EDOL 630

Research Methods

Week 5

UNI VERS I TY O F THE CUMBERL AND S

EDOL 630
Spring 2022
 Professor: Eric Jay Rosser, PhD
 E-Mail: eric.rosser@ucumberlands.edu
 Class Time: Thrusday, 8:00pm to 9:30pm
Class Agenda

 Review The Introduction Chapter

 The Methodology Chapter
 Week 5 Assignment
 Week 6 Assignment
 Weekly Quiz
Learning Objectives

The student will:

1) Understand how to design the Introduction Chapter of the Research

Proposal

2) Understand how to design the Methodology Chapter of the Research

Proposal
“Introduction” Chapter Format
1. Introduction: Provides a context of the proposed study for the reader to have
an understanding of your topic more in depth. This is where you can pull
research from the Literature Review to help develop the context. The
Introduction section should serve as the foundation for the reader to have a clear
understanding how, you, the researcher are framing the topic and the lens in
which you understand and are presenting it.

2. Problem Statement: Statement of the problem under investigation

3. Background for the Study: Discuss the history of the problem under
investigation (This is a place where you will cite older sources)

4. Purpose of the Study: Identify and define central concepts or ideas in the study,
and provide a bridge to the 2 research questions that your study will investigate:
“Introduction” Chapter Format

5. Research Questions: Two action research questions. One Qualitative

and One Quantitative.

6. Hypothesis: This is where you provide your thoughts of what the outcome
of the study will be.

7. Key Definitions: Provide all the words and associated definitions a reader
needs to understand
Methodology Chapter
A research proposal's methodology outlines the strategy for conducting an
investigation in order to answer a research question.  As a part of an overall
research project proposal, the researcher will need to plan out and share the
procedures that will be used in the investigation. 

In the Methodology Chapter you will describe what you plan to accomplish,
why you want to do it and how you are going to do it. This process is very 
important; to a reader, your research investigation is only as a good as your
proposal methodology. 

Generally, a research proposal should contain all the key elements involved in
the research process and include sufficient information for the readers to
evaluate the proposed study.  An ill-conceived proposal dooms the project
because your methods are not carefully thought out in advance.
Reflective Exercise

If you don’t have well thought out plan on

how you will complete a task (i.e. a wedding
proposal, an Ikea shelving unit, a BBQ, etc.)
what do you think your success with the task
will be?
Methodology Chapter Format
The Methodology Chapter should describe how each specific objective will be
achieved, with enough detail to enable an independent and informed assessment of
the proposal. This chapter should include:

 Introduction

 Design

 Sampling/Participants

 Instruments/Materials

 Procedures
 Data Collection
 Data Analysis

 Limitations

 Conclusion
 Introduction Section Format

Brief introduction outlines the foundation of the study and why you are
choosing the methodology that you are and laying out the plan (Methods)
to seek an answer to the problems you have identified.
Research Design Section Format
Research design can be described as Qualitative or Quantitative in
approach.  It is also possible to have a mixture of the two approaches (mixed
methods), both in overall design and in the specific methods used in the
investigation.

 Identify and explain the quantitative and qualitative elements of your

proposal. As well identify what design it is (hint: yours is action research).
In this section it is important to also describe why this design is most
appropriate for this study. (hint: Explain without merely giving a
definition.)
Sampling

Sampling can be a somewhat complicated concept. 

It is highly unlikely that a complete population will be investigated. Because of

the time and cost elements the amount of data you collect will be limited and the
number of people you contact will be small in number. You will, therefore, have
to take a sample and usually a small sample.
Sampling
Sampling/Participants Section Format

Sampling theory says a correctly taken sample of an appropriate size will

yield results that can be applied to the population as a whole.

A population is the group that we want to study for our investigation, and
about which we will make a conclusion.   Because we cannot always
interview or survey an entire population because it is too large,  we pick a
sample , a smaller representative group, from which we will make
generalizations about the population.  For example, you and four of your
classmates can be a sample of this class.
Sampling/Participants Section Format
Participants

 All participants should be identified. An explanation of why these participants

were selected over other potential participants(sampling).

 The demographic(race, age, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.) of the participants

should be provided for all.

Setting

 The setting should be identified. Where in the country is the study taking
place(urban, suburban, rural)? What type of school (public, private, charter, or
parochial)?

