Understanding Research: A Consumer's Guide, 2nd edition

Vicki L. Plano Clark
John W. Creswell University of Nebraska - Lincoln

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Invigorate learning with the Enhanced Pearson eText
The Enhanced Pearson eText provides a rich, interactive learning environment designed to improve student mastery of content with the following multimedia features:

Practice reading research articles. Interactive Reading Research Articles exercises provide readers with practice identifying key parts of research articles like purpose statements, research questions, descriptions of methods, and conclusions. (See page 75 and 145 for examples.)
Practice understanding research articles. Interactive Understanding Research Articles exercises help readers not simply identify parts of articles but to use the concepts they have learned in the chapter to read articles with understanding. (See page 75 and 146 for examples.)
Practice evaluating research articles. Interactive Evaluating Research Articles exercises scaffold readers and provide them with the tools they need to really evaluate the quality of studies and the articles that summarize those studies. (See page 76 and 146 for examples.)
Check your understanding of chapter content. Interactive Self-Assessment Chapter Quizzes with feedback enable students to check how well they understand chapter content. (See page 62 for an example.)

Students can experience the advantages of the Enhanced Pearson eText along with all the benefits of print for 40% to 50% less than a print bound book! Instructors, visit pearsonhighered.com/etextbooks to register for your digital examination copy.

Additional text features include:

Each chapter begins by discussing how to locate and identify in a research article the research concepts that are the focus of that chapter. (See page 54 for an example.)
In-text examples from recently published research articles illustrate main concepts. (See pages 88, 89, 122, and 193 for examples.)
Two annotated full-text research articles direct students to important characteristics of published articles. (See pages 27-38 and pages 40-52.)
Six additional articles guide students to read for specific elements of the research report and to provide their own annotations. (See pages 98-117 and 148-160 for examples.)
Here’s a Tip! offers practical advice for applying chapter concepts when students read published studies. (See pages 56, 73, and 81 for examples.)
Chapters include specific evaluative criteria and a rating scale that students can use to evaluate a study. (See pages 71-73 for examples.)

Invigorate learning with the Enhanced Pearson eTextThe Enhanced Pearson eText provides a rich, interactive learning environment designed to improve student mastery of content with the following multimedia features:

Practice reading research articles. Interactive Reading Research Articles exercises provide readers with practice identifying key parts of research articles like purpose statements, research questions, descriptions of methods, and conclusions. (See page 75 and 145 for examples.)
Practice understanding research articles. Interactive Understanding Research Articles exercises help readers not simply identify parts of articles but to use the concepts they have learned in the chapter to read articles with understanding. (See page 75 and 146 for examples.)
Practice evaluating research articles. Interactive Evaluating Research Articles exercises scaffold readers and provide them with the tools they need to really evaluate the quality of studies and the articles that summarize those studies. (See page 76 and 146 for examples.)
Check your understanding of chapter content. Interactive Self-Assessment Chapter Quizzes with feedback enable students to check how well they understand chapter content. (See page 62 for an example.)

Key content changes include:

Enhanced focus on reading research -- The text guides students through the process of identifying, understanding, and evaluating the key elements of research articles. See Chapter 11 for an example, specifically pages 353-355.
Advanced considerations for evaluating research -- Chapters 3-14 include tables of criteria for evaluating the targeted part of an article and provide indicators of quality for each criterion. See Table 7.2 on page 249 for an example. Chapters also include a rating scale that students can use to apply the criteria to research reports. See Figure 7.4 on page 250 for an example.
New full-text articles that apply the book’s content -- Eight new full-text articles provide real-world examples of research reports. Two of the articles include annotations to help students locate key ideas; students are guided through annotation of the others. See the quantitative Bullying-Intervention Study on pages 97-117 and the qualitative Adolescent-Homelessness Study on pages 147-160.
More coverage of higher-level research approaches -- The text includes tables that summarize a wide array of research designs (see Table 9.1 on page 289) and high-level statistical approaches (see Table 8.2 on page 266).
More examples that represent diverse disciplines -- In-text examples and the references include current examples of published research from a variety of disciplines. See page 87 for examples.
Improved pedagogical features in the presentation of the content -- Each chapter begins with learning outcomes that point out what students should be able to do as critical consumers of research. End-of-chapter reviews point students to the textual material that would help them achieve e

