This article analyses some typical consequences of a specific research policy on experimental research in biology. The policy is conducted by a national funding agency--the Swiss National Science Foundation--through a particular programme, the "National Centres of Competence in Research" which is designed to promote both "scientific…

This highly readable text demystifies the qualitative research process--and helps readers conceptualize their own studies--by organizing the different research paradigms and traditions into coherent clusters. Real-world examples and firsthand perspectives illustrate the research process; instructive exercises and activities build on each other so…

To study the problems of secondary schools in the context of the Surrey School District, British Columbia, it was necessary to answer the question of how to overcome secondary school inertia so as to fundamentally alter the organization or practices within it. The primary obstacle was gaining the district Management Committee's support despite its…

In response to a paper by E. Culpepper Clark, Eva M. McMahan, and Michael J. Hyde that calls for the application of hermeneutic theory to the study of the oral history interview, this paper notes problems in the relationships between the proposed research design and the conceptual framework for the proposed research. While conceding that the…

A proposal to monitor and summarize the experience that will be gained during the course of the ATS-F Education Satellite Communications Demonstration is described. The goals of the demonstration and the context in which it must be evaluated are discussed in an introduction. Subsequent sections deal with specific analytic approaches proposed, the…

This textbook in educational research is intended to guide students as they plan and carry out a research project. The book has three goals: to provide basic information needed to understand the research process; to enable students to use this knowledge to design their own research project; and to permit students to read and understand the…

Describes differences between systems-rationalist and subjectivist-interpretivist inquiry. Maintains that much of the enormous potential of subjectivist-interpretivist research could be lost due to the consequences of choices and compromises that researchers make in conceptualizing, proposing, and conducting subjectivist inquiry in the…

This conference report identifies research needs in evaluating and documenting large scale school improvement efforts to serve disadvantaged populations. Summaries of the conference presentations are provided, grouped into three sections. The first section examines the basis of conducting evaluations. Several basic assumptions are challenged,…

Four groups of people were requested to review the Rand Corporation's design for a longitudinal study of school desegregation. These groups can be labeled as Desegregation and Minority Student Education Experts, Distinguished Social Scientists, Federal Officals Responsible for Desegregation Research, and U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR)…

Four groups of people were requested to review the Rand Corporation's design for a longitudinal study of school desegregation. When the study design documents were sent to the reviewers, an evaluation questionnaire was attached. The reviewers were asked to add any needed clarifying comments in the spaces provided after each question, and to write…

This guide for writing research or technical reports discusses eleven basic elements of such reports and provides examples of "good" and "bad" wordings. These elements are the title, problem statement, purpose statement, need statement, hypothesis, assumptions, procedures, limitations, terminology, conclusion and recommendations. This guide is…

This guide to planning and conducting research projects covers how to decide on a research problem, state a hypothesis, plan for the collection of data, write a proposal, analyze and interpret data, and write the research report. Overall, the book takes a practical, hands-on approach and offers checklists, suggestions, and guidelines for all the…