Summary
Graduate students in general and those in Workforce Education & Development in particular are often frustrated when they are assigned the task of writing a research paper, thesis, or dissertation. After teaching a research methodology course for several years, the editors of Research Pathways have discovered a solution to resolve the frustration experienced by graduate students as they approach the writing stage of their academic degree program. Based upon the students' participation in the research colloquium, there has been expressed a tremendous need for a comprehensive handbook of this nature to describe and discuss a practical approach to writing those final graduate research reports. This handbook introduces a practical approach to writing research papers, theses, and dissertations in Workforce Education & Development, with examples and best practices for the practitioners and researchers.
Author Biography
Jay W. Rojewski is Professor in the Department of Occupational Studies, University of Georgia. Dr. Rojewski received the PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1990 Pamela Bettis is affiliated with the University of Idaho. She received her PhD in Educational Theory and Social Foundations of Education at the University of Toledo in 1994 and has taught at Auburn University and the Oklahoma State University James L. Burrow is Coordinator of the graduate Training and Development Program at North Carolina State University Ernest W. Brewer is Professor in the Department of Human Resource Development at the University of Tennessee. He is also the Principal Investigator/Director of Federal Programs Sherilee R. Carpenter is Editor and Research Assistant for the Institute for Policy Research and Evaluation, Pennsylvania State University Jeffrey Chen is Director of Institutional Research and Analysis at Cleveland State University Barbara W. Farmer is Principal of Houserville/Lemont Elementary Schools and chairperson of the Professional Development Committee in the State College Area School District, State College, Pennsylvania Fadia M. Nasser is Assistant Professor in the School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Israel Curtis R. Finch is Professor of Vocational and Technical Education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Jeffrey A. Gliner is Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and an affiliate faculty member of the School of Education at Colorado State University Gene Gloeckner is Associate Professor in Education at Colorado State University James Gregson is Director and Professor in the Division of Adult, Counselor, and Technology Education at the University of Idaho Edwin L. Herr is Distinguished Professor of Education (Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology), Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Research, and Faculty Development, and Interim Department Head for Adult Education, Instructional Systems, and Workforce Education and Development, Pennsylvania State University Brian Hess is Project Director at Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc. in Tampa, Florida Roger B. Hill is Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Studies, University of Georgia Carl J Huberty has been Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Georgia since 1969 Mohamed H. Hussein is a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant in the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Georgia Li-Shyung Hwang is Senior Research Analyst of Planning and Research at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina Lee Jones is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Instruction and Associate Professor of Educational Leadership in the College of Education at Florida State University Paul E. Krueger, PhD, EdD, is Assistant Professor of Workforce Education, and the Director of the Institute for Research in Training and Development at the Pennsylvania State University Theodore Lewis is Professor in the Department of Work, Community and Family Education, University of Minnesota George A. Morgan is Professor of Education and Human Development at Colorado State University Derek C. Mulenga is Assistant Professor of Adult Education at the Pennsylvania State University Stephen Olejnik is Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Georgia Gregory C. Petty is Professor and former head of the Department of Human Resource at the University of Tennessee where he has been on the doctoral faculty since 1982 Suzanne M. Tochterman is Assistant Professor of Education at Colorado State University Saundra Wall Williams is Assistant Professor of Training and Development in the Department of Adult and Community College Education at North Carolina State University Carol A. Wright is Education and Behavioral Sciences Librarian at the Pennsylvania State University Libraries Zhicheng Zhang is Associate Director of Institutional Research at Virginia Military Institute
Table of Contents
| Foreword |
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ix | |
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| Preface |
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xi | |
| Section One: Introduction |
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The Why of Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Paradigmatic and Pragmatic Considerations |
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1 | (22) |
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Finding a Researchable Topic |
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23 | (14) |
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| Section Two: Dissertation Development |
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Conducting an Extensive Review of the Literature |
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37 | (20) |
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Elements of an Introduction Chapter |
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57 | (16) |
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Theoretical or Conceptual Frameworks |
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73 | (18) |
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| Section Three: Research Design |
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Selecting an Appropriate Research Design |
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91 | (16) |
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Mixed Methods Research Designs |
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107 | (22) |
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129 | (28) |
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157 | (18) |
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Designing Quantitative Research |
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175 | (26) |
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201 | (22) |
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Validity and Reliability Concerns of Data Collection Instruments |
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223 | (24) |
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| Section Four: Data Analysis |
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Determining Appropriate Sample Size |
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247 | (12) |
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Research Using Available Data: Secondary Data Analysis |
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259 | (26) |
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Analysis of Categorical Data with Chi-square and Log-linear Models |
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285 | (20) |
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305 | (20) |
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Multiple Regression Analysis and Multiple Correlation Studies |
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325 | (24) |
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Considerations for Statistical Significance Testing |
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349 | (18) |
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Preparing the Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations Section |
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367 | (8) |
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Tips on Proofreading and Editing |
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375 | (14) |
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| Subject Index |
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389 | (8) |
| The Editors and Contributors |
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397 | |