Purpose: Novice researchers experience difficulties in analysing qualitative data. To develop the skills necessary for qualitative data analysis, theoretical manuals are often insufficient. Supervisors supporting students in analysing qualitative data stress the need for practical guidance, including exercises and feedback. The purpose of this…

Postdoc positions, intended to be advanced or continued research training in a field, are a part of the physics education research (PER) enterprise yet little is known about them. PER postdocs differ from their traditional physics counterparts in that they may have different education and research experiences. This study examined the types of…

While Action Research (AR) is promoted as a powerful route for teachers' professional development, different contextual challenges may arise during the process; teachers may be helped to overcome these challenges with the guidance of external facilitators. Drawing on data from interviews and the teachers' AR reports, this article explores how two…

Growing body of studies has stressed the role of research in teacher education since conducting research informs both teachers and students, and contributes to professional skills. Therefore, this study aimed to find out and compare the perspectives of pre-service and in-service English teachers in an EFL context with regard to finding sufficient…

This study reports on experiences of doctoral students in educational administration at a time when the effectiveness of programs preparing practitioners and academics in this field are being questioned. Concerns related to how students in educational administration developed knowledge about research and identity as researchers were closely…

Investigation of scientists' actual processes of conducting research can provide us with more realistic aspects of scientific inquiry. This study was performed to identify three aspects of scientists' actual research: their motivations for scientific inquiry, the scientific inquiry skills they used, and the main types of results obtained from…

Over the past three decades, researchers have studied doctoral research training programs using large scale surveys making visible trends in numbers of and kinds of research courses required, or using focused qualitative methods to gain rich, textured accounts of graduate school experiences. Both kinds of studies fail to capture the local,…

Developmentally appropriate research techniques were uncovered by involving ten Year 7 pupils as researchers in a four-hour workshop that investigated the effectiveness of multiple methods in gathering sensitive information from early adolescents. The pupils learned about, tried and evaluated the methods of generating interview questions, peer and…

This paper summarizes practical strategies that qualitative researchers can employ to improve their interviewing skills. The first section, "The Art of Questioning: Wording Makes a Difference," presents several guidelines: (1) questions should be short and precise; (2) ask only one question at a time; (3) avoid questions in which the…

This training guide has been developed for use by staff members of the U.S. Marine Corps, Office of Manpower Utilization in their preparation for Task Analysis projects, the first step in a research program aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the Marine Corps' manpower management program. The guide is designed to provide basic orientation to…

This review covers the past 25 years of research literature on training observers of behavior, specifically in the areas of interviewing, reducing rater bias, interpersonal perception and observation as a research tool. The focus is on determining the most successful training methods and their theoretical bases. (Author/SJL)

This article is part of a broader study on research capacity development (RCD) of individuals within three research units in South African universities. The complex and wide-ranging nature of research capacity means that development of capacity is a long-term, multifaceted and multilayered process. The ability to do research is more than the sum…

Describes a study that obtained assessments of the status of research in library and information science from leading researchers in the field. Five key issue areas affecting the status of research are identified and specific recommendations are offered to address these issues and improve the status of research in this area. (31 references)…

This book presents interviews with 12 of the best primary researchers in the business. These research professionals reveal their strategies for integrating online and offline resources, identifying experts, and getting past gatekeepers to obtain information that exists only in someone's head. Topics include how searchers use a combination of…

This book presents interviews with 13 research professionals that contain favorite online search strategies and research tools, anecdotes, "how to" survival tips, and best-practice examples. The appendix lists referenced sites and sources in the following categories: (1) online resources; (2) books, annuals, newsletters, magazines, and…