Tuckman, B: Conducting Educational Research, 6th Edition

By Bruce W. Tuckman and Brian E. Harper

Conducting Educational Research is geared to help graduate students understand and apply the most important principles of scholarly investigation. The clarity of the text and the numerous practical examples help to reinforce important concepts and key ideas, increasing the efficacy of the text for even the most inexperienced student-researchers.

Part I. IntroductionChapter 1: The Role of ResearchWhat Is Research?Validity in ResearchInternal and External ValidityDealing With RealitySurvey ResearchCharacteristics of the Research ProcessSome Ethical ConsiderationsSelf EvaluationsPart II. Fundamental Steps of ResearchChapter 2: Selecting a ProblemCharacteristics of a ProblemNarrowing the Range of ProblemsClassroom Research ProblemsAnother Problem FrameworkProgrammatic Research as a Source of ProblemsSpecific Considerations in Choosing a ProblemChapter 3: Reviewing the LiteratureThe Purpose of the ReviewLiterature Review SourcesConducting a Literature SearchReviewing and AbstractingWriting the Literature ReviewChapter 4: Identifying and Labeling VariablesA Research Question and Its VariablesThe Independent VariableThe Dependent VariableThe Relationship Between Independent and Dependent VariablesThe Moderator VariableControl VariablesIntervening VariablesThe Combined VariablesSome Considerations for Variable ChoiceChapter 5: Constructing Hypotheses and Meta-AnalysesFormulating HypothesesHypotheses Based on ConceptualizingGoing From Theory to Hypotheses: An ExampleMeta-Analysis: Constructing Hypotheses by Synthesizing Past ResearchSome Further IllustrationsTesting a HypothesisChapter 6: Constructing Operational Definitions of VariablesWhy Have Operational Definitions?Basing an Operational Definition on Observable CriteriaAlternative Ways of Generating Operational DefinitionsThe Criterion of ExclusivenessOperational Definitions and the Research ProcessThe Research SpectrumPart III. Types of ResearchChapter 7: Applying Design Criteria: Internal and External ValidityThe Control GroupFactors Affecting Internal Validity or CertaintyFactors Affecting External Validity or GeneralityControlling for Participant Bias: Equating Experimental and Control GroupsControlling for Experience Bias: Equating Experimental and Control ConditionsOverall Control of Participant and Experience BiasAppraising the Success of the ManipulationChapter 8: Experimental Research DesignsA Shorthand for Displaying DesignsPre-Experimental Designs (Non-designs)True Experimental DesignsFactorial DesignsQuasi-Experimental DesignsEx Post Facto DesignsDesigns to Control for External Validity Based on Reactive EffectsChapter 9: Correlational and Casual-Comparative ResearchCorrelational and Casual-Comparative ResearchCorrelational ResearchSteps to Conducting a Correlational StudyCasuaul-Comparative ResearchLongitudinal ResearchThreats to Internal and External Validity for the Three DesignsChapter 10: Identifying and Describing Procedures for Observation and MeasurementTest ReliabilityTest ValidityTypes of Measurement ScalesOrdinal ScalesDescribing Test PerformancesStandardized, or Norm-Referenced, TestsCriterion-Referenced TestsConstructing a Paper-and-Pencil Performance TestConstructing a ScaleConstructing an Observation Recording DeviceChapter 11: Constructing and Using Questionnaires, Interviews, and Survey ResearchWhat is Survey Research?What Do Questionnaires and Interviews Measure?Question Formats: How to Ask the QuestionsResponse Modes: How to Answer the QuestionsConstructing a Questionnaire or Interview ScheduleSampling ProceduresProcedures for Administrating a QuestionnaireConducting an Interview StudyCoding and ScoringPart IV. Concluding Steps of ResearchChapter 12 Carrying Out Statistical AnalysesMeasures of Central Tendency and VariabilityCoding and Rostering DataChoosing the Appropriate Statistical TestCarrying Out Parametric Statistical TestsCorrelation and Regression AnalysesCarrying Out Nonparametric Statistical TestsChapter 13: Writing a Research ReportThe Research ProposalThe Introduction SectionThe Method SectionThe Results SectionThe Discussion SectionThe ReferencesThe AbstractPreparing TablesPreparing Figures and GraphsGetting an Article PublishedPart V. Additional ApproachesChapter 14: Conducting Evaluation StudiesFormative Versus Summative EvaluationA Model for Summative EvaluationDefining the Goals of a ProgramMeasuring the Goals of a Program (The Dependent Variable)Assessing Attainment of a Program's GoalsDesign, Data Collection, and Statistical AnalysisChapter 15: Qualitative Research: Concepts and AnalysisCharacteristics of Qualitative ResearchIdentifying General Research ProblemsSpecifying the Questions to AnswerResearch MethodologyData SourcesConducting a Case StudyAnalyzing the Data and Preparing the ReportChapter 16: Action ResearchWhat is Action Research?Assumptions That Guide Action ResearchThe Process of Action ResearchEvaluation Action ResearchPart VI. The "Consumer" of ResearchChapter 17: Analyzing and Critiquing a Research StudyThe Introductory SectionThe Method SectionThe Results and Discussion SectionsAn Sample Research Report: Analysis and CritiqueAn Example EvaluationPart VII. AppendixesAppendix A: TablesAppendix B: Worksheets for Performing Statistical Tests