ED 504 Techniques of Educational Research

Dr. Dianne Richardson

Office: Bibb Graves 221C

Telephone: 652-3440

E-mail:

Office Hours: As posted in Bibb Graves 221-C and by appointment.

Course Description: ED 504. Major concepts and techniques of educational research to include types of research, application and interpretation of data, and the development and use of data collection instruments. Extensive reading and research project required. (3 semester hours)

Text: McMillan, J.H. and Schumacher, S. (2001) Research in education: A conceptual introduction, 5th Ed. Addison, Wesley, Longman: New York, NY.

Required Text: Publication Manual For the American Psychological Association, 5th Ed. American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., 2001.

Course Objectives: In keeping with the Julia Tutwiler College of Education Practical Experience Model, after completing this course, students will be able to:

  1. Define a variety of research methodologies; describe their major purposes, their sources of information, and the procedures for conducting each type of research. (Presentations)
  2. Differentiate between experimental research and other types of research designs. (Presentations)
  3. Determine the research problem, variables and hypotheses, reviewing the literature, sampling, instrumentation, validity and reliability, and internal validity. (Proposal)
  4. Examine data analysis and differentiate between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. (Article Analysis)
  5. Describe the purposes and structure of qualitative research techniques. (Presentations)
  6. Identify and describe purposes of statistical analysis in educational research. (Article Analysis)
  7. Read and critique educational research articles in professional journals. (Article Analysis and Proposal)
  8. Recognize the safe, responsible, legal and ethical uses of technologies, including fair-use and copyright guidelines and Internet user protection policies (Article Analysis and Chapter Two of Proposal)
  9. Examine teaching styles and learner outcomes and design methods to evaluate learner outcomes. (Article Analysis and Proposal)
  10. Design research and evaluation procedures to improve the quality of teaching and learning. (Proposal)
  11. Prepare Chapters One and Two of a research proposal according

to APA guidelines. (Proposal)

Course Requirements:

  1. Complete assigned readings from required textbooks.
  2. Complete two (2) written analyses of current research articles in the professional educator's field, with analysis of safe, responsible, legal and ethical uses of technologies, including fair-use and copyright guidelines and Internet user protection policies.
  3. Complete summaries and paraphrases of educational materials related to the research proposal topic.
  4. Participate in library research and the gathering of relevant materials for the proposal (a minimum of 8 references required).
  5. Complete tests and final examinations.
  6. Complete and submit a research proposal with Chapters 1 and 2.
  7. Participate in collaborative presentations on selected types of research methodologies.
  8. Participate in class activities.

Evaluation: In order to receive credit for this course, a student must complete all course requirements and demonstrate a fundamental knowledge and/or ability to use each objective listed.

Class attendance/participation (large/small groups) …………20%

Article critiques and other written assignments………………20%

Chapter Tests…………..……………………………………..10%

Collaborative Presentation……………………………………10%

Chapters One and Two of the Research Proposal ……………30%

Final Examination…………………………………………….10%

Criteria for Evaluation: See Handout for Research Proposal Requirements.

All materials submitted for evaluation must be done in APA Style.

Presentations will be evaluated on content, visuals, handouts, participation, time, and quality of preparation from each member of the group. Article critiques must be on an experimental research article, not on opinions or summaries. Also, please do not use digests, including ERIC Digests. The research proposal should be about a proposed experimental study on an educational issue (See appropriate chapter in text). Topics will be provided.

Journals Available:

  • Journal of Educational Research*
  • Journal of Education
  • Harvard Educational Review
  • The Educational Forum
  • Other appropriate research journals, especially those on specific content areas; please do not use journals that do not meet the requirements as research-based. Also, do not use journals that are synopses of articles.
  • Use the Library Resource Center’s databases, especially Academic Search Elite that contains complete articles for your use.
  • Materials taken from the Internet should meet specific requirements: be research-based, contain an abstract, be about an experimental study of some nature, and be related to a relevant educational issue.
  • Check the web site for APA guidelines on Internet citations and references. (
  • Some sources for primary literature are as follows:
  1. Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE)
  2. Resources in Education (RIE)
  3. Psychological Abstracts
  4. Sociological Abstracts
  5. Child Development Abstracts and Bibliography
  6. Exceptional Child Education Resources
  7. Research Related to Children
  8. Resources in vocational Education
  9. Business Education Index
  1. Completed Research in Health, Physical Education and

Recreation Including International Sources

  1. The Physical Education Index
  2. State Education Journal Index
  3. Educational Administration Abstracts
  4. Government Documents Indexes
  5. Dissertation Abstracts International
  6. Comprehensive Dissertation Index

Bibliography of additional texts:

Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., and Razavieh, A. (1996)

Introduction to research in education, 5th Ed. Holt, Rinehart and

Winston, Inc., Fort Worth, TX.

Borg, W. R. and Gall, M. D. (most recent edition) Educational research: An introduction. Longman, Inc., White Plains, NY.

Charles, C. M. (1998). Introduction to educational research, 3rd Ed.

Longman, New York, NY.

Gay, L. R. and Airasian, P. (2000) Educational research:

Competencies for analysis and application, 6th Ed. Merrill, An Imprint

of Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Gronlund, N. (1990). Measurement and evaluation in teaching. 6th Ed. MacMillan Publishing Company, New York, NY.

McNeill, P. (1999). Research methods, 2nd Ed. Routledge, New York,

NY.

Slavin, R. E. (1995). Cooperative learning, 2nd Ed. Allyn and Bacon,

Boston, MA.

Tuckman, B. W. (1999). Conducting educational research, 5th Ed.

Harcourt Brace College Publishers, Fort Worth, TX.

Other appropriate texts related to research design, evaluation and measurement.

Absence Policy: Conforms to University of West Alabama policy as stated in the General Catalogue.

Disability: The University of West Alabama strives to make its programs accessible to qualified persons defined as disabled under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students who have special needs that require accommodation are responsible for notifying instructors in each course in which they are enrolled and appropriate staff members, who in turn will refer the student to the ADA Compliance Coordinator. Following verification of the student's status, the ADA Compliance Coordinator will work with the instructor of staff member in implementing an appropriate plan for accommodation of the student's needs. Support documentation of special needs from a physician or other qualified professional will be required if deemed necessary. For additional information, students should contact the Student Success Center, Foust Hall 7, (205) 652-3651 or the Office of Student Life 311, Webb Hall, (205) 652-3581.

Assessment Day: As a part of the University's plan to assess institutional effectiveness, a day is set aside each semester for assessment activities. Although no day classes meet on this designated day, students are required to participate in assessment activities when they are called upon to do so.

Content/Schedule Change: The instructional schedule reflects expected class progress in course subject matter and is considered tentative. The schedule is subject to change in content and scope at the instructor's discretion.

Honesty/Integrity: The University of West Alabama Academic Dishonesty Policy stated in the General Catalogue and the Student Handbook will be followed in this course. Be aware of copyright laws and safe, responsible, legal and ethical uses of technologies, including fair-use and copyright guidelines and Internet user protection policies. AVOID plagiarism. Evidence of plagiarism or irresponsible use of secondary sources will result in loss of credit for that part of the grade.