Category: Writing

A state offi cial found a correlation of .65 between the
number of bars in cities in the state and the number of crimes reported in
those cities. He concluded that legislation to reduce the number of bars would
reduce crime. What would you say about the offi – cial’s conclusion?

Determine which kind of case study would be conducted in
each of the following:
a. A researcher wants to understand the dramatic decline in
behavior problems in a school district after it developed and implemented its
own character development curriculum.
b. A researcher wants to understand how elementary and
secondary school principals in a large urban district use technology in their
work.
c. A researcher wants to understand the life of a
home-schooled child.

Which correlation in each pair indicates
the greatest extent of relationship between
two variables?
a. +.80 or –.80
b. +.60 or+.85
c. +.60 or –.85
d. +.04 or –.15

1. Describe the disciplinary roots of the various approaches
to qualitative research. How might these roots infl uence how studies using
these methods are done?
2. Explain what a unit is in case study research. Give a
specifi c example of a unit you might be interested in studying.

Identify the following as
1. Characteristic of correlational research
2. Characteristic of ex post facto research
3. Characteristic of both
4. Characteristic of neither
a. Actively manipulates variables
b. Looks at differences between two or
more groups
c. Assesses the direction and strength of
association among variables
d. Produces indexes that range from
−1.00 to +1.00
e. Studies preexisting variables

Assume you are going to prepare a qualitative research proposal for your research methods class or for a dissertation. Suggest a question that you would like to investigate and then the qualitative method that would be most appropriate to use.

1. What steps would you take to avoid the post hoc fallacy
in your ex post facto research?
2. Try to control any relevant extraneous variables that
could affect the measured variable. Methods of control include (a) matching,
(b) using homogeneous groups, (c) building extraneous variables into the
design, and (d) using ANCOVA or other statistical means to partially control
unwanted variables

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of historical
research compared with other types of research?
2. Explain what a unit is in case study research. Give a
specifi c example of a unit you might be interested in studying.

1. How do case studies differ from singlesubject
experiments?
2. An investigator has a letter describing education in
Britain in 1985. It is supposed to have been written by Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher.
a. What question would be asked in external criticism?
b. What question would be asked in internal criticism?

Determine whether each of the following questions would best
be answered using quantitative or qualitative research methods:
a. What goes on in an elementary school classroom during an
average week and how do observed practices relate to the teacher’s espoused
teaching beliefs?
b. What is the relationship between education level and
volume of reading done in various content areas?
c. How does team teaching infl uence classroom interactions?
d. How can a principal improve faculty morale?
e. What is the impact of AIDS on the U.S. economy?
f. What is the emotional impact of AIDS on at-risk health
care workers?
g. Are the descriptions of people in the social studies
textbooks multiculturally inclusive?
h. What is the relationship between years of teaching
experience and job satisfaction?