Research Methods In Education Studies
Assignment 2: PART ONE
(a) Critical evaluation of two research papers selected by module tutors (available in weeks 3 and 4) 450 words each, 30%
The two papers are:
a. Berry, J and Sahlberg, P (1996) ‘Investigating Pupils’ Ideas of Learning, Learning and Instruction, 6:1, 19-36
b. Taylor, L (2013) Lived Childhood Experiences: Collective Storytelling for Teacher Professional Learning and Social Change. Australian Journal of Early Childhood Vol 38:3
Writing a Critical Evaluation of a Research Paper
You need to write 450 words. You will not be able to cover every element below, but different elements will be significant depending on the type of research you are engaging with.
(i) Identify the research question and aims of the research project; consider the relevance of the question and possible significance of the research.
(ii) Engage with the literature review. Do you understand the theoretical framework of the study? Are any assumptions made about a shared theoretical perspective? Are these assumptions justifiable? Are there other theoretical perspectives that should have been included or addressed? (This section might enquire you engaging with some of the article’s references, or following up key terminology).
(iii) What are the epistemological or ontological assumptions of the research e.g. does the research aim to explain, interpret or identify statistical correlations? What are the implications of these assumptions?
(iv) Characterise the research e.g. qualitative/ quantitative. What are the attendant problems e.g. sample size, generalisability, validity etc.? How well do the researcher(s) address these issues?
(v) Consider the design of the particular methods used. Are they reliable/ innovative/ appropriate to the research question identified in (i)?
(vi) What are the particular ethical considerations? Have these been adequately addressed?
(vii) Examine the conclusions offered. Are they supported by the data? Are there other possible explanations of these results?
(viii) Offer any other comments: what have you learned in particular from this study either about the object of the research or about research methodology? Are there elements of the research that you will seek to emulate in your own work?
(ix) Clearly identify any strengths or weaknesses of the paper.
(x) Make a judgement on the overall integrity and value of the research.
ASSIGNMENT TWO – PART TWO
Over the course of the module, you have had an opportunity to gather data through interviews, questionnaires and observations.
Select one of the datasets you have collected. You will analyse your data, find a suitable way of presenting your findings, and reflect on the process.
1. Clearly state the research question. On reflection, how might you have phrased the question differently?
2. How did you select and design your research instrument? On reflection, what might you have done differently?
3. Analyse and present your data.
4. Data analysis: how did you categorise your data? Did you use a priori or inferential categories? What difficulties did you encounter? What difficult decisions did you have to make? How might you go about things differently in future?
5. What have you learned from the exercise of gathering and analysing data? What might you do differently in future?
6. Consider other research methods that you might have used: what would have been the advantages or disadvantages of using these alternatives?
7. Ensure that you refer to the appropriate literature for the method you have chosen.
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