PART One: An Introduction to Understanding Research

CHAPTER 1: The Process of Research: Learning How Research Is Conducted and Reported
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY REPORTS OF RESEARCH?
- WHY DO YOU NEED TO READ RESEARCH REPORTS?
- WHERE DO YOU FIND REPORTS OF RESEARCH?
- WHAT STEPS DO RESEARCHERS TAKE WHEN CONDUCTING THEIR STUDIES?
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE STEPS OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS WITHIN THE MAJOR SECTIONS OF A RESEARCH ARTICLE?
- LET’S APPLY THE RESEARCH PROCESS TO READING ACTUAL STUDIES
- AN EXAMPLE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: THE PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY-IN—MIDDLE-SCHOOLS STUDY
- AN EXAMPLE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: THE PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY-AT-DAYCARE STUDY
CHAPTER 2: Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Understanding Different Types of Study Reports
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDIES?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE STUDIES?

PART Two: Understanding the Introductions to Research Reports

CHAPTER 3: The Statement of the Problem: Identifying Why a Study Is Important
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM IN A RESEARCH STUDY?
- WHY DO RESEARCHERS NEED TO STUDY RESEARCH PROBLEMS?
- HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE TYPES OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS FOUND IN QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE STUDIES?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE ELEMENTS OF A STUDY’S STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM IN A RESEARCH STUDY?
- AN EXAMPLE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: THE BULLYING-INTERVENTION STUDY
CHAPTER 4: The Literature Review: Examining the Background for a Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE LITERATURE REVIEW IN A RESEARCH STUDY?
- HOW DO RESEARCHERS USE LITERATURE IN THEIR STUDIES?
- HOW DOES THE USE OF LITERATURE DIFFER IN QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE STUDIES?
- WHAT ARE THE STEPS THAT YOU CAN USE TO REVIEW THE LITERATURE?
- HOW DO YOU SYNTHESIZE LITERATURE AND WRITE A LITERATURE REVIEW?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE A LITERATURE REVIEW IN A RESEARCH STUDY?
- AN EXAMPLE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: THE ADOLESCENT-HOMELESSNESS STUDY
CHAPTER 5: Purpose Statements, Research Questions, and Hypotheses: Identifying the Intent of a Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE PURPOSE IN A RESEARCH STUDY?
- HOW DOES THE RESEARCH PURPOSE DIFFER IN QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE STUDIES?
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY VARIABLES IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND PURPOSE STATEMENTS, RESEARCH QUESTIONS, AND HYPOTHESES IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH?
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY A CENTRAL PHENOMENON IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND PURPOSE STATEMENTS AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE PURPOSE IN A RESEARCH STUDY?

PART Three: Understanding the Method Sections and Results Sections of Quantitative Research Reports

CHAPTER 6: Quantitative Research Designs: Recognizing the Overall Plan for a Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE RESEARCH DESIGN IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
- WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENT QUANTITATIVE
- RESEARCH DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND FIVE COMMON QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE RESEARCH DESIGN IN A QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH REPORT?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE RESEARCH DESIGN IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
- AN EXAMPLE OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH: THE EARLY-INTERVENTION-OUTCOMES STUDY
CHAPTER 7: Participants and Data Collection: Identifying How Quantitative Information Is Gathered
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE PARTICIPANTS AND DATA COLLECTION IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE SELECTION OF SITES AND PARTICIPANTS IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE INSTRUMENTS USED TO GATHER QUANTITATIVE DATA IN A STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURES THAT RESEARCHERS USE WHEN COLLECTING QUANTITATIVE DATA?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE PARTICIPANTS AND DATA COLLECTION IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
CHAPTER 8: Data Analysis and Results: Examining What Was Found in a Quantitative Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND A STUDY’S QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE RESULTS IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS IN A QUANTITATIVE STUDY?

