The Basics of Research Methodology: What Do Teachers Need To Know?

You've talked about the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 in your education classes. Your professors have mentioned that it mandates that programs, policies, and evaluations in schools be "scientifically based" before they may be considered for funding or implementation. What does that mean? Why does it matter?

You probably already know how to search ERIC and other online databases to locate published research on topics related to learning and teaching. However, you may not have a thorough understanding of research methodology and whether a particular research report meets the requirements for scientific basis prescribed by the No Child Left Behind Act. This guide will provide an introduction to the characteristics indicative of scientific research and recommended resources for more information.

What does the No Child Left Behind Act require?

Educational researchers are engaged in an active debate over the proper interpretation of "scientifically based research." The federal government guidelines for the term have evolved over the last decade. According to the No Child Left Behind Act, scientifically based research:

• "involves the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs”;
• “employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment”;
• “relies on measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data across evaluators and observers, across multiple measurements and observations, and across studies by the same or different investigators”;
• “is evaluated using experimental or quasi-experimental designs in which individuals, entities, programs, or activities are assigned to different conditions and with appropriate controls to evaluate the effects of the condition of interest, with a preference for random-assignment experiments, or other designs to the extent that those designs contain within-condition or across-condition controls”;
• “ensures that experimental studies are presented in sufficient detail and clarity to allow for replication, or, at a minimum, offer the opportunity to build systematically on their findings”; and
• “has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review."

How can someone make sense of that?

Obviously, these requirements use terminology a teacher needs to understand before s/he can evaluate the merits of a piece of published research. A dictionary will give basic definitions. A book that focuses on research methodology will provide a thorough explanation of the nomenclature. One such book in the library's collection is titled Research and Evaluation in Education and Psychology (2nd ed., 2005). Use the index to locate information about the term of interest to you.

Two government publications will help, too. They are intended to guide educators as they review research. Links to both are in HopeCAT, the library's online catalog:

• Identifying and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence; and
• What Works Clearinghouse.

For a more detailed discussion of the proper interpretation of terminology used by the federal government to describe scientifically based research, read Definititons for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: Scientifically-Based Research.

What next?

Using these resources, review the studies you are using to support your proposal for a program or policy. In your proposal, cite the studies that are scientifically based before referencing any that are not. For what gain? An enhanced likelihood that your proposal will be accepted, your initiative funded, your idea brought to life!

Created by Jane Currie, Instruction and Reference Librarian
currie@hope.edu
August 2006