Basics of Educational Research

Dr. Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Department of Education
NCBA&E(Multan Campus)

Session One Objectives

Why Conduct Research?
Thesis, a Presentation of Research Findings
Problems with modern research
How research was and is conducted

Research Cycle

Examining the Steps of the Research Cycle

Categories of Research
Quantitative Methods
When Should I Use a Quantitative Method?
A Quantitative Research Plan

Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Why Conduct Research?

Fills in blanks in our knowledge

Expands our own understanding of issues
Reproduce knowledge, to validate others work
Add other perspectives to the knowledge base
Improves Practice
Learn about new practices
(new ways of doing)
Evaluate existing practices
(why are we doing this?)
6. Informs about important policy issues
Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Presentation of Findings

A thesis is a formal method of sharing

the results of research.
It is common requirement in higher
education for those completing postmasters degrees.
A thesis should Not be confused
with a dissertation.
Three important differences:
a) Length
b) Rigor
c) Uniqueness of the research

Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Problems With Modern Research

Conflicting results
Vague findings
Questionable data
Inaccurate
Small sample size
Poorly constructed surveys

Key: Just because its published

doesnt make it
good research.
Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

How Research Was Conducted

Scientific Method
4 Steps of Inquiry

Sequential

1. Observation
Defines goal of research
2. Make a prediction
If confirmed, resolves problem
3. Gather Data
Relevant to prediction
4. Analyze & Interpret Data
Determine if it supports prediction
Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

What Is Research Today?

Research is a cyclical process of
steps that typically begins with
identifying a research problem or issue
of study. It then involves reviewing the
literature, specifying a purpose for the
study, collecting and analyzing data,
and forming an interpretation of the
information. This process culminates in
a report, disseminated to audiences,
that is evaluated and used in the
educational community.
(Cresswell, 2002)
Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Research Process Cycle

Identifying A Research
Problem

Specifying a problem
Justifying it
Why do we need to study it?

Reporting & Evaluating

What does this mean?
Which audience
Structuring report

Reviewing the
Literature
Locating Resources
Selecting
Summarizing

Analysis/Interpretati
on
Breaking down data
Depicting Data
Explaining Data

Purpose and
Methodology
Purpose Statements
Funneling/Narrowing
to research questions
or hypothesis

Collecting Data

Study Groups/Control &

Treatment
Permission
Gathering Information

Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Research Cycle & Thesis Chapters

Chapter One

Identifying A Research
Problem

Chapter Five

Specifying a problem
Justifying it
Why do we need to study it?

Reporting & Evaluating

What does this mean?
Which audience
Structuring report

Analysis/Interpretation
Breaking down data
Depicting Data
Explaining Data

Reviewing the
Literature
Locating Resources
Selecting
Summarizing

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Purpose and
Methodology
Purpose Statements
Funneling/Narrowing to
research questions or
hypothesis

Collecting Data

Chapter Four

Study Groups/Control &

Treatment
Permission
Gathering Information

Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Lets Look at the Steps Individually

Identify a problem or issue
One that needs to be resolved

Chapter One

How?
Specify the topic Justify why it needs to
be studied
Suggest the importance of this topic to a
specific group
Why Specify?
Specifying limits broad topics makes them
easier to research.
Introduction also called the Statement of the
Problem
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Lets Look at the Steps Individually

Literature Review Defined:

Chapter Two

Locating summaries, books, journals, and

indexed publications on a topic, selectively
choosing which literature is relevant, and
then writing a report that summarizes that
literature.
Both Faculty and Students have fears about
research
Faculty: the research wont build on
existing knowledge.
Student: after planning and conducting
research that it will merely replicate prior
research.
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Lets Look at the Steps Individually

Defining the Methodology

Chapter Three

Key Chapter: Introduces the entire study,

signals the procedures to be used
(research methodologies, e.g.
Ethnographic), and points to the results
to be found.

This chapter must be crafted carefully.

Your explanation of how you are going to go
about collecting data so that others could
replicate your study.

Collecting Data: identifying and selecting

individuals for a study; obtaining their
permission to be studied; and gathering
information by administering instruments,
through asking people questions or
observing their behavior.
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Lets Look at the Steps Individually

Analyzing and Interpreting the Data

Chapter Four

Analysis Means: taking the data apart to see individual

responses and putting it back together to summarize it.
Presentation of findings, no explanation.
Charts and Graphs Important to this chapter.
Chapter Five
Reporting and Evaluating Research
Determining the audience and structuring
the report in a format that is acceptable to
this audience.
Explains what this research means

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Classification of Research
by
Purpose
Basic Research: Develop or Refine a Theory
Applied Research: Applying or Testing a
Theory to see if useful in solving a problem

Evaluation Research: Collecting &

Analyzing data about the quality, effectiveness

of programs, products, or practices

Research & Development: Researching

needs and Developing products to meet the
needs.

