This book educates students to become intelligent consumers of educational research and introduces basic research principles to those who may eventually use research in their work.
Principles for conducting research and criteria for evaluating its overall credibility are presented in a concise manner, with numerous excerpts from published studies, to enable students to learn to read, understand, and evaluate research, and judge the usefulness of the findings for educational practice. There is extensive use of aides to facilitate student learning, including chapter roadmaps and concept maps, study questions, a book website, consumer tips, over 90 examples from published articles (including eight full length articles), and author reflections. The Fifth Edition includes a more extensive presentation of experimental and quasi-experimental design, consistent with the current emphasis on conducting “scientific research,” qualitative data analysis, effect size, and a new chapter devoted to mixed-method studies and action research.
Surveys academic research, the process that creates it, and the procedures for locating and measuring it, for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, with the goal of educating students to become intelligent consumers of educational research. Introduces basic principles of quantitative and qualitative research, reviews distinctive characteristics of methodologies including descriptive, experimental, and single subject, and offers some 50 excerpts from published works. Includes chapter outlines, study questions, sample test questions, and answers. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)