Understanding when it is appropriate to make causal inferences from a statistical result is a fundamental skill for science literacy. Prior research has concentrated on erroneous causal judgments about observational studies, but there is little research on whether people understand that experiments provide stronger justification for causal claims.…

Positionality statements provide important insights into the researcher's stance relative to a perceived issue and can inform both researcher and reader as to potential biases. Despite this value, little structured guidance exists for education researchers interested in crafting high-quality positionality statements. This article examines data…

The present research examined the extent to which the initial approach to a research-writing course by STEM and non-STEM second-language learners may entail the contribution of different dispositions to course performance and ultimately be responsible for dissimilar outcomes. Individual differences in dispositions and behavior were assessed during…

In higher education, students often write an undergraduate thesis and receive one-to-one or small group support. During mentoring, 10 teachers ideally diagnose students' research skills, to be able to adapt their support to students' needs. In this study, we aimed to answer the question of how mentors apply the diagnostic phases of a diagnostic…

Undergraduate research methods courses help shape students' perceptions about research. Given the lack of diverse researchers in STEM fields, these perceptions are particularly important for underrepresented minorities. This study tested a social justice pedagogy intervention to determine the effects on various psychosocial constructs. Three…

This article describes how a university and public child welfare agency partnership and a federal demonstration project trained MSW and PhD social welfare students in homelessness intervention research using a continuous quality improvement approach. Over a period of 5 years, the Cal-Child Welfare Leadership Training model between University of…

A long-standing disconnect between social work practice and research exists that begins with our current education model. When taught separately, students often think they are distinctly different areas of social work that do not have to coexist. This conceptualization of research and practice as separate could contribute to the dearth of research…

Previous research has shown that the Meyerhoff Scholars Program (MSP) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County is effective at increasing the number of underrepresented minorities (URM) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While it is clear that comprehensive STEM programs, like the MSP, contribute to URM success in…

This article was introduced due to a sharp decline in research publication output by 120.69 units at the University of Venda (UNIVEN). Because research publication output is necessary for income generation, ranking of an institution of higher learning and international networks for possible collaborations, UNIVEN may experience long run…

Academic self-efficacy is the degree to which students believe they are capable of learning or accomplishing an academic task within a specific area of education. High academic self-efficacy has been associated with positive education outcomes such as enhanced learning, motivation, self-determination, and ultimately academic performance. The…

Despite widespread discourse about the need for teachers to utilize education research, little is known about how teachers learn to engage in this practice. How do preservice teachers understand the use of research to inform their teaching? Set within the context of a mathematics methods course, this study provides a detailed analysis of the…

Research literacy (RL) training for higher degree research (HDR) students has been reduced to information technology focus by librarians and as writing practice in research supervision which is an 'underdress' for the issue. This paper argues that holistic research literacy training support should be provided to HDR students, especially those from…

The shortage of social science graduates with competent quantitative skills jeopardises the competitive UK economy, public policy making effectiveness and the status the UK has as a world leader in higher education and research (British Academy for Humanities and Social Sciences, 2012). There is a growing demand for quantitative skills across all…

This article is a follow-up to, or even a sharpening of, a presentation I offered, three years ago, in this journal "TPA," about the closely related research-and-innovation-enrichment of the profession of mid-career students within their two-year part-time master's course. I wrote then about my 12 years of experience at the Urban…

To varying degrees, all instructors have experienced the frustration of receiving student assignments that have clearly been commenced and completed, at a very superficial level, just days prior to the submission date. The lack of engagement in the assignment task is often symptomatic of a lack of real engagement in the unit as a whole. This…