Contrary to its typical presentation in scientific publications as a certain and linear process, in reality, the experimental method, not least the design aspect of it, requires a great deal of trial-and-error and ad hoc decision-making on the part of the researchers. This uncertain and contingent aspect of research, although little known outside…

"Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research" offers a truly balanced, inclusive, and integrated overview of the processes involved in educational research. This text first examines the general steps in the research process and then details the procedures for conducting specific types…

This article examines truth criteria in qualitative research. The argument is made that qualitative educational research is being subtly undermined by mixed methods research and by ongoing bias by some quantitative researchers who transmit to their graduate students the message that qualitative research is plagued by subjectivity. The author…

Clear, coherent and trusted, this book is the perfect guide to the main social research methods in use today. The much anticipated Third Edition of Clive Seale's bestselling title further expands its coverage to provide an authoritative introduction to all of the social research methods used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data. Written by…

This article describes in candour, the journey of a novice researcher deciding which methodological approach to apply to her doctoral research. Eager to commence fieldwork, she considers five options: ethnography, phenomenology, biography, grounded theory, and case study. Upon discovering however, that none of the described alternatives…

Ethnographic interviews help researchers avoid assumptions, collect descriptive data, and use language originating with respondents. The rich insights such interviews provide into attitudes, values, and behavior can be useful for survey design and measurement decisions. (SK)

Argues that framing the issue of standards in terms of quantitative-qualitative debate is misguided. Discusses the possibility that the problem of standards is best framed in terms of the "logics in use" associated with various research methodologies. Presents five standards that can apply to all educational research. (JS)

Urges developmental educators to undertake classroom research. Offers guidance on the formulation of research questions. Compares four research methodologies: correlational, experimental, descriptive, and ethnographic research. Reviews potential problems. (DMM)

Several years ago, a coalition of Chicago civic groups met to determine the scope of the urban dropout problem and develop strategies for dealing with it. The resulting research program rejected both attrition and survey analysis approaches in favor of direct examination of all student records for three graduating classes (1982, 1983, and 1984)…

Research practitioners have traditionally collected and analyzed data using experimental designs and inferential statistical procedures. In addition to being difficult to learn and apply, these quantitative procedures generally leave out such variables as attitudes, feelings, and emotions. This paper describes the nature and role of qualitative…

This collection of papers leads classroom language teachers through the process of developing and completing a classroom research project. Arranged in four sections, they include: "Language Teaching and Research" (David Nunan); "Where Are We Now? Trends, Teachers, and Classroom Research" (Dale T. Griffee); "First Things First: Writing the Research…

Directed at practitioners in adult and career education, this document defines qualitative research, compares qualitative research to quantitative research, describes the "war" between proponents of each kind of research, describes how to assess qualitative research, and explains how to choose and use qualitative techniques. Pitfalls of…