CHAPTER 1 — Selecting a
Research Approach
● Position your study within existing
Key Ideas knowledge
● Research approach = overall plan for
conducting a study Steps in Conducting a Literature Review
● Three major methodologies:
1. Identify topic
○ Quantitative – testing
2. Search using databases
theories, measuring 3. Sort by topic or concept
variables, numeric data 4. Evaluate source quality
○ Qualitative – exploring
5. Create a literature map
meaning, open-ended data, 6. Write summaries + integrate themes
context-focused
○ Mixed Methods – combining
both to enrich understanding Structures BN
● Qualitative: broad → narrowing to
Philosophical Worldviews themes
● Quantitative: variables → theories →
1. Postpositivist – objective, prior studies
cause–effect, measurement, theory ● Mixed Methods: includes both
testing qualitative + quantitative
2. Constructivist – multiple meanings, organization
participant perspectives
3. Transformative – focuses on power,
inequity, marginalized communities CHAPTER 3 — The Use of Theory
4. Pragmatic – whatever method best
answers the research problem Role of Theory
● Quantitative: theory is central;
Research Design Types proposes relationships among
● Quantitative: experiments, surveys variables
● Qualitative: narrative, ● Qualitative: may be a lens (e.g.,
phenomenology, grounded theory, social justice), or may emerge from
ethnography, case study data
● Mixed Methods: convergent, ● Mixed Methods: theory may guide
explanatory sequential, exploratory which strands are combined
sequential
Theory Placement
CHAPTER 2 — Review of the ● Quantitative: often at the beginning
Literature (conceptual frameworks, models)
● Qualitative: either at the beginning,
Purpose of Literature Review end, or woven in
● Establish what is already known ● Mixed Methods: may guide
● Identify gaps, inconsistencies integration
CHAPTER 4 — Writing Strategies CHAPTER 6 — The Purpose
& Ethics Statement
Writing the Proposal The most important sentence of the study.
Sections often include:
● Introduction Purpose Statement Structure
● Purpose statement ● Qualitative: describes central
● Research questions phenomenon + participants + site
● Methodology ● Quantitative: identifies variables,
● Procedures relationships, design
● Mixed Methods: states why mixing
Writing Tips is needed and how strands relate
● Clear, concise, consistent
● Coherent flow CHAPTER 7 — Research
● Avoid unnecessary jargon Questions and Hypotheses
● Write regularly to build habit
Quantitative
Ethical Considerations ● Types:
● Before study: permissions, IRB ○ Descriptive questions
● During data collection: respect, ○ Relationship questions
confidentiality ○ Comparison questions
● During analysis: accuracy ● Hypotheses:
● After study: safe data storage, ○ Null (no difference)
honest reporting ○ Alternative (expected
difference/relationship)
CHAPTER 5 — The Introduction
Qualitative
Purpose of Introduction ● One central question
● State the research problem ● Several subquestions
● Show evidence of the problem ● Open-ended, exploratory
● Identify gaps/deficiencies
● Explain why the study matters Mixed Methods
● Establish target audience ● Questions for both strands
● Mixed question explaining
Elements integration
1. Research problem
2. Literature establishing importance CHAPTER 8 — Quantitative
3. Deficiencies (missing pieces) Methods
4. Significance for practice, theory, or
policy Survey Research
Includes:
● Population & sample
● Sampling design (probability vs.
non-probability)
● Instrumentation ● Triangulation
● Validity & reliability ● Audit trail
● Data analysis (descriptive + ● Thick description
inferential statistics)
CHAPTER 10 — Mixed Methods
Experimental Research Procedures
Includes:
● Random assignment Characteristics
● Control vs. treatment groups
● Collection of both quantitative +
● Manipulation of independent
qualitative data
variable ● Integration during analysis or
● Threats to internal/external validity
interpretation
● Experimental designs such as:
● Mixed methods rationale = deeper
○ Pre-experimental
insight
○ Quasi-experimental
○ True experimental
○ Single-subject
Core Designs
1. Convergent – collect both at same
CHAPTER 9 — Qualitative time, compare/merge
2. Explanatory Sequential – QUAN first
Methods → QUAL to explain
3. Exploratory Sequential – QUAL first
Characteristics → QUAN to test or measure
● Natural setting
● Researcher as key instrument Complex Designs
● Multiple sources of data ● Embedded
● Inductive and deductive analysis ● Multiphase
● Emergent design ● Transformative
● Reflexivity ● Case-based mixed methods
Data Collection
● Interviews
● Observations
● Documents
● Audio–visual materials
Data Analysis Steps
1. Organize & prepare data
2. Read all data
3. Code the data
4. Form themes
5. Interpret themes
6. Represent results
Validation
● Member checking