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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.1
Week 2a:Selecting and Defining
a Research Topic Objectives
Select and refine an educational topic
to study.
Distinguish good research topics from
less appropriate ones.
Distinguish between topic statements
for quantitative studies and those forqualitative studies.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.2
Week 2a:Selecting and Defining
a Research Topic Objectives
Identify or create good research
hypotheses for quantitative and
qualitative studies.
Explain the differences between null,
directional, and non-directionalhypotheses and discuss the use of adirectional hypothesis in a study.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.3
The Research Topic Selecting and defining a research topic
is the first step in applying the scientific
method. The research process is not linear and is
often a process of trial and error.
The research topic provides focus and
structure. The research topic should be relevant
and of interest to you.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.4
Sources of Research Topics Theories
Personal experiences
Studies that can be replicated Replication studies use a new sample
to retest a hypothesis.
Electronic mailing lists e.g.,http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.ht
ml
Library searches
http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.htmlhttp://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.htmlhttp://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.htmlhttp://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html7/18/2019 20131119111148Week 2a _ Research Topic
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
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2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.5
Narrowing a Topic Most topics need to be narrowed. Topics that are too broad:
require larger literature reviews. complicate organization of literature review. lead to unfocused studies that are difficult to
carry out and interpret.
Narrow quantitative topics at the start of
the research process. Qualitative researchers often narrow
their topic after they are in the field.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.6
Characteristics of a Good Topic1. The topic is interesting.
2. The topic is researchable.
3. The topic has theoretical or practicalimportance.
4. The topic is ethical.
5. The topic is manageable for you given
your current skills, resources, and timeavailable.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.7
Stating the Research Topic Quantitative research topics
A topic statement describes the
variables of interest, relations amongthose variables, and aspects of thesample. e.g., The purpose of the study is to investigate
the psychometric properties of a new measure of
spatial ability for middle school children. e.g., The topic to be investigated in this study is
parents beliefs about homework for primarygrade children.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
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2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Stating the Research Topic Qualitative research topics are often
stated in more general language at the
outset of a study because the focus ofthe study will likely emerge after time inthe field. e.g., The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences
of elementary students who have previously been retained. e.g., This qualitative study explores the feelings of new
teachers in large urban districts.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.9
Placement of the Topic Statement The topic statement is used in research plans
and in research reports.
Research statements are accompanied bybackground of the study and justification forthe study.
The potential relevance of the topic
should be stated. Thinking aboutsignificance of the topic often assistsresearchers in formulating hypotheses.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
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2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.10
Formulating & Stating Hypotheses A hypothesis is a prediction of the
researchers expected findings.
Many studies contain more than onehypothesis.
Researchers collect data to either supportor not support a hypothesis.
Written hypotheses are included inresearch plans and reports.
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Educational Research: Competencies for
Analysis and Application, 9th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Formulating & Stating Hypotheses Hypotheses are central to most
quantitative studies.
Hypotheses in quantitative studies areformulated before conducting the study.
All aspects of a quantitative study areaffected by the hypotheses.
Hypotheses are derived from theory orknowledge gained through literaturereview.
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th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Guidelines for Hypotheses1. A good hypothesis is based uponsound reasoning and is consistentwith existing theory or is derived from
previous research.2. A good hypothesis provides anexplanation for the predicted outcome.
3. A good hypothesis clearly operationallydefines variables and states expectedrelations among variables.
4. A good hypothesis is testable within areasonable time frame.
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Analysis and Application, 9
th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.13
Types of Hypotheses Inductive Hypothesis:A generalization based upon
observations e.g., A researcher observes that students
are motivated by praise; this observationbecomes the basis for a hypothesis.
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Analysis and Application, 9
th
edition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Types of Hypotheses Deductive Hypothesis:
Derived from theory and providesevidence that supports, expands, oreven contradicts theory
e.g., Based upon processing theories, a researcher
forms the hypothesis that students will attend tomoving objects in an educational computer game.
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Educational Research: Competencies forAnalysis and Application, 9thedition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Types of Hypotheses Nondirectional Hypothesis:
States that a relationship or difference exists amongvariables
e.g., There are differences between maleand female students in spatial ability.
Directional Hypothesis:States the expected direction of the relationship or
difference among variables
e.g., Male students will outperform femalestudents on a test of spatial ability.
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Types of Hypotheses Null Hypothesis:
States that there is no significant relationship
or difference among variables.
Null hypotheses are stated when thereis little existing research or theoretical
support for a hypothesis.
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Educational Research: Competencies forAnalysis and Application, 9thedition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Types of Hypotheses Null hypotheses are also more
conservative than directional hypotheses
in statistical tests. Most studies are not based in the null
hypothesis.
e.g., There are no significant differences in
spatial ability between male and femalestudents.
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Educational Research: Competencies forAnalysis and Application, 9thedition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.18
Stating the HypothesisA good hypothesis:
is clearly and concisely stated.
states the relation or difference amongvariables.
defines variables in measurable terms.
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2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Stating the Hypothesis Model for hypotheses:
P=The participants
X=The treatment, the causal orindependent variable (IV)
Y=The study outcome, the effect ordependent variable (DV)
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Educational Research: Competencies forAnalysis and Application, 9thedition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
All rights reserved.20
Practice Examples: Identify the P, X, & Y: The purpose of this
study is to examine benefits in ninth
grade students achievement based uponattendance at a Saturday tutoringprogram.
P=Ninth grade students
X=Saturday program attendance ornonattendance
Y=Achievement
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Educational Research: Competencies forAnalysis and Application, 9thedition.Gay, Mills, & Airasian
2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
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Testing the Hypothesis The hypothesis is used to guide the research
study.
The researcher conducts the study and then
analyzes the data to determine if the hypothesisis supported.
Hypotheses are not proventhey are supportedor not supported.
Valuable contributions to the literature can stillbe made if a hypothesis is not supported.
Hypothesis testing contributes by expanding,refining, and revising the literature base.
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Formulating & Stating Hypotheses Qualitative studies
The qualitative researcher does not
state formal hypotheses beforeconducting studies.
Qualitative researchers may developguiding hypotheses for the proposedresearch.
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Formulating & Stating Hypotheses Qualitative studies
Qualitative researchers often generate
new hypotheses during the course oftheir study.
Qualitative researchers may generateresearch questions from their guidinghypotheses.