Basic Elements in Educational Research (Lecture 3)

In this topic, you will:

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

• ​Identify educational issues that are researchable

• Discuss the background of the study of your interest

• Write statement of the problem in the study of your interest

• Formuiate the research objectives, research questions, and research hypotheses for the study of your interest

• ​Determine the scope of the study

• ​State possible limitations of the study

• ​Discuss the significance of the study

• ​Define operational terms

Operational Definitions

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

= the specification of how you will define and measure the variables in your study

• a single variable could be defined in many different ways

• ​DO NOT take the definition from the dictionary

• ​DO NOT come up with your own definition

Strategies

1. ​Use the definition published by other authors and the measure used by these authors

2. ​Look for "Definition of Terms" in published studies

3. ​Examine the definitions in handbooks

4. ​If a clear applied definition suitable for finding a measure is not available, you will need to construct your own definition and consult experts in the field.

Scope of the study

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

= the boundaries within which your research project will be performed

• ​define all aspects that will be considered in your research project

• ​make clear what aspects will not be covered; i.e. what is outside of the scope of the study

• makes clear why specific data points have been collected whilst others have been excluded​

• must be clear on the research parameters that you will and won’t consider​ - usually consist of the sample size, the duration, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the methodology and any geographical or monetary constraints ​

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Limitations of the study

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

= potential weaknesses or problems with the study identified by the researcher

• ​enumerated one by one

• often relate to inadequate measures of variables, loss or lack of participants, small sample sizes, errors in measurement, and other factors typically related to data collection and analysis

• useful to other potential researchers who may choose to conduct a similar or replication study​

• provides a useful bridge for recommending future studies.

• ​help readers judge to what extent the findings can or cannot be generalized to other people and situations

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Limitations of the study

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

Limitations of the study

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

Significance of the study

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

= a written statement that explains why your research was needed

• ​justification of the importance of your work

• impact it has on your research field

• contribution to new knowledge

• how others will benefit from it

​Strategies

1. ​Use your research problem as a starting point.

2. ​State how your research will contribute to the literature in the field.

3. ​Explain how your research will benefit the society.

4. ​Mention the specific persons or institutions who will benefit from your study.

5. Indicate how your study may help future studies in the field.

Significance of the study

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

Task

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Fundamentals of Research in Education

Identify a researchable issue in the ESL primary classroom. Locate 10 journal articles on this issue. Read them. Then, complete the following​

• Discuss the issue

• Write a statement of the problem

• Formuiate the purpose statement, research objectives, research questions, and research hypotheses (whenever appropriate)

• ​Determine the scope of the study

• ​State possible limitations of the study

• ​Discuss the significance of the study

• ​Provide operational definition of the terms

Also, suggest one or two research designs that is most suitable for your purpose.