How to Read, Evaluate, and Use Research

✍ Scribed by Sharon Louise Nichols, Paul A. Schutz, Sofia Bahena

• Publisher: SAGE Publications, Inc
• Year: 2023
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 259
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This text helps students learn how to select, read, understand, and evaluate the research they read. Many texts focus on the process of conducting research and not as much on how students in applied disciplines can assess and apply that research in their future professional lives; this text aims to fill that gap. Organized in the same way as a research article, the book includes a chapter on literature reviews and research questions, followed by three methods chapters (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods), and a chapter on research conclusions and implications. The book includes a wealth of pedagogical features including Learning Objectives, Check Your Understanding questions, a Guided Application exercise in each chapter, suggested further reading, and a glossary. Three research articles, used as exemplars throughout, are included in the appendix to the book.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Brief Contents
Detailed Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview
Organizing Terms and Concepts
Empirical (Data-Driven) Research
Meta-Analysis
Literature Reviews
Why Scientific Literacy Is Important
Nature of Data-Driven Research: Introduction to Research Methods
A Last Thought on Paradigms
Conclusion
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Key Terms
Suggested Readings
Chapter 2: Introduction and Overview of Data-Driven Articles
Searching for Scientific Evidence
Keywords
Relevancy of Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
The Peer-Review Process
How to Cull Through Data-Driven Articles
Types of Journals
Timing of Publication
Sections of Data-Driven Articles
Title and Abstract
Literature Review
Research Methods
Results
Discussion, Conclusions, and Implications
Conclusion
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Key Terms
Suggested Readings
Chapter 3: Literature Review
What Is Involved in the Construction of a Useful Literature Review?
What Are Some of the Potential Goals of a Literature Review?
What Is in the Literature Review?
The Statement of the Problem
Synthesis of the Literature
The Significance of the Research
Research Purpose, Research Questions, and Research Hypotheses
Conclusion
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Key Terms
Suggested Readings
Chapter 4: Methods and Results: Quantitative Approaches
Overview
Quantitative Methods
Research Questions and Hypotheses
Quantitative Designs
Descriptive Designs
Correlation Designs
Experimental Designs
Sampling, Participants, and Research Context
Data Sources and Types
Primary vs. Secondary Data Sources
Dependent vs. Independent Variables
Procedures for Data Analysis
Descriptive Statistics
Inferential Statistics
Presentation of Results
Spiess and Cooper: Presenting T-tests and ANOVA
Spiess and Cooper: Regression Results
Looking Out for Rigor
Sample Representativeness
Sample Size
Internal and External Validity
Transparency in Reporting
Putting It All Together
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Key Terms
Suggested Readings
Chapter 5: Methods and Results: Qualitative Approaches
Overview
Qualitative Methods
Research Questions and Aims
Qualitative Designs
Case Study
Ethnography
Grounded Theory
Phenomenology
Narrative Inquiry
Qualitative Designs in Action
Sampling, Participants, and Research Context
Data Sources and Types
Structured Versus Unstructured Protocols
Procedures for Data Analysis
Presentation of Results
Looking Out for Rigor
Credibility
Dependability
Bias
Putting It All Together
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Key Terms
Suggested Readings
Chapter 6: Methods and Results: Mixed Methods Approaches
Overview
What Are Some Benefits Associated With Mixed Method Research?
What Are Some Purposes of Mixed Method Research?
Integration in Mixed Methods Research
Integration Sampling
Integration Research Questions
Integration Research Design
Integration Data Analysis and Presentation
Looking Out for Rigor
Putting It All Together
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Key Terms
Suggested Readings
Chapter 7: Putting it All Together—Discussion, Conclusions, and Implications
Overview
Ending a Research Article
Summarizing and Interpreting the Study Findings
Limitations—Where Rigor Is Addressed
Implications and Future Directions
Implications for Practice
Implications for Policy
Future Directions
Organization and Structure
A Caveat and Caution
Putting It All Together—Reading and Evaluating Research From Start to Finish
Check Your Understanding
Guided Application
Suggested Readings
Quantitative Methods Article Checklist
Qualitative Methods Article Checklist
Mixed Methods Article Checklist
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Glossary
References
Index