Each Chapter begins with an “Introduction” and ends with a “Summary,” “Discussion Questions,” “Exercise(s),” “Relevant Web Sites,” “Recommended Additional Readings,” and “Key Terms.”

I. Introduction.

1. Introduction to Educational Research.

Why Study Educational Research?

Areas of Educational Research.

Examples of Educational Research.

General Kinds of Research.

Sources of Knowledge.

The Scientific Approach to Knowledge Generation.

Objectives of Science.

Overview of Book.

How to Get Started.

2. Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Research.

Characteristics of the Three Research Paradigms.

Quantitative Research Methods: Experimental and Nonexperimental Research.

Qualitative Research Methods.

Mixed Research Methods.

Our Research Typology.

II. Planning the Research Study.

3. Developing Research Questions and Proposal Prepositions.

Sources of Research Ideas.

Review of the Literature.

Literature Search and the Internet.

Feasibility of the Study.

Statement of the Research Problem.

Statement of Purpose of the Study.

Statement of Research Questions.

Formulating Hypotheses.

The Research Plan or Research Proposal.

Consumer Use of the Literature.

4. Research Ethics.

What Are Research Ethics?

Ethical Concerns.

Ethical Guidelines for Research with Humans.

Informed Consent.

Informed Consent and Minors as Research Participants.

Additional Consent.

Deception.

Freedom to Withdraw.

Protection from Mental and Physical Harm.

Institutional Review Board.

III. FOUNDATIONS OF RESEARCH.

5. Standardized Measurement and Assessment.

Defining Measurement.

Scales of Measurement.

Assumptions Underlying Testing and Measurement.

Identifying a Good Test or Assessment Procedure.

Educational and Psychological Tests.

Sources of Information About Tests.

6. Methods of Data Collection.

Questionnaires.

Interviews.

Focus Groups.

Observation.

Secondary Data.

7. Sampling.

Terminology Used in Sampling.

Random Sampling Techniques.

Nonrandom Sampling Techniques.

Random Selection and Random Assignment.

Determining the Sample Size When Random Sampling Is Used.

Sampling in Qualitative Research.

8. Validity of Research.

Validity Issues in the Design of Quantitative Research.

Statistical Conclusion Validity

Internal Validity.

External Validity.

Construct Representation.

Research Validity in Qualitative Research.

IV. SELECTING A RESEARCH METHOD.

9. Experimental Research.

The Experiment.

Independent Variable Manipulation.

Control of Confounding Variables.

Experimental Research Designs.

10. Quasi-Experimental and Single-Case Designs.

Quasi-Experimental Research Designs.

Single-Case Experimental Designs.

Methodological Considerations in Using Single-Case Designs.

Group Comparison or Single-Case Designs.

11. Nonexperimental Quantitative Research.

Steps in Nonexperimental Research.

Independent Variables in Nonexperimental Research.

Causal-Comparative and Correlational Research.

Three Necessary Conditions for Cause-and-Effect Relationships.

Applying the Three Necessary Conditions for Causation in Nonexperimental Research.

Techniques of Control in Nonexperimental Research.

Time Dimension in Research.

Classifying Nonexperimental Research Methods by Research Objective.

12. Qualitative Research.

Phenomenology.

Ethnography.

Case Study Research.

Grounded Theory.

13. Historical Research.

What Is Historical Research.

Significance of Historical Research.

Historical Research Methodology.

Identification of the Research Topic and Formulation of the Research Problem or Question.

How to Locate Historical Information.

Evaluation of Historical Sources.

Data Synthesis and Report Preparation.

14. Mixed Method and Mixed Model Research.

The Research Continuum.

Types of Mixed Research Methods.

Stages in the Mixed Research Process.

Limitations of Mixed Research.

V. Analyzing the Data.

15. Descriptive Statistics.

Descriptive Statistics.

Frequency Distributions.

Graphic Representations of Data.

Measures of Central Tendency.

Measures of Variability.

Measures of Relative Standing.

Examining Relationships Among Variables.

16. Inferential Statistics.

Sampling Distributions.

Estimation.

Hypothesis Testing.

Hypothesis Testing in Practice.

17. Data Analysis in Qualitative Research.

Interim Analysis.

Memoing.

Data Entry and Storage.

Coding and Developing Category Systems.

Enumeration.

Creating Hierarchical Category Systems.

Showing Relationships Among Categories.

Computer Programs for Qualitative Data Analysis.

VI. Writing the Research Report.

18. Preparation of the Research Report.

General Principles Related to Writing the Research Report.

Writing Quantitative Research Reports Using the APA Style.

Writing Qualitative Research Reports.

Writing Mixed Research Reports.

Appendix A: Quantitative Research Article Abstract and Link.
Appendix B: Qualitative Research Article Abstract and Link.
Appendix C: Mixed Research Article Abstract and Link.
References.
Index.