMULATED AND STATED. • IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS BY COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TEST A HYPOTHESIS THAT SOME STUDENTS BEHAVE BETTER THAN OTHERS BECAUSE SOME HAVE AN INVISIBLE LITTLE ANGEL ON THEIR RIGHT SHOULDERS AND SOME HAVE AN INVISIBLE LITTLE DEVIL ON THEIR LEFT SHOULDERS; A RESEARCHER WOULD HAVE NO WAY TO COLLECT DATA TO SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS.
TYPES OF HYPOTHESIS
STATING THE HYPOTHESIS A GOOD HYPOTHESIS IS STATED CLEARLY AND CONCISELY, EXPRESSES THE RELATION OR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VARIABLES, AND DEFINES THOSE VARIABLES IN MEASURABLE TERMS. A GENERAL MODEL FOR STATING HYPOTHESES FOR EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES IS AS FOLLOWS: P WHO GET X DO BETTER ON Y THAN P WHO DO NOT GET X (OR GET SOME OTHER X) IN THE MODEL, P = THE PARTICIPANTS X THE TREATMENT, THE CAUSAL OR INDEPENDENT VARIABLE (IV) Y= THE STUDY OUTCOME, THE EFFECT OR DEPENDENT VARIABLE (DV)
CONT THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF 12 TH-GRADE MENTORS ON THE ABSENTEEISM OF LOW-ACHIEVING 10 TH GRADERS. IN THIS EXAMPLE, P = LOW-ACHIEVING 10 TH GRADERS X = PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF A 12 TH-GRADE MENTOR (IV) Y= ABSENTEEISM, MEASURED AS DAYS ABSENT OR, STATED POSITIVELY, DAYS PRESENT (DV) A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE MAY INDICATE THAT MENTORS ARE EFFECTIVE IN INFLUENCING YOUNGER STUDENTS. THEREFORE, THE DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS RESULTING FROM THIS TOPIC MAY READ, LOW-ACHIEVING 10 TH GRADERS (P) WHO HAVE A 12 THGRADE MENTOR (X) HAVE LESS ABSENTEEISM (Y) THAN LOW -ACHIEVING 10 TH GRADERS WHO DO NOT.
CONT AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, CONSIDER THIS TOPIC STATEMENT: THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION TECHNIQUES IN REDUCING THE AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS OF HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTING. FOR THIS TOPIC STATEMEN P = HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTING X = TYPE OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION—PUNISHMENT OR DISCUSSION (IV) Y= INSTANCES OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS (DV)
CONT • THE RELATED NONDIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS MAY READ, • FOR HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS IN AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTING, THE NUMBER OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE PUNISHMENT THAN FOR STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION APPROACHES TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION.
CONT THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TOKEN REINFORCEMENT, IN THE FORM OF FREE TIME GIVEN FOR THE COMPLETION OF PRACTICE WORKSHEETS, ON THE MATH COMPUTATION SKILLS OF NINTHGRADE GENERAL MATH STUDENTS. P = NINTH-GRADE GENERAL MATH STUDENTS X = TOKEN REINFORCEMENT IN THE FORM OF FREE TIME FOR COMPLETION OF PRACTICE WORKSHEETS Y= MATH COMPUTATION SKILLS THE DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESIS MAY BE NINTH-GRADE GENERAL MATH STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE TOKEN REINFORCEMENT IN THE FORM OF FREE TIME WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEIR PRACTICE WORKSHEETS HAVE HIGHER MATH COMPUTATION SKILLS THAN NINTH GRADE GENERAL MATH STUDENTS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE TOKEN REINFORCEMENT FOR COMPLETED WORKSHEETS.
CONT THE NULL HYPOTHESIS MAY TAKE THIS FORM: THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE ON Y (THE OUTCOME OF THE STUDY) BETWEEN P 1 (TREATMENT A) AND P 2 (TREATMENT B). P 1 (TREATMENT A) = FREE TIME P 2 (TREATMENT B) = NO FREE TIME SEE IF YOU CAN WRITE THE NULL HYPOTHESIS FOR THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM STATEMENT: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF FORMAL VERSUS INFORMAL PRESCHOOL READING INSTRUCTION ON CHILDREN’S READING COMPREHENSION AT THE END OF THE FIRST GRADE.
- Slides: 28