Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
28 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.1 Identify four sources of research topics and describe a research topic derived from each. |
Four main sources of topics
1. Theory – an organized body of concepts, generalizations and principles that can be subjected to investigation. Provides conceptually rich topics. Provides confirmation of some aspects of theory. 2. Personal experience 3. Previous studies that can be replication 4. Library searches |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.2 Explain the importance of handbooks, encyclopedias, yearbooks, and reviews when identifying a research topic. |
Read secondary sources that provide overviews of your topic
Handbooks Encyclopedias Reviews |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.3 Identify three problems related to a research topic that is too broad. |
Enlarges the scope of the review of the literature beyond reason
Complicates the organization of the review of the literature itself Creates studies that are too general, too difficult to carry out, and too difficult to interpret |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.4 Identify two good strategies for narrowing a research topic and discuss the differences between the narrowing process for quantitative and qualitative studies. |
1. Talk to experts in the field
Professors in your college or department Researchers you know 2. Read secondary sources that provide overviews of your topic: Handbooks, Encyclopedias and Reviews |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.5 List four characteristics of good research topics. |
1. A good problem has theoretical or practical signigicance,
2. Solution contributes in some way to improving the educational process. 3. A good topic must be a topic that can be adequately investigated given your (1) current level of research skill, (2) available resources, and (3) time and other restrictions. 4. A good topic is one that is ethical, that is, a study that does not harm participants in any way. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.6 Differentiate researchable topics from non-researchable topics. |
A basic characteristic of a research problem is that it is researchable using the collection and analysis of data. Topics related to philosopcial and ethical issues (should questions) are not researchable.
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.7 Identify three components of a well written quantitative topic statement. |
The formal statement of a quantitative research topic…
(1) identifies the variables of interest.(2) describes the specific relationship between the variables. (3) identifies the nature of the participants. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.8.1 Describe the unique characteristics of the statement of a quantitative research topic and the statement of a qualitative research topic. |
In quantitative research a good hypothesis has the following characteristics:
1) it is based on sound reasonging that is consistent with theory or previours research. 2) It provides a resonable explanation for the predicted outcome. 3) It clearly states the expected relationship between defined variables. 4) It is testable within a reasonable time frame. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.8.2 Describe the unique characteristics of the statement of a qualitative research topic. |
The formal statement of a qualitative research topic…
(1) emerges over the course of the study. (2)begins as an initial statement that tends to be stated as a general issue or concern. (3) becomes focused as more is learned about the context, participants, and phenomena of interest. (4) is typically stated late in a written study. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
1.9 Explain why the topic of a study should be stated in the introduction of a research plan or report. |
The topic statement is the first item in the introductory section of a research plan and report and provides direction for the remaining aspects of both. A researcher typically develops a tentative hypotheses that guides the process of reviewing literature.
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
2.1 Define the term "literature review." |
The review of the literature involves the systematic identification, location, and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem.
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
2.2 Describe the functions of a literature review. |
Determine what has been done already
Provide insight necessary to develop a logical framework into which the topic fits Provides the rationale for the hypotheses being investigated and the justification of the significance of the study Identifies potentially useful methodological strategies Facilitates the interpretation of the results Provide insight necessary to develop a logical framework into which the topic fits Provides the rationale for the hypotheses being investigated and the justification of the significance of the study Identifies potentially useful methodological strategies Facilitates the interpretation of the results |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
2.3 Explain why the scope of some literature reviews is narrow while in others it is quite broad. |
General recommendations for the scope of the review
(1) Bigger does not mean better: Heavily researched topics provide enough references to focus only on the major studies (2) Lesser researched topics require reviewing any study related in some meaningful way even if this means searching related fields |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
3.1 Describe two different perspectives on the role of the literature review in a qualitative study, and identify four advantages related to conducting it in a manner similar to that of a quantitative study. |
(1) Some have argued that reviewing the literature curtails inductive analysis-and should be avoided at the early stages of the research process. (2) Others suggest that the review of related literature is important early in the qualitiative research process because:
a) it demonstrates the underlying assumptions behind the research questions are central to the research process. b) provides a way for the researcher to convince the proposal reviewers that they are knowledgeable about the related research c) provides an opportunity to identify any gaps that may exist in the body of literature and to provide a rationale for how the proposed study may contribute to the existing body of knowledge d) helps the researcher to refine the research questions and embed them in guiding hypotheses that provide posssible directions. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
