This document provides an overview of different modes of inquiry in research including quantitative and qualitative methods. It discusses experimental, non-experimental, and mixed method approaches. For quantitative research, it describes experimental and non-experimental designs. For qualitative research, it outlines interactive inquiry methods like ethnography, phenomenology, and case studies as well as non-interactive approaches. It also discusses data collection techniques, characteristics of quantitative and qualitative data, and formatting for quantitative and qualitative research reports.

1. Modes of Inquiry
Collection of eclectic research
practices based on a set of
assumptions and methodological
preferences
Notes from Textbook – McMillan & Schumacher

2. Research Design
Procedures for conducting the study
• When?
• From whom?
• How will the data be obtained?
• What happens to the subjects in the study?
• What methods of data collection are used?

3. Quantitative
• Experimental
• Manipulation of conditions
• Comparison between those groups with
imposed conditions and those without (Control
Group)
• Nonexperimental
• No manipulation of conditions or controls
• Describing that has already occurred
• Or examine relationships without manipulation

4. Experimental
• True Experimental
• Random assignment
• No major differences between subgroups
• Quasi-experimental
• No random assignment
• Typical classrooms that are intact
• Single-Subject
• Not groups, but individuals or a few subjects
• Cause and effect study
• No random assignment

5. Nonexperimental
No direct manipulation or control of conditions
• Descriptive – describing a situation as it is
• Comparative – comparing two or more groups
• Correlational – Assessing relationships between
two or more phenomena
• Survey- can infer information to larger population
• Ex Post Facto –
• Explore causal relationships after the fact
• Not manipulating conditions, but looking at differences
resulting from a particular factor.

6. Qualitative
• Interactive Inquiry
• Face to face with people in the study
• Collecting data in natural settings
• What meanings do people bring to phenomena
• Noninteractive Inquiry
• Authenticated documents – major source of data
• Look at concepts and events through historic
documents
• Concept Analysis – educational concept development
• Historical analysis - systematic collection and criticism
of historic events, policies, practices, institutions,
movements, etc.

7. Interactive Inquiry
• Ethnography – Cultural or Social System
• Phenomenology – Personal Meanings of an
Experience as Perceived by Individual
• Case Study – bounded system over time with
multiple sources of data
• Grounded Theory – Develop concepts or
“conditional” propositions based on data
collected
• Critical Studies –
• Changes in society based on
class/status/race/gender/ethnicity/sexual orientation
• Expose social manipulation and oppressive social
structures

8. Mixed Method
• Combine quantitative and qualitative methods
• Explanatory
• quantitative data collected first
• qualitative data second to elucidate, elaborate, or explain the
findings
• Exploratory
• qualitative data collected first to identify themes, ideas,
perspectives, beliefs (often through survey)
• Increase validity because topics/wording matched to subjects
• Triangulation
• Both quantitative and qualitative collected at same time
• Use the strengths of one method to offset weaknesses of the
other
• When methods converge with same result, results are more
credible

9. Data Collection
Quantitative
• Structured
Observations
• Standardized
Interviews
• Paper/Pencil Tests
• Questionnaires
• Alternative
Assessments
Qualitative
• Participant
Observation
• Field Observation
• In-Depth Interview
• Documents/Artifacts
• Supplemental
Techniques

10. Characteristics of Data
QUANTITATIVE
• Data as Numbers
• Uses Instrument
• A priori decision in
how to present data
• Instrument determines
form of the data
• Data are tabulated and
described statistically
• Meaning derived from
statistical procedures
QUALITATIVE
• Data as Words
• No instrument used
• No decision made ahead of
time on how to collect data –
Data unfolds
• Many forms of data – field
notes, documents,
interviews, artifacts
• Tabulation to identify
patterns
• Meaning derived from
qualitative strategies

11. Quantitative Research Format
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Research Problem
• Review of the Literature
• Research Hypothesis or Question
• Tested Empirically
• Completely Objective
• Methodology
• Subjects – Sample Participants
• Instruments – Valid and Reliable Results Verified
• Results - Findings
• Discussion, Implications, Conclusions

12. Reading Quantitative Research
• Clearly stated problem statement
• Sufficiently practical
• Theoretically valuable – worth studying
• Expresses relationships of 2 or more variables
(except some descriptive research)
• Previous studies done?
• Will it add to existing knowledge?

13. Literature Review
• Adequately surveyed
• Pertinent information – or just filler
• Critical evaluation
• Just a Summary?
• Point out deficiencies?
• Offer alternatives?
• Support the need for the study
• Establish a theoretical framework for the
study

14. Hypothesis or Questions
• What assumptions must we accept with respect
to the hypotheses?
• Are hypotheses consistent with known theory or
fact?
• Are all terms defined in an operational fashion?
• Prediction of what will happen in the study
• Tested empirically
• The sentence contains
• objectively defined terms
• states relationships.between variables

15. Methodology
• Procedures, Design, Instruments Used
• What is the population?
• Was there a sample used – and is it
representative of the population?
• Is evidence presented with information on
validity and reliability of instruments?
• Was there a pilot study?
• Was the procedure changed as a result of the
pilot study?
• Are there any overall weaknesses to the
design?

16. Results
• What statistical techniques were used to analyze
data?
• Were those the most appropriate statistical
techniques?
• Have the results been presented adequately?

17. Conclusions
• Do what extent can we generalize the
findings?
• What are the implications?
• What are the limitations?
• Were the results presented adequately
and consistently with fact and theory?

18. Qualitative Research Format
• Introduction
• Is the focus or purpose clearly stated?
• Is it clear that the study is important?
• Is there past research and theory to support the
problem?
• Is there a pertinent and complete literature review?
• Methodology
• Are the sites well described
• Unique?
• Typical?
• What was the role of the research?
• Who was observed? How long?
• Are limitations reported?

19. Findings and Interpretations
• Are perspectives of different participants
presented?
• Is contextual information included?
• Are multiple perspectives presented?
• Are results well documented?
• Are personal beliefs separate from data?
• Are interpretations reasonable?
• Is research bias and preconceptions
acknowledged?

20. Conclusions
• Are conclusions logically consistent
with the findings?
• Are limitations of research design
and focus indicated?
• Are implications of findings
included?
• Are suggestions made for further
research?

21. Research Problems
• Initial Step – General “value” questions
• How to…be more effective…get better results…
improve instruction/learning/behavior
• Out of these questions, research problems may
emerge
• Out of general practice, specific problems can be
developed.
• Research Problem - Formal statement indicating
a need for empirical investigation
• Quantitative – Deductive Question or Null Hypothesis
• Qualitative – Inductive Questions – How, what, why?

22. Quantitative Problem Formation
• Starts with general topic related to
education
• Narrows to specific topic
• Limits the scope
• Example:
• “Among comparable 4th
-grade students, is
there a difference in the mathematics
computation scores of the SRA
Achievement Text between students who
had used hand calculators in mathematics
for a semester and those who had not?” –
p. 81

23. Formal Problem Statements
The High School as a Social Service
Agency:Historical Perspectives on Current Policy
Issues
“The purpose of this essay is to examine historically the
expansion of social services to youth through
American public secondary education….to shed light
on the difficult choices policy-makers face today”
• Focus - ?
• Educational Context - ?
• Significance of the Problem - ? $$

24. Problem Formulation in
Qualitative Research
• Inductive Logic
• Explore and discover
• Emerging research design
• Reformulate problem as you
explore data
• In-depth study of particular case
• Through Narrative Descriptions
– provide empirical evidence