EAF 410: Research Methodology and Statistics in Education I

John K. Rugutt, Ph.D.1

ILLINOISSTATEUNIVERSITY

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EAF 410: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND STATISTICS IN EDUCATION I

SPRING 2008

Instructor: John K. Rugutt, Ph.D.

Place of work: 323 DeGarmo

Phone: (309) 438-2051

Office Hours: By appointment (Email preferable).

Class Meeting: Wednesday5:30-8:20pm, Room: DEG 551

Email:

Department Name /

Educational Administration and Foundations

Course Number / EAF 410
Course Title / Research Methodology and Statistics in Education I
Catalog Description / The development of basic skills required in the understanding, planning and executing of a research study; introduction to analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.

Course Overview

/ EAF 410 is a first graduate-level course in research methods and statistics as applied to the field of education. The course (a) emphasizes qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches; (b) introduces descriptive and inferential statistics; (c) enables students to become more effective consumers of research; (d) prepares students for subsequent and related courses; and (e) provides a foundation for students to be able to conduct original research that may lead to theses, dissertations, or other products.
IllinoisStateUniversity has a historic and enduring commitment to educate leaders who will be responsive to the moral and intellectual demands a democratic society places on them. This course provides students with a general knowledge and basic understanding of research methods, statistics, and measurement. It encourages contagious intellectual enthusiasm and creativity, an orientation that requires a seriousness of purpose and reverence for learning.
Technology components:
As a part of this course, students make use of a variety of technological tools. These include computer databases and the Internet that are accessed to locate relevant research articles, and word processing packages to type and format class assignments.

Topical/Content Outline...Subject to Change

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the course syllabus as necessary.

It is the student's responsibility to keep up with changes to the syllabus

Week / Date / Topic / Assignment / Chapter
1 / 01/16 / Introduction and Overview / ---
2 / 01/23 / The Process of Conducting Research
Organizing and Graphing Data / Creswell Ch1
Other*
3 / 01/30 / Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches
Organizing and Graphing Data / Creswell Ch2
4 / 02/06 / Identifying a Research Problem
Measures of Central Tendency
Measures of Spread/Variability / Research Project Assignment / Creswell Ch3
Other
5 / 02/13 / Study Purpose, Research Questions/Hypotheses
Survey Research
Normal Distribution / Creswell Ch5, 13
Other
6 / 02/20 / Study Purpose, Research Questions/Hypotheses Normal Distribution / Article Critique / Creswell Ch5
7 / 02/27 / Reviewing the Literature
Normal Distribution / Creswell Ch4
8 / 03/05 / Midterm Examination!!!
9 / 03/12 / Spring Break / No Class / ---
10 / 03/19 / Collecting Quantitative Data—Instruments & Samples
Collecting Qualitative Data—Instruments & Samples
Research Methods--Correlation Analysis / Creswell Ch6, 8, 12
Other
11 / 03/26 / Catch-up Time / ---
12 / 04/02 / Research Methods--Causal-Comparative Designs
Analyzing and Interpreting Quantitative & Qualitative Data
A One sample t Test / Creswell Ch7, 9
Others
13 / 04/09 / Research Methods--Experimental Research Designs
Independent-Measures t Test / Creswell Ch11
Other
14 / 04/16 / Research Methods-Single-Subject
Reporting and Evaluating Research
Related t Test / Project Presentation / Creswell Ch10, 11
Other
15 / 04/23 / Research Methods-Single-Subject
Related t Test / Creswell Ch7
Other
16 / 04/30 / Mixed Methods Designs
Action Research Designs / Creswell Ch 17, 18
17 / 05/08 / Final Examination!!! / Final Project Due / ----

Note: * Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative

Research (John W. Creswell)