Action Research: Systematic approach of

inquiry within a particular school for the purpose

of solving localized problems not contributing to
science.
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Classifying Research
by
Research Method
Quantitative Research: Collection of
numerical data for the purpose of
Explaining
Predicting and/or
Controlling a phenomenon of interest

Qualitative Research: Collection,

analysis of non-numerical data for the
purpose of gaining insights into a
particular phenomenon of interest

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There are many methods of

conducting research
Case Study

Correlational

Survey

Narrative

Descriptive

Mixed

Causal-Comparative

Grounded Theory

Experimental
Ethnographic
Single Subject

Qualitative

Quantitative

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When Should I Use A

Quantitative Research Method?
When the research problem is a
description of trends or an
explanation of the relationship among
variables.

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Quantitative Methods
Correlational: Collection of data to determine, if and to what

extent a relationship exists between to or more quantitative variables

Ex. To what degree does parental involvement in school relate to
increased student achievement.

Descriptive: Determines and reports on the way things are.

Collects data to test hypotheses or answer questions about the

current status of the subject study.
Ex. Pre-election political poll or survey about public perceptions of their
schools

Causal/Comparative: Attempt to determine the cause or

reason for existing differences in the behavior or status of groups of

individuals.
Ex. The effect of preschool attendance on social maturity at the end of
first grade.
Independent variable (cause) students attending preschool and not attending
Dependent variable (effect) difference in social maturity between the groups

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Quantitative Methods, cont.

Experimental: At least one independent variable is

manipulated, other relevant variables are controlled (impact

reduced) and the effect on one or more dependent variables
is observed.
Ex. The effect of positive reinforcement on attitude towards
school.
Independent variable: type of reinforcement
(positive, negative, no reinforcement)
Dependent variable: attitude towards school

Single-Subject: A design used to study the

behavior change that an individual or group
experiences as a result of an intervention.

Ex. The effects of weekly teacher and parent

communication on the completion of homework
of eighth-grade at-risk students.
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A Quantitative Research Plan

Introduction:

Statement of the Topic

Describes the variables of interest, the specific relationship
between those variables, and ideally the important
characteristics of the participants (gifted students, 4th graders
with learning disabilities)
Ex. The topic to be investigated in the study is the effect of
positive reinforcement on the quality of 10th
graders English compositions.
Variables: positive reinforcement and quality of
English compositions.
Participants: 10th graders

Background of the Topic

Give the context:.

Rationale for its Significance

Why is this a problem
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A Quantitative Research Plan

Review of Related Literature
Provides an Overview of the topic
Gives the big picture

Informs the reader with References to What is Know about

the Topic
Should Logically Result in a Testable Conclusion or
Hypothesis
Ex. Because of what we know about X,
it is predicted that Y will occur.

Conclude with a Summary of the Literature and a

restatement of the Implications for its Significance.
Hypothesis is rooted in the literature
There must be a logical reason for your
prediction and the Literature Review is the basis for it.
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A Quantitative Research Plan

Methods Section: Road map of your study
Research Participants: description of the participants,
demographic data, number, source,
Should define the population from which the participants were
drawn
Ex. Participants will be selected from a population of 157 students
enrolled in a Algebra I course at a large urban high school in
Miami, Florida. The population is tri-cultural, being composed of
primarily Caucasian non-Hispanic students, African-American
students and Hispanic students from a variety of Latin American
backgrounds.

Research Instruments: description of the particular instruments

to be used and how they will measure the variables.
Instrument is a test or tool used for data collection.

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A Quantitative Research Plan

Materials/Apparatus
If special materials (booklets, training manuals) are to be
developed for use in the study they should be described in the
Research Plan

Design:
General Plan for conducting the research study.
Indicates the basic structure of the study and the goals to be
achieved.