PART Four: Understanding the Method Sections and Results Sections of Qualitative Research Reports

CHAPTER 9: Qualitative Research Designs: Recognizing the Overall Plan for a Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE RESEARCH DESIGN IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
- WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENT QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND FOUR COMMON QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE RESEARCH DESIGN IN A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH REPORT?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE RESEARCH DESIGN IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
- AN EXAMPLE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH: THE ADOPTION-OF-PEDAGOGICAL-TOOLS STUDY
CHAPTER 10: Participants and Data Collection: Identifying How Qualitative Information Is Gathered
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE PARTICIPANTS AND DATA COLLECTION IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE SELECTION OF SITES AND PARTICIPANTS IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
- WHAT TYPES OF QUALITATIVE DATA DO RESEARCHERS COLLECT?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE COMMON QUALITATIVE DATA-COLLECTION PROCEDURES?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT ARE REPORTED ABOUT QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTION?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE PARTICIPANTS AND DATA COLLECTION IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
CHAPTER 11: Data Analysis and Findings: Examining What Was Found in a Qualitative Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND A STUDY’S QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE FINDINGS IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS IN A QUALITATIVE STUDY?

PART Five: Understanding Reports That Combine Quantitative and Qualitative Research

CHAPTER 12: Mixed Methods Research: Studies That Mix Quantitative and Qualitative Research
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THAT A STUDY USED MIXED METHODS RESEARCH?
- WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR RESEARCHERS TO HAVE USED MIXED METHODS RESEARCH IN THEIR STUDIES?
- WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENT MIXED METHODS DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE COMMON MIXED METHODS RESEARCH DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE A MIXED METHODS RESEARCH STUDY?
- AN EXAMPLE OF MIXED METHODS RESEARCH: THE MIXED METHODS STUDENT NOTE TAKING STUDY
CHAPTER 13: Action Research Designs: Research for Solving Practical Problems
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THAT A STUDY USED ACTION RESEARCH?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND ACTION RESEARCH DESIGNS?
- HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR OWN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY?
- AN EXAMPLE OF ACTION RESEARCH: THE LEARNING-BY-TALKING ACTION RESEARCH STUDY

PART Six: Understanding the Final Sections of Research Reports

CHAPTER 14: Conclusions: Identifying the Interpretations and Implications of a Study
- HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE CONCLUSIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION IN A STUDY REPORT?
- HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE ELEMENTS DISCUSSED IN A STUDY’S CONCLUSION SECTION?
- HOW ARE CONCLUSIONS SIMILAR AND DIFFERENT AMONG THE DIFFERENT RESEARCH APPROACHES?
- WHAT INFORMATION IS INCLUDED IN THE BACK MATTER OF A RESEARCH REPORT?
- HOW DO YOU EVALUATE THE CONCLUSIONS AND BACK MATTER OF A RESEARCH REPORT?

Appendix A-Suggested Answers to Short-Answer Questions from the Practicing Your Skills Activities

Appendix B-Example of a Paper Written in the APA Style

Glossary

References

Name Index

Subject Index

Vicki L. Plano Clark is an Assistant Professor in Educational Studies in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services at the University of Cincinnati. She teaches research methods courses, including foundations of research, qualitative research, and mixed methods research. Prior to joining the University of Cincinnati, she spent 19 years at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), where she first focused on physics education as Laboratory Manager in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and then switched to a focus on research methodology, ultimately serving as the Director of the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research in the Department of Educational Psychology. Dr. Plano Clark has authored and co-authored over 40 articles, chapters, and books.

John W. Creswell is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He held the Clifton Institute Endowed Professor Chair for five years, and for the last five years he has served as a co-director at the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research. He has held positions as Senior Fulbright Scholar (South Africa, 2008, and Thailand, 2012), as a consultant in the health services research area for the Veterans Administration, as Visiting Professor at Harvard's School of Public Health, and as Adjunct Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan, among others. In addition to his teaching, he has authored numerous articles and books on mixed methods research, qualitative methodology, and general research design, and was the founding Co-Editor for the Journal of Mixed Methods Research. In 2014, Dr. Creswell will be awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

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