** Instructor’s discussions and/or summary notes (where notes are available, they will be provided electronically).

1.Research Methods/Statistics in Education I

1.1CourseObjectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Identify a variety of research designs (mostly quantitative paradigms--Ch 11, 12, 13, 17, 18).
Understand the concepts of internal and external validity (Chapter 11).
Identify a researchable problem and conduct research on it (Chapters 3, 5).
Use a research library and other public sources of data and research (Chapter 4).
Demonstrates ones’ ability to critically analyze and interpret published research (through literature reviews and/or article critiques) (Chapter 10).
Understand various techniques of data collection, both quantitative and qualitative (Ch 6, 8)
Understand the issues related to the concepts of instrument validity and reliability (Ch 6, 8).
Identify and be familiar with a variety of data analysis techniques, both quantitative and qualitative (Chapters 7, 9)
Correctly calculate and interpret basic descriptive and inferential statistics (Chapter 7).
Understand the logic of statistical inference and hypothesis testing (Chapters 7, 9).
Be able to calculate and interpret inferential statistics on z, t, and r (Chapters 7, 11, 12).
Write according to APA guidelines.

1.2 Class Format

The format of the course will be a combination of lectures, seminar, and computer time. Each topic that we cover will have a combination of lecturing by me, to give you the necessary background for the topic, hands-on and lab exercises so that we can learn how to compute, interpret output, and a discussion period where we all read assigned work that apply the topic and participate in class discussion.

1.3Texts and Software

Required text:

(Creswell) Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (3rded.). Merrill Prentice Hall. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-613550-0

Recommended texts:

American Psychological Association. (2000). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (5th ed.).Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Best, J. W., Kahn, J. V. (2006). Research in Education (10th ed.). Allyn & Bacon.

Frankel, J. R. & Wallen, N. E. (2003). How to design and evaluate research in education(6th ed.).

New York: McGraw Hill.

Vogt, W. P. (2007):Quantitative Research Methods for Professionals.Allyn & Bacon.

ISBN: 0-205-35913-2

Primary software: Microsoft Excel and SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). We will use the Windows version of SPSS as much as possible. The examples I will offer in class and the lab computer exercises will be computed in SPSS. SPSS online tutorials are available on

1.4 Required Student Tasks

Course Requirements and Required Student Tasks:

Participate in all class activities, complete all assigned readings, and be prepared to discuss them in class;
Complete the assignments by the due dates;
Complete a final paper and deliver presentation of the paper.

1.Class Participation/Attendance.Attendance and active participation in class is very important and will be part of your grade. Note that work on data analysis using computers will be primarily an in-class activity, so attendance is particularly crucial. Being sick will not count as an absence.You will receive a maximum of 5 points for class participation and attendance.

2.Assignments.Each student will complete two major assignments that together describe a process for writing a research paper. One article critique will also be completed. More details are provided on the assignment link within the WebCT courseware.

1.5Student Performance Evaluation Methods

The following point allocation will be used to determine final grades for the class:

1. Class participation/attendance 5 points

2.Research Project Assignment 10 points

3. Article Critique10 points

4. Midterm 25 points

5.Final Project 20 points

6. Presentation of Final Project 5 points

7. Final Exam 25 points

Assignments: Research assignment project is worth a maximum of 10 points. Handing in a well thought out and well written assignment on the due date is worth 5 points. Assignments turned in late will receive half-credit of 5 points if well done. A high-quality final paper submitted on time will receive 20 points. Final papers turned in one day late will receive a maximum of 15 points and final papers turned in more than one day late will receive half-credit, or a maximum of 10 points. A well-done final presentation of your results will receive 5 points. Students who do not present their research projects will not receive credit for the presentation.

Letter grades will be assigned in accordance with the following scheme:

Points Letter Grade
90-100 A (Exceptional Performance)

80-89 B (Above Average Performance)
70-79 C (Average Performance)
60-69 D (Below Average Performance)
0-59 F (Failing)

ISU Policies

ISU Regulations state:

"Written or other work a student submits in a course must be the product of his/her own efforts: plagiarism, cheating, or other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited." Cases of suspected copying, cheating, or plagiarism are referred to Student Dispute Office for a University hearing.

Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Disability Concerns at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).

1.6Delivery System

This course will be presented using a variety of delivery systems: The class will combine lecture, seminar/discussion(in-class and through online), statistical computing and student presentation.