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RS 600

Introduction to Research

Course Description and Objectives:

This course is designed to introduce students to research methods, both as producers and consumers of research. We will read through the text over the semester with the aim of connecting the methods we'll be learning about with real questions that each student has about his or her practice. For each student, I want you to think about an issue, or a question, or observation you've had in your practice, and think about how you would develop a research project to explore those questions/ideas/theories further, and/or evaluate research/evidence-based practice to inform decision-making about how you might develop programming or implement new curriculum. I would like the assignments to be useful and relevant for you. There will only be one required data collection task outside of the class: one brief anonymous observation activity. The focus of our research inquiry will include some observational and retrospective reporting data for an ongoing research example we will refer to over the semester. In the end I would like everyone to have an appreciation for research methods, to be prepared to study these methods further if interested, to understand the ethics involved, and most of all to be a knowledgeable consumer of research articles.

This course introduces students to the skills and methods used in conducting research and in establishing the criteria for identifying research-based practice, interventions and curriculum in education settings. Students will become familiar with quantitative, mixed method, and action research approached to inquiry. Students will develop skills in conducting literature searched, examining empirical research studies and learning how to apply these methods to answer questions that are relevant to their graduate program area. Students should leave this course better consumers of research findings presented in the mass media, able to critically read primary research articles and able to participate in research-based efforts to improve education.

To successfully demonstrate research competencies associated with this course, students will be able to:

1. Explain how the scientific method is used to establish research/evidence-based practice.

2. Identify a research problem.

3. Generate research questions and testable hypotheses.

4. Conduct an effective literature review.

5. Understand how to engage in research projects.

6. Analyze research studies.

7. Interpret data, including basic descriptive statistics.

8. Identify quality research/evidence-based strategies to guide their classroom or related practice, curriculum, and activities.

9. Understand how to conduct research and evaluate research within a cultural context, i.e., including attention to representation of gender, race/ethnicity, SES, ability, sexual orientation, region, nativity, etc.