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Conducting Educational Research
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Conducting Educational Research
"Guide to Completing a Thesis, Dissertation, or Action Research Project"

Second Edition


October 2019 | 304 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Designed to be used during the research process, Conducting Educational Research: Guide to Completing a Thesis, Dissertation, or Action Research Project, Second Edition walks readers through each step of a research project or thesis, including developing a research question, performing a literature search, developing a research plan, collecting and analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and sharing the conclusions with others. Throughout the book, Daniel J. Boudah covers all types of research (including experimental, descriptive, qualitative, group designs, and single subject designs) and helps readers link research questions to designs, designs to data sources and data sources to appropriate analyses. Each chapter includes activities and exercises to ensure the researcher is asking the right questions and producing a quality project.

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
Chapter 1 • Research in Education
Conducting Research in Education: Art or Science?

 
The Current Research-to-Practice Gap

 
Examples of Research at the Policy and Classroom Levels

 
Research Types, Designs, and Methodologies

 
Selected Organizations That Support Research in Education

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Activity

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Activity Answers

 
 
Chapter 2 • Identifying a Research Problem and Question, and Searching Relevant Literature
Identifying a Research Problem

 
Identifying a Possible Research Question

 
The Purposes of a Literature Review

 
The Process of Conducting a Literature Search

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
 
Chapter 3 • Understanding Relevant Literature and Writing a Literature Review
Analyzing Literature Search Outcomes

 
Writing a Literature Review

 
Revisiting and Revising Research Questions

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Check Sheet for Understanding Relevant Literature

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 4 • Issues in Validity and Reliability
What Are Validity, Trustworthiness, and Reliability?

 
Types of Validity and Their Threats

 
Reliability

 
Trustworthiness

 
Ways to Address Challenges to Trustworthiness

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 5 • Designing and Conducting Experimental Research
Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Research

 
Questions Point to Designs

 
Group Designs

 
Single-Subject Designs

 
Measurement of Dependent Variables

 
Types of Data

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 6 • Designing and Conducting Qualitative Research
What Is Qualitative Research?

 
Qualitative Design: The Planning Process

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 7 • Designing and Conducting Descriptive Research
Types of Quantitative Descriptive Research

 
Survey Methods

 
Conducting Descriptive Research

 
Accessing Extant Databases

 
Mixed Methods Research

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 8 • Creating a Research Proposal
The Purpose of a Research Proposal

 
Identifying a Problem

 
Investigating and Identifying Relevant Literature

 
Identifying a Research Question

 
Identifying a Research Design and Method

 
Identifying Research Procedures and Plans

 
Identifying Potential Analyses

 
Protection of Human Participants

 
Pilot Testing

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 9 • Analyzing and Interpreting Experimental Research
Experimental Data

 
Selecting a Statistic Consistent With Your Design and Appropriate to Your Data

 
Interpreting the Results of Analyses

 
Discussing Experimental Results

 
Statistical Conclusion Validity

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 10 • Analyzing and Interpreting Qualitative Data
Data Management

 
Data Analysis

 
Trustworthiness

 
Documenting and Reporting Results

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 11 • Analyzing and Interpreting Descriptive Research
Descriptive Data Analysis and Interpretation

 
Correlational Research

 
Causal Comparative Research

 
Mixed Methods Research

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
Your Research Project in Action

 
Further Reading

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Chapter 12 • Writing Research Reports
Writing for Publication

 
Getting Your Writing Published

 
Putting It All Together

 
Summary

 
References

 
Literature Examples

 
 
Appendix A: Organizations That Support Educational Research
 
Appendix B: Using Microsoft® Excel to Analyze Data
 
Glossary
 
Index
 
About the Author

I was drawn to review this book due to "action research" being in the title. Although the book has some references to how the different topics/chapters relate to action research, it wasn't as explicit as I wanted. Some of the strengths of this book are the examples, activities, and "your research project in action." These are great tools to help students understand some of the research concepts in practical, usable ways.
We use Creswell already for Doc Core I and II and are going to stick with that. I was also looking for something practical and straight forward to guide and support some of my master's students in doing an action research project and this book was too in-depth for the projects that they are doing. Thanks for letting me review it.

Amie Cieminski
Ed Leadership Policy Stds Div, University Of Northern Colorado-Greeley
March 3, 2020

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