Foundations of Educational Research

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Module Two     Review of Literature & Research Problems 
Learning Objectives 
      Given the prompt, "Why is it important to conduct a literature review?"; list two reasons.  
      
      Given a title of a published research article, create a research question, a research hypothesis, and a null hypothesis. 
      
      Given a research question, identify its approach (quantitative or qualitative) and its type (    survey [descriptive], correlational, causal-comparative, experimental, action research, historical, ethnographic, or grounded theory); justify your choice. 
      
      Given an empirical research article; identify the participant(s), independent variable(s), dependent variable(s), extraneous variable(s), experimental group, control group, research question, research hypothesis, and null hypothesis. 
      
      Based on personal experience, prior knowledge, and the text, identify a research question (note: This will form the basis for the research proposal. It may be revised as the class progresses). 
 
Additional Module 2 Notes  

    Click here to access some additional Module 2 notes 

 

On-line Activities

Readings 
Read Chapter Two (Selecting and Defining a Research Topic) and Chapter Three (Preparing and Evaluating a Research Plan)
 

      The Research Article 
Youth Violence and the Urban School Response
Abstract

To examine how urban schools have responded to the threat of youth violence, we interviewed 64 school administrators--in most cases, principals-- from high, middle, and elementary schools in the five largest urban areas of Massachusetts. Consistent with other research, we found that the urban schools in our sample offer numerous programs and activities aimed at preventing or resolving violent student behavior, aside from repressive law enforcement controls. Most such measures are located primarily at the high school level; few in the elementary schools. Similarly, after-school activities are offered by most of the high and middle schools, but are almost completely lacking in the elementary schools. Moreover, where they exist, such after-school programs are usually available to students on a selective basis. These differences between elementary versus middle and high schools are explained in terms of the perspectives of school administrators regarding their students: at the elementary school level, students are regarded as victims of violent media exposure and family conflict; by the time they reach the middle and high schools, however, student are more likely viewed as the perpetrators of violence. 

Levin, J., & Johnson, H.B. (1997).Youth violence and the urban school response. Journal of Research in Education, 7, 3-7.

    Using the abstract and title provided above, and in the same groups as in Module 1, each group should discuss and answer the following:
     
      a. What are the variables or constructs of interest? 

      b. What might be a reasonable research question, given the abstract above?

      c. Does answering this research question require a qualitative or quantitative approach? Also identify the likely research type (survey [descriptive], correlational, causal-comparative, experimental, action research, historical, ethnographic, or grounded theory). Justify your choice. 

      d. What might be a reasonable research hypothesis?

      e. Identify your research hypothesis as inductive or deductive. Justify. 

      f. What might be a reasonable null hypothesis?

      g. Identify extraneous variables that may be present (limit to 3).

        Email your group work to Dr. McConney or to Dr. Abalos See course syllabus for date assignment is due. 
       

      Generating Research Questions
    1. Based on personal experience, prior knowledge, and the text, identify a research question of interest to you and your group.
     
      NOTE: This will form the basis for the research proposal. It may be revised as the class progresses.  
    2. Using the same groups as in Module 1, each group should discuss their areas of interest and generate a research question on which to base their proposal. 
     
      NOTE: Please be advised that you will work within this same group until the end of the semester unless you have concerns about its composition and would like to switch. If you have concerns, please talk to Dr. McConney before the third week of the semester. Dr. McConney will assume that these groups are okay if he does not hear from you on or before that date.
     
     
        Email your group work to Dr. McConney or to Dr. Abalos See course syllabus for date assignment is due. 
       
    Note: The following three "exercises" are optional. They are provided for your practice in classifying research, and in identifying variables and hypotheses.

     

      Exercise 1

    A teacher has observed a high degree of anxiety that is aroused by classroom tests and believes that this has an adverse effect on students' performance. Furthermore, the teacher has noted that when students are given an opportunity to write comments about objective questions, their test performance seems to improve. The teacher reasons that this freedom to make comments must somehow serve to reduce anxiety and, as a result, the students make better scores.  
      
    Based on this scenario: 
      
    1. Identify the variables/construct of interest 
    2. Create a reasonable research question 
    3. Identify this research question as taking a qualitative or quantitative approach. Also identify the likely research type (survey [descriptive], correlational, causal-comparative, experimental, action research, historical, ethnographic, or grounded theory)
    4. Create a reasonable research hypothesis 
    5. Identify your research hypothesis as inductive or deductive 
    6. Create a reasonable null hypothesis 
    7. Identify extraneous variables that may be present   
      
      Exercise 2 Cognitive Theory applied to the notion of reading comprehension. Interactive nature of reading and the constructive nature of comprehension. Readers use their existing knowledge and integrate this with new knowledge to actively construct meaning from the text. In addition, good readers possess a set of strategies that they use to make sense of text and to foster and maintain their understanding. One of the important strategies used in reading is the drawing of inferences to fill in details omitted in the text. 
      
    Based on this scenario: 
      
    1. Identify the variables/construct of interest 
    2. Create a reasonable research question 
    3. Identify this research question as taking a qualitative or quantitative approach. Also identify the likely research type (survey [descriptive], correlational, causal-comparative, experimental, action research, historical, ethnographic, or grounded theory)
    4. Create a reasonable research hypothesis 
    5. Identify your research hypothesis as inductive or deductive 
    6. Create a reasonable null hypothesis 
    7. Identify extraneous variables that may be present   
      
  Exercise 3
    Piaget's theory on the development of logical thinking in children. Piaget has suggested that children pass through various stages in their mental development, one of which is the stage of concrete operations, which begins at age 7 or 8 and marks the transition from dependence on perception to an ability to use symbolic reasoning. 
      
    Based on this scenario: 
      
    1. Identify the variables/construct of interest 
    2. Create a reasonable research question 
    3. Identify this research question as taking a qualitative or quantitative approach. Also identify the likely research type (survey [descriptive], correlational, causal-comparative, experimental, action research, historical, ethnographic, or grounded theory) 
    4. Create a reasonable research hypothesis 
    5. Identify your research hypothesis as inductive or deductive 
    6. Create a reasonable null hypothesis 
    7. Identify extraneous variables that may be present   
      

Special Assignment for Group 2 ONLY

Outline Chapter 4 (Selecting a Sample)
Post outline to appropriate conference on WebBoard

Please note: this WebBoard link is for Dr. McConney's section only.

Dr. Abalos' students please open another window in your browser, and log on to http://onyx.fgcu.edu/~134

 


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Course content developed by Cindy Conley, Ph.D. and Andrew McConney, Ph.D.
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