The ZEN of Writing (and a few other matters) EDU 8603.

The The ZENZEN of Writingof Writing(and a few other matters)(and a few other matters)

EDU 8603EDU 8603

• Designs combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data

• Advantages– Incorporates the strengths of both qualitative and

quantitative approaches– Provides a more comprehensive view of the

phenomena being studied– Does not limit the data being collected

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

• Disadvantages and limitations– Requires expertise in both methods– Requires extensive data collection and

resources– It is popular to claim the use of mixed method

design even though one method is used superficially

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

• Three types of designs– Explanatory– Exploratory– Triangulation

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

• Explanatory designs– Quantitative data is collected first with qualitative data

collection following– Example: Use of a questionnaire to provide an

overview of students’ attitudes toward drug testing programs followed by several in-depth interviews of specific students with positive and negative attitudes (i.e. maximum variation sampling) to understand how those attitudes were shaped

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

• Exploratory designs– Qualitative data is collected first with quantitative data

collection following– Example: A few interviews with students and a

content analysis of several surveys allowed a researcher to determine the important factors, upon which an attitudinal scale on drug testing programs was developed. Administration of this survey gave an overall view of students’ attitudes to a specific program being used at a local school

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

• Triangulation designs– Quantitative and qualitative data is collected at the

same time to provide a more comprehensive and complete set of data

– Example: The use of a scale addressing attitudes toward drug testing programs could be administered to the students in a school. Information from focus groups and interviews could be used to confirm the conclusions drawn from the survey.

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

Entering a ConversationEntering a Conversation

• This topic is intriguing to you; convey this to your reader.

• Think of yourself as an expert!

Action Research ProjectsAction Research Projects

• General Issues– Different from empirical study though

employing similar concepts.– Context specific; convenience sample; no

generalizability even if study is quantitative.– Don’t take on too much, try to solve the

world. Remember the KISS principle. Pick a slice.

Substantive IssuesSubstantive Issues

• Introduction– Why is this study intriguing to you?– Explain context of your school

http://www.nces.ed.gov/globallocator/

– Research questions– Why will knowing more about this help you

and other teachers?– Multiple paragraphs – Should use 1st person

Substantive IssuesSubstantive Issues

• Language– Consistency of Terms– Define terms.

Although many generically use the term “self-efficacy” as synonymous with perceived sense of competence (Jones, 2000; Smith, 1999; Williams, 2000), Bandura (1982) defines self-efficacy as a self-judgment of one’s ability to perform a specific task in a specific domain. When I use the term self-efficacy, I mean….

Substantive IssuesSubstantive Issues

• Literature Review– SYNTHESIZE!!– Giving an overview of what’s been done in the

field on this project– Patterns in literature– Rationale for study– CRITIQUE the empirical studies!– Largest section of project

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

• CRITIQUE the studies!– Research questions– Samples/participants– Validity/reliability or trustworthiness– Methods

• Data collection• Data analysis

– Results/conclusions

Substantive IssuesSubstantive Issues

• To help reader, use– Topic Sentences– Transitions– Summarizing sentences or paragraphs

• Outline your paper!

Technical IssuesTechnical Issues

• APA formatting– Hendricks pp. 152-155– http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/56

0/01/

Technical IssuesTechnical Issues

• APA citationsAlthough many generically use the term “self-

efficacy” as synonymous with perceived sense of competence (Jones, 2000; Smith, 1999; Williams, 2000), Bandura (1982) defines self-efficacy as a self-judgment of one’s ability to perform a specific task in a specific domain. When I use the term self-efficacy, I mean….

Technical IssuesTechnical Issues

• Types of sources– Remember qualitative studies may include

numbers (descriptive data).– Quantitative studies assume generalizability if

they used a random sample.– You may use > 8 sources. If so, you may use

> 1 theoretical paper or literature review.

Technical IssuesTechnical Issues

• Abstract of ≤150 words – Study purpose– Participants/ context– Data collection methods– Maybe data analysis methods– Results (why results will be useful)

MethodsMethods

• With a partner, share your potential data collection and analysis. Look for:– Data being collected. Match with research

question? Is it adequate? Is it feasible?– How and when will the researcher analyze the

data?– Validity & reliability or trustworthiness?

MethodsMethods

• Apply concepts we’ve addressed throughout the course!

Analyzing an Action Research Analyzing an Action Research ProjectProject

• Are the research questions appropriate?• Is the problem researchable? Important?• Is the review of literature adequate? Does the

author identify patterns, gaps, contradictions, strengths, weaknesses?

• Does the literature review provide a backdrop for the study?

Analyzing an Action Research Analyzing an Action Research ProjectProject

• Does the researcher describe the participants?• Does the researcher adequately describe the

proposed methods? • Does the researcher adequately describe the

proposed analysis?• Do the research question, sample, methods,

analysis, and importance of the results align?

Next WeekNext Week

• Peer Edit Action Research Projects

• Bring 2 copies of your draft– Peer edit partner– Turn one in to me for feedback (optional)

Reminder – You will receive extensive comments on your draft, minimal comments on the final.