Selection and Definition of a Problem

First Step

• Identify a general area that is related to your area of expertise and is of particular interest to you.

Three Main Sources of Research Topics

• Theory

• Personal Experience

• Replication

Theory

• Organized bodies of concepts, generalizations, and principles.

Personal Experiences

• Lead to useful and personally rewarding studies.

Replication

• Repeating an existing study.

• It is generally expected that some feature of the replication(e.g. sample, instruments) will differ from the original study.

Problem with Library Immersion

• Not efficient unless one focuses on:

– handbooks, encyclopedias, and yearbooks that cover many topics briefly.

Narrowing a topic

• Quantitative topics-usually narrowed as quickly as possible.

• Qualitative topics-delayed until time is spent in the setting.

Characteristics of Good Topics

• Researchable- can be investigated through the collection and analysis of data.

• Philosophical topics, ethics issues or should questions are generally not researchable.

Characteristics of Good Topics

• A good problem has theoretical or practical significance;its solution should contribute in some way to improvement of the educational process.

Characteristics of Good Topics

• Good topic is one good for you.

• Must be a topic you can adequately investigate given:– your current level of research skill.– your available resources,– and your time and other restrictions.

Well-Stated Research Topic Statements

• Quantitative Study

• indicates:– variables of interest to the researcher.– The specific relationship between the variables

to be investigated, and the types of participants involved.

Well-Stated Research Topic Statements

• Quantitative Study– defines all variables, either directly or

operationally.– Operational definitions define concepts in terms

of measurable characteristics.

Well-Stated Research Topic Statements

• Statement of problem should be accompanied by a presentation of the background of the problem, including a justification for the study in terms of its significance.

Well-Stated Research Topic Statements

• Qualitative research topics are often stated later than quantitative.– The qualitative researcher needs to be attuned

to the research context before narrowing the topic.

Well-Stated Research Topic Statements

• Topic statement is the first component in the introductory section of a research plan and provides direction for the remaining aspects of the study.

Literature Review

• Involves the systematic identification, location, and analysis of documents containing information related to a research topic.

Literature Review

• Purpose:put study in the context of what information already exists that related to your topic.

Literature Review

• Function: points out research strategies, procedures, and instruments that have and have not been found to be productive in investigating your topic.

• It also facilitates interpretation of the results of the study.

Literature Review

• Smaller, well organized review is preferred to a review containing many studies that are more or less related to the problem.

• Heavily researched areas usually provide enough direct sources.

• Little research areas require review of related studies in a meaningful way.

Literature Review

• Worth of a research problem is not a function of the amount of literature available on the topic.

Evaluating Sources

• Does it apply to your topic?

• Is the information someone’s opinion or the result of a research study?

• Look closely at the date of publication and the copyright date.

• Identify the source of the article– referred journals have strict guidelines for

procedures, and tend to be more trustworthy than non-referred journals.

Evaluating Sources

• Identify the source of the article– referred journals have strict guidelines for

procedures, and tend to be more trustworthy than non-referred journals.

• Verify the information is objective and impartial.– Is there supporting evidence.

Writing Abstracts

• Involves locating, reviewing, summarizing, and classifying your references.

• Begin with most recent references. May contain references to preceding studies you had not identified.

Writing Abstracts

• For each reference:– write complete bibliographic record.– Identify main ideas.– Put quotation marks around quotes taken from

the reference.– Include page number of the quote.– Keep all references in APA format.– Save notes for future studies.

Analyzing, Organizing, and Reporting the Literature

• Requires technical writing.– Must documents facts and substantiate

opinions.– Clarify definitions and use them consistently.– Use an accepted manual of style.– Start section with an introduction and end with

a brief summary.

Analyzing, Organizing, and Reporting the Literature

• Make an outline.

• Sort reference into appropriate piles.

• Analyze relationships between resources in a given subheading.

• Don’t present references as a series of abstracts or annotations.

• Discuss references least related to the problem first.

Analyzing, Organizing, and Reporting the Literature

• Discuss references least related to the problem first.

• Conclude with a brief summary of the literature and its implications.

Analyzing, Organizing, and Reporting the Literature

• Qualitative researcher is more likely to construct review after starting the study.