How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education

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How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education

• Jack R. Fraenkel and Norman E. Wallen
• Chapters 2 3 Review

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The Research Problem

• The Research Problem
• Statement of the Problem (identify a problem/area
  of concern to investigate)
• Must be feasible, clear, significant, ethical
• Research Questions (serve as focus of
  investigation, see p. 28 list)
• Some info must be collected that answers them
  (must be researchable)
• Cannot research should questions
• See diagram, p. 29

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The Research ProblemContinued

• The Research Problem
• RQ should be feasible (can be investigated with
  available resources)
• RQ should be clear (specifically define terms
  usedoperational needed, but give both)
• Constitutive definitions (dictionary meaning)
• Operational definitions (specific actions/steps
  to measure term IQtime to solve puzzle, where
  lt20 sec. is high 20-40 is med. 40 is low)
• RQ should be significant (worth investigating
  how does it contribute to field and who can use
  info)
• RQs often investigate relationships (two
  characteristics/qualities tied together)

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Variables and Hypotheses

• Important to study relationships
• Sometimes just want to describe (use RQ)
• Usually want to look for patterns/connections
• Hypothesis predicts the existence of a
  relationship
• Variables (anything that can vary in measure
  opposite of constant)
• Variables must be clearly defined
• Often investigate relationship between variables

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Variables and Hypotheses

• Variable Classifications (Fig. 3.4, p. 42)
• Quantitative (variables measured as a matter of
  degree, using real numbers i.e. age, number
  kids)
• Categorical (no variationeither in a category or
  not i.e. gender, hair color)
• Independent the cause (aka the manipulated,
  treatment or experimental variable)
• Dependent the effect (aka outcome variable)
• Extraneous uncontrolled IVs (see Fig. 3.2, p.
  46)
• All extraneous variables must be accounted for in
  an experiment

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Variables and Hypotheses

• Hypotheses predictions about possible outcome
  of a study sometimes several hypotheses from one
  RQ (Fig 3.3)
• RQ Will athletes have a higher GPA that
  nonathletes?
• H Athletes will have higher GPAs that
  nonathletes
• Advantages to stating a hypothesis as well as RQ
• Clarifies/focuses research to make prediction
  based on previous research/theory
• Multiple supporting tests to confirm hypothesis
  strengthens it
• Disadvantages
• Can lead to bias in methods (conscious or un) to
  try to support hypothesis
• Sometimes miss other important info due to focus
  on hypothesis (peer review/replication is a check
  on this)

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Variables and Hypotheses

• Some hypothesis more important than others
• Directional v. nondirectional
• Directional says which group will score higher/do
  better
• Nondirectional just indicates there will be a
  difference, but not who will score higher/do
  better
• Directional more risky, so be careful/tentative
  in using directional ones

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• End of Presentations