Category: Writing

Is research on the problem feasible? After a research
project has been evaluated, there remains the problem of suitability for a
particular researcher. The student should ask: Although the problem may be a
good one, is it a good problem for me? Will I be able to carry it through to a
successful conclusion? Some of the questions the students should consider are
the following:
a. Am I competent to plan and carry out a study of this
type? Do I know enough about this field to understand its significant aspects
and to interpret my findings? Am I skillful enough to develop, administer, and
interpret the necessary data-gathering devices and procedures? Am I well
grounded in the necessary knowledge of research design and statistical
procedures?
b. Are pertinent data accessible? Are valid and reliable
data-gathering devices and procedures available? Will school authorities permit
me to contact the students, conduct necessary experiments or administer
necessary tests, interview teachers, or have access to important cumulative
records? Will I be able to get the sponsorship necessary to open doors that
otherwise would be closed to me?
c. Will I have the necessary financial resources to carryon
this study? What will be the expense involved in data-gathering equipment,
printing, test materials, travel, and clerical help? If the project is an
expensive one, what is the possibility of getting a grant from a philanthropic
foundation or from such governmental agencies as the National Institute of
Education?
d. Will I have enough time to complete the project? Will
there be time to devise the procedures, select the data-gathering devices,
gather and analyze the data, and complete the research report? Because most
academic programs impose time limitations, certain worthwhile projects of a
longitudinal type are precluded.
e. Will I have the determination to pursue the study despite
the difficulties and social hazards that may be involved? Will I be able to
succeed when data are difficult to gather and when others are reluctant to
cooperate?
Controversial problem areas such as multiculturalism and
high-stakes testing are probably not appropriate for a beginning research
project.

1. A researcher’s baseline stabilizes after four sessions,
and she begins the intervention. If there is no effect after four sessions,
should she continue the treatment or reintroduce the baseline? Why?
2. Most single-subject studies are of overt behavior. What
other types of research might use single-subject methods?

Give the distinctive characteristics of descriptive research
as contrasted with:
a. assessment
b. evaluation
c. experimental research

1. Why is single-subject research confused with behavior
modification? In what ways are they different?
2. What is a baseline? How does the initial baseline differ
from a subsequent one in an A-B-A design?

From a metropolitan school district staff directory you wish
to select a sample of 300 teachers from a listing of 3,800. Discuss several
ways in which the sample could be selected, considering the issues that may be
involved.

Will computer-based instruction improve learning of critical
thinking?
Using text, figures, and other materials on a set of
PowerPoint slides, this article reports on two experimental studies that
examine the effectiveness of organizers to assist learning of students using
web-based audio or video recordings of a lecture. What do you think the
outcomes were? Consider the design in the methods section and consider what
confounds might exist and/or how they were controlled. What was the design of
the study? To find out, locate the PDF version of this report in the Education
database of ContentSelect (item # 6911182) and read the article.

1. How would you select a sample of 40 college students for
a morale study from a freshman class of 320?
2. How is the term research sometimes misused in classroom
assignments and television interviews?