Problem Statements

Notes from

McMillan & Schumacher

EDUU600

General Research Problem

Does the problem statement imply the possibility of empirical investigation?

Does the problem statement restrict the scope of the study?

Does the problem statement give the educational context in which the problem lies?

Quantitative Questions

Does the research purpose, question, or hypothesis states precisely what is to be determined?

Is the question specific enough to be researchable?

Is the deductive logic clear?

Does the question indicate how the results will be reported?

Quantitative Problem Formation

Start with a general topic and narrow to a problem

Need help to narrow the focus:Read secondary literature

Talk with people who might use the results of the study

Brainstorm with fellow researchers and academic advisors

Must make decisions:What are the variables?

Who is the population?

What is the logic of the problem?

Research HypothesesTentative statement of expected relationship between two or more variablesMust be testable or verifiableShould offer a tentative explanation based on theory or previous researchShould be concise and lucidExperimental research should hypothesize directional differenceExample: “Fifth grade students who receive microcomputer

assisted instruction will have higher math achievement than comparable students who did not receive microcomputer-assisted instruction.”

State a Possible HypothesisWhat is the effect of individualized and structured social studies on high school students?

H.S. students in an individualized curriculum will score higher on a social studies test than students in a structured curriculum

Do teachers’ perceptions of job stress differ among teachers of mildly retarded, moderately retarded, and nonretarded children?

There is a significant difference in the scores of a teacher burnout inventory of mildly retarded, moderately retarded, and nonretarded children - ORThe degree of teacher burnout increases as the students’ level of intellectual ability decreases.

Variables

Dependent VariableThe consequence of the manipulated variable

Dependent on the experimental (or independent) variable.

Correlational Research – the Predicted or Criterion Variable

Independent VariableThe manipulated or experimental variable

Referred to as the antecedent variable

Precedes the dependent variable

Correlational Research - called the Predictor Variable

Dependent and Independent Variables?

Relationship of Teacher Cognitive Styles to Pupils’ Academic Achievement Gains

Dependent – Academic Achievement GainsIndependent – Teacher Cognitive Styles

Effects of Two School-Based Intervention Programs on Depressive Symptoms of Preadolescents

Dependent – Depressive SymptomsIndependent – Two school-based intervention programs

Deductive Logic

CONSTRUCT

VARIABLES

OBSERVATION

LOGICAL REASONING

RELATIONSHIP

Define the Observation and Instrument to Measure the Phenomenon

Start with abstract construct

that is not directly observable

Determine if variables are observable -

Categorically or Measured Continuously

Deductive Logic Defined

CONSTRUCT

VARIABLES

Categorical or

Measured

OBSERVATION

LOGICAL REASONING

RELATIONSHIP

Intelligence – Creativity – Motivation

Aptitude – Anxiety – Self Concept

Event – Category – Behavior

Attribute that Expresses the Construct

Data Collection

Instrument for Measuring Variable

Deductive Logic - Example

INTELLIGENCE

VARIABLES:

Intelligence &

Achievement

OBSERVATION

LOGICAL REASONING

RELATIONSHIP

Intelligence relates positively

to achievement.

Variables defined operationally:

Intelligence – IQ Test

Achievement – Standardized Test

Measure Variables

Compare through Statistical Test to

Determine Relationship

Qualitative Problem FormationSelect a General Topic Select a Mode of InquiryInteractive or Noninteractive

Topic and MethodologyInterrelatedSelected almost simultaneously

Narrow topic to a more definitive topicResearch interests come from:

Personal experience and interest in topicHave physical and/or psychological access to present or past social settings.

What is the case to be studied?This study describes and analyzes how women faculty members at an urban university perceive their professional and personal lives and how they integrate their lives.

Female member at an urban university

The research problem is to describe how Miss Sue, a first-year elementary school teacher, learns a professional role with students, faculty, administrators, and parents, and how she develops “meaning” for teacher professionalism.

Miss Sue’s first year as a teacher in an elementary school.

Inductive Logic

Synthesized

Abstractions

Narrative

Descriptions

Field Records

A Case

LOGICAL REASONING

LOGICAL ANALYSIS

Generate Generalizations and Explanations List themes, Assertions, Propositions

Detailed Narrations of People,

Incidences, Processes

Specific “Case” or Situation Examined

Through Field Records Obtained over Time

Inductive Logic Defined

Present

Explain, Assert

Discover and

Describe

Explore and

Examine Case

LOGICAL REASONING

LOGICAL ANALYSIS

Generate Generalizations and Explanations List themes, Assertions, Propositions

Rich, thick, details

Discovery Oriented

Classroom Observations, In-Depth

Interviews, Historical Documents

Inductive Logic Example

Interpretations

Conclusions

Students

Words

Case Study

Literacy Students

LOGICAL REASONING

LOGICAL ANALYSIS

Code Themes - Student PerceptionsPros and Cons of Electronic Portfolios

Interviews, Portfolio Reflections,

Artifacts, Observations, Opinions

Case Study of 10 Students

Creating Electronic Portfolios

After researcher has begun to collect data

Emergent Design

Changing Data Collection Strategies

Study in greater depth as data emerge

Evolves throughout study

Anticipated prior to studyDerived from researcher’s experience during study Stated as broad, general questionsWhat? How? Why?Reformulated and adjusted throughout study

Qualitative Questions

Do the research questions indicate the particular case of some phenomena to be examined?Is the methodology appropriate for the description of present and past events?Is the inductive logic reasonably explicit?Does the research purpose indicate the framework for reporting the findings?

Mixed Method Problem Statements

Begin with the formulation of a general problem

Followed by a more specific purpose for the study

Research questions and foreshadowed problems presented with deference to the relative importance of each method in the study

Equal Priority to All Questions

Both quantitative and qualitative data collected at about the same time

Research questions and foreshadowed problems usually presented together

Findings from both kinds of data would be analyzed and interpreted together

Explanatory Design

Measured results explained by qualitative data

Data collected sequentially

Quantitative phase provides general results explained with qualitative data

Exploratory Design

Qualitative questions, then quantitative questions

Qualitative methods used first to investigate the scope of the phenomenon

Quantitative methods then investigate the findings in a more structured way