Overview

Content: Lisf of figures; List of tables; Abbreviations; Preface; 1 A changing climate for educational research; 2 Sampling: the basis of all research; 3 Collecting secondary data: the 'idle' researcher; 4 Simple analysis: the index wars and other battles; 5 Surveying the field: questionnaire design; 6 Simple non-parametric statistics: minding your table manners; 7 Experimental approaches: a return to the gold standard?; 8 Elementary parametric statistics: what do they signify?; 9 Introducing correlations: progress via regression; Glossary of selected terms; Useful addresses; References.
Abstract: This is a comprehensive guide to quantitative research, rooted in the author's own teaching and research. In particular, it challenges both the student who does not do numbers and the student who does nothing but numbers (and who therefore fails to interpret or challenge his/her results). The book shows how all educational researchers need to do quantitative research, even if only in the sense of reading other people's research findings. In fact, the book argues that the conventional distinction between primary and secondary research data is inadequate, since there is enormous need/opportunity