Special Note

 Because it is impossible to know who your Participants are you would create an
ideal population. Same thing may exist for the Setting.
Instruments/Materials Section Format
Now it is time to think about the resources and materials that you will
need for your research.  List the equipment and resources that you will
need to answer your action research questions (i.e., quantitative and
qualitative)

You must identify the resources you will need to complete the project with
a clear understanding of each stage of your project. Be sure to consider
materials, and equipment/tools in your explanation. While exhaustive
details are not required for a general proposal, an assessment of the
potential resource requirements is essential for good research planning. A
proposal that neglects resource use or underestimates the resources
required suggests a poorly thought-out project.
Instruments/Materials Section Format
The materials and equipment that you need for your research investigation will vary
based on your methodology.  The following questions should help guide you in
determining what you should include in this section of your proposal.

 What materials and instruments will you need to explore your qualitative and
quantitative action research questions?

 What intervention will you use? – Important

 What tools are you going to use?

 What materials are you going to use?

 Are you going to administer any tests? If so, which ones?

 Are there any special supplies you require?

 Do you need an apparatus or device to observe or record behavior?

Procedure Section Format
 Procedures:Type a brief introduction to serve as a description of the
procedures and protocols you will take in data collection and data analysis.

 Data Collection: description of the methods used to collect information, and

identification of variables and how you plan to collect the data (Be detailed and
not vague). The Data Collection section should be structured to address the
methods that will be used to collect data for your qualitative action research
question and then your quantitative action research question.

• Data Analysis: description of data processing and analyzing procedures. (Be

detailed and not vague. For instance, Will you be looking for certain percentage
of growth? Class growth? Individual growth? How will you analyze the
quantitative data? How will you analyze the qualitative data?). The Data Analysis
section should be structured to address the methods that will be used to analyze
data for your qualitative action research question and then your quantitative
action research question.
Data Collection
In data collection, you collect the data yourself using qualitative and
quantitative methods. There are many methods of collecting primary
data.  The main methods include but are not limited to:

 Questionnaires

 Interviews

 Focus group interviews

 Observation

 Student assessments

Again, the Data Collection section should be structured to address the methods
that will be used to collect data for your qualitative action research question and
then your quantitative action research question. It is best to have two distinctive
sections to address both of your action research questions.
Data Analysis
The purpose of analyzing data is to obtain usable and useful information.
The analysis, regardless of whether the data is qualitative or quantitative, may:

 Describe and summarize the data.

 Identify relationships between variables.

 Compare variables. 

 Identify the difference between variables.

 Forecast outcomes. 

Again, the Data Analysis section should be structured to address the methods that will
be used to analyze data for your qualitative action research question and then your
quantitative action research question. It is best to have two distinctive sections to
address both of your action research questions.
Limitations Section Format
The limitations section of your research proposal describe situations and
circumstances that may affect or restrict your methods and analysis of
research data.

Limitations are influences that the researcher cannot control.   They are the
shortcomings, conditions or influences that cannot be controlled by the
researcher that place restrictions on your methodology and conclusions. Any
limitations that might influence the results should be mentioned.
Limitations Section Format
When considering what limitations there might be in your investigation, be
thorough.  Consider all of the following:

 your analysis.

 the instruments you utilized.

 the sample. 

 time constraints. 
Conclusion Section Format

Should summarize your approach and construct of your study.

Assignment Week 5

Upload Chapter One: Introduction. Follow the same directions that were
given for Literature Review submission. Make sure your research questions
follow the sample precisely.

Discussion Board Due Date: February 3rd by 11:59pm

Drop Box Due Date: February 6th by 11:59pm

Assignment Week 6
Upload Chapter Three: Methodology. Follow the same directions that were
given for Introduction and Literature Review submissions.

Load as a Word document and comment on 1 peer’s Methodology Chapter

USING THE REVIEW/COMMENT FEATURE.

Discussion Forum Due Date: February 9th by 11:59pm

Drop Box Due Date: February 13th by 11:59pm

Chapter 6 Quiz

As part of this course, students will be engage in a weekly

quiz that covers the readings assigned the previous week.

Students will have no more than 60 minutes to complete 10

multiple choice questions. Students have the option of using
their textbook and notes as a resource while taking the quiz.

Students will need to log onto the iLearn platform and

access this week’s folder under the Content tab to locate the
quiz.

Due: February 6th by 11:59pm