4.1 Outline seven steps to abstract information obtained in a literature review. |
1. Read the article abstract
2. Skim the entire article 3. Record complete bibliographic information 4. Classify and code the article 5. Summarize the article 6. Identify thoughts about the article you believe important 7. Indicate direct quotes properly |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
4.2 Describe six steps involved in analyzing, organizing, and reporting a review of the literature. |
1. Make an outline
2. Analyse each reference in terms of your outline 3. Anlyze the references under each subheading for similarities and differences. 4. Give a meaningful overview of past research. 5. Discuss the references least related to your problem first and those most related to your problem just prior to the statement of the hypothesis. 6. Conclude the review with a brief summary of the literature and its implications. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
4.3 Define the term meta-analysis, describe the process for conducting a meta-analysis, and identify two criticisms of this process. |
A statistical approach to summarizing the results of many studies that have investigated the same problem
Two unique characteristics (1) The review is as inclusive as possible (2)The results of each study are translated into a statistic called an effect size (ES) Essentially the difference between the means for the experimental and control groups in control group standard deviation units The average of all effect sizes for all of the studies summarizes the overall effect of the studies Effect size indices generally range from 0.00 to slightly more than 1.00 |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
4.4 Interpret reported effect sizes using the criteria stated in this section of the chapter. |
Interpreting effect sizes
There is no single standard by which effect sizes are interpreted The authors suggest the following criteria: If the effect size is less than 0.30 it is considered small. If the effect size is greater than 0.30 and less than 0.70 it is considered moderate. If the effect size is greater than 0.70 it is considered large. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.1 Describe the use of a research hypothesis in a quantitative study. |
Inductive – a generalization made from a number of observations
Typical of qualitative studies Deductive – derived from theory and aimed at providing evidence to support, expand, or contradict aspects of that theory Typical of quantitative studies |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.2 Identify four characteristics of a good hypothesis in a quantitative study. |
A good quantitative hypothesis…(1) is based on sound reasoning. (2) provides a reasonable explanation for the predicted outcome.(3)
clearly and concisely states the expected relationships between variables. (4) is testable. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.3 Define the term operational definition and give several examples of operational definitions. |
Operational definitions clarify important terms in a study so that all readers will understand the precise meaning the researcher intends. Examples: "what kind of math problems?"; "What does it mean to 'perform better'?"; "What observable characteristics define a high-anxiety student?"
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.4 Differentiate between deductively and inductively derived hypotheses. |
1. An inductive hypothesis is a generalization based on specific observations.
2. A deductive hyposthesis is derived from theory and provides evidence that supports, expands, or contradicts the theory. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.5 Explain the differences between directional and non-directional hypotheses and discuss the use of a directional hypothesis in a study. |
Research hypotheses state the expected relationship between two variables
1. Non-directional – a statement that no relationship or difference exists between the variables Example: There is a significant difference in the achievement of 10th-grade biologhy students who are instructed using interactive multimedia and those who receive regular insturction only. 2. Directional – a statement of the expected direction of the relationship or difference between variables. Example: Tenth-grade biology students who are instructed using interactive multimedia achieve at a higher level than those who receive regular instruction only. |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.6 Describe the characteristics of the null hypothesis. |
Null – a statistical statement that no statistically significant relationship or difference exists between variables. Example: There is no significant difference in the achievement level of 10th-grade biology students who are instructed using interactive multimedia and those who receive regular instruction.
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.7 Describe the general model for writing a hypothesis for an experimental study and provide several examples of its use. |
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) P=the participants X=the treatment, the causal or idependent varioable (IV) Y=the study outcome, the effect or dependent variable (DV) The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of 12th-grade mentors on the absenteeism of low-achieving 10th graders. P=low-achieving 10th graders X=presence or absence of a 12th-grade mentor (IV) Y=absenteeism (days absent or, stated positively days present) (DV) |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.8 Describe the steps necessary to test a hypothesis. |
Testing hypotheses
Statistical analysis of data Importance of the results regardless of the outcome Results support or fail to support hypotheses, but they never prove or disprove hypotheses |
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic
5.9 Explain why the results of a study are discussed in terms of their support, or lack thereof, of a hypothesis. |
The analysis of the data does not lead to a hypothesis being proven or not proven, only supported or not supported for this particular study. The results of analysis indicate whether a hyporthesis was supported or not supported for the particular partcipants, context, and instruments involved.
|
|
|
Chapter 2: Selecting and Defining a Research Topic5.10 Describe the use of a hypothesis in a qualitative study and identify two characteristics of qualitative hypotheses.
|
As a general rule, qualitative researchers do not state formal hypotheses for their proposed research. However, a qualitative researcher may develop quiding hypotheses for ther propsoed research. Rather than testing an hypothesis, qualitative researchers are much more likely to generate new hypostheses as a result of their studies.
|