Procedure:
Detailed explanation of the steps that will be followed.
This will allow others to replicate your study and get the same or
similar results.
Includes Assumptions (important fact presumed to be true but not
verified) and Limitations (some aspect that may negatively effect
the study and over which the researcher has no control) Sample
size & Length of Study
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A Quantitative Research Plan

Data Analysis:

Description of the technique or techniques that will be

used to analyze the study data.
For some descriptive studies this may be nothing more than
tabulating the responses.
For most, it will usually involve one or more statistical tests.
It is vital to provide a detailed description of your research
plan.
Nothing more frustrating than to collect data and learn
There is no appropriate analysis method available
The analysis required is beyond the capability of the researcher
The data collected cannot provide an answer for the hypothesis
presented

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A Quantitative Research Plan

Time Schedule:
Important to have a realistic schedule in which to
complete the research
All too often, researchers do not have unlimited time to
complete the study.
Researchers tend to underestimate the time required to
complete the study.
Time schedule
A listing of the major activities to be completed during the
research study and an expected completion date.
Ex.
Surveys will be mailed to participants by June 30
Surveys are to be returned by July 15

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Lets Review
We conduct research to increase our knowledge or
understanding and to improve our practice.
Typically research is presented in a thesis format in higher
education but it can appear in journals as well.
One of the major reasons why educators are concerned
about research is the conflicting results.
Modern research follows a cyclical process rather than the
sequential format of the Scientific Method.
Research can be classified by purpose or method
Purpose: Basic, Applied, Evaluation, R& D, Action
Method: Quantitative or Qualitative

Quantitative Research: A collection of data for the purpose of

explaining, predicting, or controlling a phenomenon of
interest.
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When Should I Use A

Qualitative research Method?
When the research problem is
an exploration and
understanding of a central
phenomenon.

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Qualitative Methods
Grounded Theory: systematic, qualitative procedure used
to generate a theory that explains, at a broad conceptual
level, a process, an action, or interaction about a substantive
topic.

Ethnographic: for describing, analyzing, and interpreting a

culture.
Culture: groups shared patterns of behavior, beliefs,
and language that develop over time.

Example: Case Study

Narrative: inquirers describe the lives of individuals, collect

and tell stories about peoples lives and write narratives about
individuals experiences. This would include the documentation
of events.
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Qualitative Ingredients
Identifying the Topic: topic of interest.
Reviewing the Literature: examines literature for useful
information and strategies for carrying out the study.

Selecting Participants: selected to provide data

collection, purposely collected, not randomly selected, fewer

in number than quantitative studies.

Collecting the Data: collected from participants,

interviews, observations and artifacts.

Analyzing and Interpreting the Data: analyzes the

themes and results of collected data and provides
interpretations.

Reporting and Evaluating the Research: summarizes

and integrates the data into a narrative and visual form.
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Research Ethics
Participant Bill of Rights

Respecting
Participant
Rights

Right to be briefed about study

Know the purpose of the study and
any social consequences

Right to refuse or withdraw from

study at any time
Right to anonymity
Right to gain something from the
study

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Research Ethics
Honoring Research Sites
Get permission first
Dont overly disturb operation
Remember you may be a guest

Reporting Research Fully & Honestly

Make sure your reporting is accurate.
Report what you find even if it does not
support your hypothesis.

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But, Ive Never Done This Before!

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Necessary Skills

Problem Solving-Working Puzzles

Research steps are like puzzle pieces. Your job is to put

them together.
Critical Analysis

Lengthened Attention Span

You are going to need to focus on materials for longer
periods of time.
Your reading is for a different purpose so you will not be
able to skim through articles.

Using Libraries, Electronic and Brick Varieties

This process is going to require that you spend time in the
library.

Writing, Editing, and More Writing!

Reflection
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Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Methods
Description & explanation
oriented
Literature Review plays a
major role
Purpose specific, and
measurable
Data Collection
Predetermined
instruments, numeric data
Statistical analysis
Reporting, standard and
fixed

Exploratory &
understanding oriented
Literature review plays a
minor role
Purpose is general and
broad,
Data Collection Emerging
protocols, text or image
data
Text analysis
Reporting, flexible and
emerging.

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Important Definitions
Research Problem: an educational issue or
problem in a study.
Research Topic: broad subject matter
being addressed in a study.
Purpose: major intent or objective of the
study.
Research questions: questions the
researcher would like answered or
addressed in the study.
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Should I Study this Topic?

Contribute to Knowledge &
Practice?
Access to the people & sites
necessary to the study?
Time, resources, skills to study the
topic?

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Flow of Ideas in a Statement of the

Problem
Topic

Research
Problem

Subject
Area

A concern
or issue

Evidence from the

literature

A problem

Evidence from
practical experience

Something
that needs a
solution

Justification

Deficiencies

Whats missing?
What do we need
to know more
about?

Dr Muhammad Najam ul Kashif

Relating to
Audience
How will addressing
this topic help others?

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Examples, please
General

Topic

Distance learning

Research
Problem

Lack of students in
distance ed. Classes

Purpose
Statement

To study why
students do not
attend distance ed.
classes at a
community college

Research
Questions

Does the use of Web

site technology in the
classroom deter
students from
enrolling in a distance
ed. class?

Specific
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