Research Designs and Questions
Jessica Foley (Hingle)
jhingle@vt.edu
April 29, 2008
What do elementary school teachers in the San Francisco Unified School District
think about full inclusion as a practice in their district?
I would utilize survey research to find out what elementary school teachers in the San
Francisco Unified School District think about full inclusion practice in their school
district. The purpose of a survey is to “…describe the characteristics of a population.”
The characteristic in this study is the opinion of the teachers on full inclusion within the
sample surveyed.
Is there a relationship between students' level of social skills and successful
transition into mainstream classes?
A relationship between students’ level of social skills and successful transition into
mainstream classes could be proven or disproven through the use of correlational
research. The major characteristic of correlational research is seeking out relationships
between variables, which in this case are the level of social skills and successful
transition into mainstream classes.
How do individuals with physical disabilities perceive themselves in comparison to
their able-bodied peers in terms of work-related activities?
Ethnographic research could be used to immerse the researcher in the lives of individuals
with physical disabilities and conduct in-depth interviews in order to obtain a holistic
view of their lives and perceptions. While this type of research is one of the most
complex, it provides detailed insight into the nuances and subtleties of the group being
studied, which in this case is individuals with physical disabilities and their perception of
themselves and their peers.
Does a whole-language curriculum lead to higher student achievement than a
phonics curriculum?
Experimental research would work well for this study because it enables the researcher
to directly manipulate a variable in order to test a hypothesis about the cause-and-effect
relationship. In other words, the researcher can investigate which curriculum
(independent variable) causes higher student achievement (dependent variable).
How are teachers implementing the whole-language approach to reading in their
curricula at Harding Elementary School?
The methods of teachers implementing the whole-language approach to reading in their
curricula at Harding Elementary School would be best researched using a case study
technique. In this method, the ongoing process of an individual or group of individuals
(the teachers at Harding Elementary School) is collected in order to gain insight into their
practices (implementation of the whole-language approach).
What were the key events that led to the demise of affirmative action in state hiring
and college admissions in California?
Historical research would best suit researching the key events that led to the demise of
affirmative action in state hiring and college admissions in California. This type of
research focuses exclusively on collecting information and analyzing events in the past,
which describes the main focus of this particular research question.
How do magazines targeted at teenagers present information on safe sex practices?
Content analysis could be used to analyze how magazines targeted at teenagers present
information on safe sex practices. This type of research specifically focuses on analyzing
the contents of a communication, a category in which magazines fall.
Are the reasons Native American Indian students give for dropping out of school
different than those given by non-Native American Indian students?
Casual comparative research could be used to investigate whether the reasons Native
American Indian students give for dropping out of school are different than those given
by non-Native American Indian students. This type of research is intended to determine
the cause or consequences of differences that already exist between groups of individuals,
in this case the cause of dropping out of school for two groups: Native American Indian
and non-Native American Indian students.