NCJ Number
51806
Date Published
1978
Length
192 pages
Annotation
BASIC INFORMATION ON EDUCATION/BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION--PLANNING, STUDY DESIGNS AND METHODS, INSTRUMENTS AND MEASUREMENT, STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES--IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE HANDBOOK IS DIRECTED TOWARD PROJECT DIRECTORS, 'OCCASIONAL' RESEARCHERS, PROPOSAL WRITERS, EVALUATORS, REVIEWERS AND CONSUMERS OF RESEARCH, UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN BEGINNING COURSES, GRADUATE STUDENTS PREPARING THESES AND DISSERTATIONS, AND RESEARCHERS AND PROJECT STAFF IN NEED OF A GENERAL REFERENCE. THE DOCUMENT OFFERS GUIDELINES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES, SELECTED FROM A VARIETY OF REFERENCES ON RESEARCH DESIGN, MEASUREMENT, AND STATISTICS, THAT ARE NOT ORDINARILY AVAILABLE IN A SINGLE SOURCE. THE HANDBOOK CAN SERVE AS A REFRESHER FOR PERSONS WHO HAVE NOT KEPT CURRENT ON METHODS AND TECHNIQUES AND AS A 'CHECKING-AND-COMPARING' AID FOR RESEARCHERS WHO NEED TO BE SURE THEY ARE USING THE MOST APPROPRIATE METHODS. GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING RESEARCH AND EVALUATION STUDIES ARE PRESENTED, TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF COMMON MISTAKES MADE IN FORMULATING THE RESEARCH PROBLEM, A DISCUSSION OF THE ADVANTAGES OF PILOT STUDIES, PLANNING AND EVALUATION STRATEGIES, AND SPECIAL STEPS IN PLANNING FOR COMPUTER ANALYSIS AND DATA PROCESSING. A GUIDE TO RESEARCH DESIGNS, METHODS, AND STRATEGIES EXPLAINS DIFFERENCES AMONG VARIOUS TYPES OF RESEARCH AND DESCRIBES SPECIFIC RESEARCH DESIGNS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS. INFORMATION ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT IS PRESENTED, TOGETHER WITH A REVIEW OF STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES (INCLUDING 'COMPUTER GUIDES' FOR 12 STATISTICAL OPERATIONS). THE CLOSING CHAPTER OFFERS CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING, PREPARING, WRITING, AND EVALUATING RESEARCH PROPOSALS, REPORTS, THESES, AND ARTICLES.