Week 1

Introduction to Research Methods :
Week 1
Dr. Kevin Graham

Kgraham5@u.Rochester.edu
Outline
• Housing keeping (getting to know you poll, syllabus review, groups,
expectations)
• Definition of the terms: research, educational research
• Aims, goals, and purposes of educational research
• Characteristics/features of research studies
• The scientific method of conducting research
• The role of theory in research

Definition of the term
Group Activity #1- 5 mins
Definition of the terms: Research
Research: is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to

increase our understanding of a topic or issue. At a general level, research
consists of three steps:
1. Pose a question.
2. Collect data to answer the question.
3. Present an answer to the question.
(Creswell,2012)
Definition of the terms:
Educational Research
• Educational Research: Education research is the scientific field of study that

examines education and learning processes and the human attributes,
interactions, organizations, and institutions that shape educational outcomes.
Aims, goals, and purposes of educational research
• Scholarship in the field seeks to describe, understand, and explain how learning
takes place throughout a person’s life and how formal and informal contexts of
education affect all forms of learning.
• Education research embraces the full spectrum of rigorous methods

appropriate to the questions being asked and also drives the development of
new tools and methods.
Characteristics of good research
Characteristics/features of research studies
TEN CHARACTERISTICS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
1. Educational research attempts to solve a problem.
2. Research involves gathering new data from primary or first-hand sources or

using existing data for a new purpose.
3. Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidence.
4. Research demands accurate observation and description.
5. Research generally employs carefully designed procedures and rigorous

analysis.
Anderson (1998)
Characteristics/features of research studies
6. Research emphasizes the development of generalizations, principles or theories
that will help in understanding, prediction and/or control.
7. Research requires expertise—familiarity with the field; competence in

methodology; technical skill in collecting and analyzing the data.
8. Research attempts to find an objective, unbiased solution to the problem and

takes great pains to validate the procedures employed.
9. Research is a deliberate and unhurried activity which is directional but often

refines the problem or questions as the research progresses.
10. Research is carefully recorded and reported to other persons interested in the
problem.
Anderson
The scientific method of conducting research
1. Identify the research problem
2. State research questions
3. Review literature related to the
problem
4. Write your literature review
5. Develop a research plan
6. Implement the plan and collect data
7. Analyze the collected data
8. Develop conclusions and
recommendations in research reports
What is the role of theory in research?
The role of theory in research
• What is a Theory: a set of interrelated constructs (variables), definitions,
and propositions that presents a systematic view of phenomenon by
specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of explaining
natural phenomena (Kerlinger, 1986)
Purpose of theory in research
• Provide tools for the interpretation of collected data
• Prevent the fragmentation of knowledge by ordering
• Give the inquiry a focus
• Provide theoretical explanations and a deeper understanding of what is

being investigated.
(Creswell, 2009; Newman,200)

Building a theoretical framework to guide an
educational research
• Theories are formulated to explain, predict, and understand phenomena and, in
many cases, to challenge and extend existing knowledge within the limits of
critical bounding assumptions. The theoretical framework is the structure that can
hold or support a theory of a research study (Swanson,2013).
• The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory that explains why
the research problem under study exists (Swanson,2013).
Positivist and Interpretive approach to research
• Positivist: Positivist research advocates identifying the problems, putting
forward theoretical hypotheses, and then using methods such as
experimentation or investigation to test and verify hypotheses. The basic
research process is: problem + hypothesis + testing + verification +
conclusion (Xinping, 2002)
• Positivist research believes that “truth” is objective and extrinsic (Xinping,

2002).
Positivist and Interpretive approach to research
• Interpretive: Interpretive research is a research paradigm that is based on the

assumption that social reality is not singular or objective, but is rather shaped by
human experiences and social contexts (ontology), and is therefore best studied
within its socio-historic context by reconciling the subjective interpretations of its
various participants (epistemology).
• Sense-making process rather than a hypothesis testing process.
• Theoretical sampling – selecting participants based on specific characteristics.
(Creswell, 2012)
What are differences between quantitative
and qualitative research?
Classifying researches-qualitative and quantitative
• Qualitative research is an inquiry process of understanding based on distinct
methodological traditions of inquiry that explore a social or human problem. The
research builds a complex holistic picture, analyzes words, reports detailed views
of informants, and conduct the study in natural setting.
• In qualitative research, researcher is less concerned with comparing

groups or relate variables. Instead, they seeks a deep understanding of
the views groups or single individuals (p.128)
(Creswell, 1998,2012)
Classifying researches-qualitative and quantitative
• Quantitative research: is an inquiry approach useful for describing trends and
explaining the relationship among variables found in the literature. To conduct this
inquiry, the investigator specifies narrow questions, locates or develops
instruments to gather data to answer the questions, and analyzes numbers from
the instruments, using statistics
• In quantitative research, the investigator employs a close-ended stance by

identifying variables and selecting instruments to collect data (p.128).
(Creswell, 2012)
Research Design- experimental and non-
experimental
• Research designs: are the specific procedures involved in the research process:
data collection, data analysis, and report writing (p.20).
• Experimental designs: also called intervention studies or group comparison

studies are procedures in quantitative research in which the investigator
determines whether an activity or materials make a difference in results for
participants (p.21).
• Non-Experimental Design: In this design, the researchers do not attempt to

control or manipulate the variables as in an experiment, instead they rely on
interpretation, observation or interactions to come to a conclusion.
Questions?

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Introduction to Research Methods :

Dr. Kevin Graham

• Definition of the terms: research, educational research

• Aims, goals, and purposes of educational research

• Characteristics/features of research studies

• The scientific method of conducting research

• The role of theory in research

Research: is a process of steps used to collect and analyze information to

2. Collect data to answer the question.

3. Present an answer to the question.

• Educational Research: Education research is the scientific field of study that

• Education research embraces the full spectrum of rigorous methods

1. Educational research attempts to solve a problem.

2. Research involves gathering new data from primary or first-hand sources or

3. Research is based upon observable experience or empirical evidence.

4. Research demands accurate observation and description.

5. Research generally employs carefully designed procedures and rigorous

7. Research requires expertise—familiarity with the field; competence in

8. Research attempts to find an objective, unbiased solution to the problem and

9. Research is a deliberate and unhurried activity which is directional but often

• Provide tools for the interpretation of collected data

• Prevent the fragmentation of knowledge by ordering

• Give the inquiry a focus

• Provide theoretical explanations and a deeper understanding of what is

(Creswell, 2009; Newman,200)

• Positivist research believes that “truth” is objective and extrinsic (Xinping,

• Interpretive: Interpretive research is a research paradigm that is based on the

• Sense-making process rather than a hypothesis testing process.

• Theoretical sampling – selecting participants based on specific characteristics.

• In qualitative research, researcher is less concerned with comparing

• In quantitative research, the investigator employs a close-ended stance by

• Experimental designs: also called intervention studies or group comparison

• Non-Experimental Design: In this design, the researchers do not attempt to

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