Research Traditions Readings

Williamson Ch.2

Methods triangulation:

• the checking of the consistency of findings by using different data-collection methods.

Sources triangulation:

• the cross checking for consistency of the information derived at different times and from different people.

Connaway & Powell, Ch. 2 

Scientific Method:

• (a) identification of an idea 
• (b) theory construction 
• (c) derivation of theoretical hypothesis/expectations 
• (d) operationalization of concepts 
• (e) testing of hypothesis.

Theory:

• a systematic explanation for the observations that relate to a particular aspect of life.
• an explanation for a quantifiable phenomenon.
• a set of related propositions that suggest why events occur in the manner they do.

Pyrczak (Appendix A)

Reflexivity:

• the researcher actively engages in self-reflection about his or her potential biases and predispositions. This is the key strategy used to understand researcher bias.

Theory triangulation:

• the use of multiple theories and perspectives to help interpret and explain the data.

Data triangulation:

• the use of multiple data sources to help understand a phenomenon. 

Patten (Topics 1-10)

Causal-comparative research:

• we look to the past for the cause of a current condition.

Longitudinal research:

• when we repeatedly measure traits of the subjects over a period of time in order to trace developmental trends.

Correlational research:

• when we are interested in the degree of relationship among two or more quantitative variables.

Standards for Reporting
 
Appropriateness of Methods:

• Where appropriate, expli- cation of methods may include explanation of how they are suited to accomplishing the overall aims, conceptual- ization, and design of the work.

Execution of Methods:

• Theparticularmethodsemployed in a work should be applied in a manner that is effective in terms of the particular criteria that apply to those methods.

Internal Coherence:

• Internal coherence involves the use of compelling confirming and disconfirming evi- dence to enable readers to understand and/or re-experi- ence educational events, concepts, value systems, or issues in comprehensible and illuminating ways. The various elements of a text should be internally coherent in that they fit with the inquiry’s topics, aims, methods, and conceptualization.

External Coherence:

• The inquiry should be externally coherent. That is, it should exhibit an awareness of, and, as appropriate, engage alternative or competing cultural, social, political, or intellectual perspectives.

Eldredge

Meta-analysis:

• allows reviewers to combine identical or comparable data sets from two or more studies examining the same research question to create a larger pool of data results to strengthen an overall conclusion.

Content analysis:

• maps nonnumerical artifacts such as text into a matrix of statistically manipulated symbols.