EDPS 677: Research Techniques 2003

CREDITS: 2 semester hours

PREREQUISITES: None.

EMU PROGRAM THEME

Inquiry, advocacy, and leadership in education for a diverse and democratic society.

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

Basic concepts, procedures, and language of research; facets of research, i.e., problem formulation, research design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation; critical appraisal of published research

PURPOSE/RATIONALE

This basic foundation course is required of graduate students at the Master's degree level for many curricula in the College of Education. The emphasis is on consumership of research rather than its production. The course places major emphasis on the processes of empirical research, locating research articles and evaluating research articles. The course aims to develop educators who are committed to their ongoing professional growth and to explore research in areas related to issues in our culturally diverse society. Because students will become familiar with research processes and findings in their respective areas of interest, students are encouraged to elect this course early in their programs of study. The course has no prerequisites. Therefore, the majority of students enrolling in this course do not have a background in research methodology or statistics. The course presents and explains the role of statistical concepts and the uses of statistics.

OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES

The course objectives and goals are the students will:

(1) understand the basic terminology of educational research

(2) understand the major steps and procedures for conducting research and

reporting results

(3) distinguish among different methods of research

(4) conduct database searches, using ERIC, Psych Lit, Internet or other

sources to locate published research studies of interest to them

(5) evaluate published research studies, create proposals for future studies,

or report the analysis of data from their research studies.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. General nature of research

a. Sources of knowledge, scientific method, and theories

b. Basic versesus applied research, qualitative versus quantitative research

c. Classification of research by method and purpose-general overview

d. Organization of research studies

e. Language of research : Concepts, constructs, definitions of variables, and types of hypotheses

2. Selection and statement of the problem.
3. Review of literature and use of library resources, such as ERIC and other data bases.

a. Using the Internet to retrieve information

b. Bibliographic citation using the APA style manual

c. Organization of the related literature

4. Research designs: Pre-experimental, quasi-experimental and true experimental, causal-comparative, descriptive-survey and correlational, historical and qualitative research.
5. Hypothesis formulation, characteristics, logic and testability. Classification of hypotheses-null, directional, and nondirectional
6. Definition and purpose of sampling. Sampling procedures and sampling errors.
7. Criteria for selecting tests and measurement instruments: achievement, personality, aptitude, and questionnaires. Writing questionnaire items. Types of validity and reliability.
8. Purposes of descriptive and inferential statistics. Data analysis. Concepts underlying hypothesis testing. Interpretation of results.
9. Issues of research internal and external validity and their effects.
10. Critical evaluation of articles with an emphasis on studies related to issues affecting our diverse society. Writing research reports.

SUGGESTED TEXTS AND READINGS

American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: APA.

Charles, C., & Mertler, C. (2002). Introduction to educational research (4^th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2003). How to design and evaluate research in education (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Gay, L. R. (2000). Educational research: Competencies for analysis and application (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Trochim, W., (2001). The research methods knowledge base. Cincinnati, OH: Atomic Dog Publishing.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

Instructional procedures range from lecture-discussion, group presentations and cooperative work groups, homework assignment discussion, discussion of assigned articles and student-selected research articles, and data analysis using microcomputer packages and problem solving.

ASSESSMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS

Students are evaluated through bibliographic citations of research studies chosen in an area of interest, examinations, preparing summaries and critiques of articles, completed homework assignments, instructor-created assignments, critical evaluation of a research study or a written research proposal, group presentations dealing with research in chosen areas, and students reporting the results from their research studies.

KNOWLEDGE BASE: BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., & Razavieh, A. (1996). Introduction to research in education (5th ed.). New York: Harcourt Brace.

Best, J. W., & Kahn, J. V. (1993). Research in education (7th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Gall, M. D., Borg, W. R., & Gall, J. P. (1996). Educational research : An introduction (6th ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Leedy, P. D. (1997). Practical research: Planning and design (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall.

McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (1997). Research in education: A conceptual introduction (4th ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Patten, M. (2000). Understanding research methods. (2^nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.

Pyrczak, F. (1999). Evaluating research in academic journals: A practical guide to realistic

evaluation. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.

Wiersma, W. (1995). Research methods in education: An introduction (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.