Week 4 Assignment: Critiquing Mixed-Methods or Action Research
Overview:
This week’s assignment asks the student to critique examples of published research. During a professional career, a person will often be presented with research on a specific topic. As a consumer of research, how will that person know if the research is legitimate and/or worthwhile? At other times, there will be a need to find research regarding problems, issues, or needs at an agency, campus or district. Additionally, if you found yourself needing to personally research a topic, this uniform method would assist with establishing a disciplined approach to conducting research that could be shared with others and added to the body of knowledge on the topic. The purpose of the Week 4 assignment is to critique a quantitative or qualitative research article.
Week 4 targets the following Course Learning Objectives
· CLO4: Review and analyze published, empirical studies using a variety of research methodologies (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and action research)
· CLO5: Develop a coherent research plan that support instructional planning through data-driven decision-making
Week 4 Learning Outcomes
Students will:
· Read a mixed-methods and action research article and formally critique one of them.
General Instructions
(1) Read the two research articles provided to you in the week 4 reading section. One article will be a mixed-methods research example and the other will be an action research example.
(2) Write a critique on one of the articles. Use the template below for your submission. Five sections have been identified. These include the introduction, review of the literature, methodology, findings, and conclusions.
(3) Review the grading rubric. Pay close attention to the Exceeds Criteria if you want all points.
(4) VERY IMPORTANT – Be sure to cover the required components. There is no need to submit a wordy document. Organize your thoughts and be concise and to the point.
Section I
Introduction – Review the Introduction section of the article. Briefly describe each of the following three parts of the Introduction and note the degree of clarity and completeness of each. Include any concerns found or suggestions for improvement (This should be at least one paragraph, but no more than two paragraphs and written in a narrative paragraph format.)
(1) Setting of the study and problem being addressed
(2) Purpose and significance of the study
(3) Research questions
Section II
Literature Review – Read the Review of the Literature (or Background) section of the chosen article. Address the following four questions. (This should be at least one paragraph, but no more than two paragraphs and written in a narrative paragraph format.)
(1) How many different sources were cited?
(2) Were the majority of sources current? (Be sure to compare with the date of publication)
(3) Briefly describe the consensus (or main point) of this section
(4) Did this section adequately cover the body of knowledge related to the topic? Why or why not?
Section III
Methodology – Review the Methodology section of your chosen article. Address the following four questions. (This should be at least one paragraph, but no more than two paragraphs and written in a narrative paragraph format.)
Note: To answer questions 1 & 2, refer to the text – qualitative sampling, pages 167-169 and quantitative sampling, pages 191-199. To answer questions 3 & 4, refer to the text – qualitative data collection methods, pages 169-178 and quantitative data collection methods, pages 202-214.
(1) What type of sample was used?
(2) Did the sample adequately represent the population? Why or why not?
(3) What data were collected?
(4) How were the data collected?
Section IV
Findings – Review the Findings section of the chosen article. Address the following three questions. (This should be at least one paragraph, but no more than two paragraphs and written in a narrative paragraph format.)
(1) How were the data presented?
(2) Was the manner of presenting the data clear and understandable?
(3) Were the Findings directly related to the research question?
Section V
Conclusions – Review the Conclusions section of the chosen article. Address the following three questions. (This should be at least one paragraph, but no more than two paragraphs and written in a narrative paragraph format.)
(1) Were the conclusions solely based on the Findings of the study? Briefly describe.
(2) What populations can the conclusions be generalized to, and why?
(3) Why was the study design (quantitative or qualitative) the appropriate design?
Use the following Rubric to guide your work on the Week 4 Assignment.
PEDG 5307 Week 4 Tasks | Does Not Meet Minimum Criteria | Approaches Minimum Criteria | Meets Criteria |
Exceeds Criteria |
Part 1
Introduction Section Critique | Candidate failed to describe setting, problem, purpose, significance, and research questions (0 points) | Candidate vaguely describes setting, problem, purpose, significance, and research questions or omits two or more prompts (10 points) | Candidate describes setting, problem, purpose, significance, and research questions but omits one prompt (15 points) | Candidate fully and clearly describes setting, problem, purpose, significance, and research questions (20 points) |
Part 2 Literature Review Section Critique | Candidate failed to describe number of citations and whether current or not, main point, and whether adequate coverage or not (0 points) | Candidate vaguely describes number of citations and whether current or not, main point, and whether adequate coverage or not and/or omits two or more prompts (10 points) | Candidate describes number of citations and whether current or not, main point, and whether adequate coverage or not but omits (15 points) | Candidate fully and clearly describes number of citations and whether current or not, main point, and whether adequate coverage or not (20 points) |
Part 3 Methodology Section Critique | Candidate failed to describe the type of sample and whether representative of population, what data was collected and how collected (0 points) | Candidate vaguely describes the type of sample and whether representative of population, what data was collected and how collected and/or omits two or more prompt (10 points) | Candidate describes the type of sample and whether representative of population, what data was collected and how collected but omits one prompt (15 points) | Candidate fully and clearly describes the type of sample and whether representative of population, what data was collected and how collected (20 points) |
Part 4 Findings Section Critique | Candidate failed to describe how the data was collected, whether clear and understandable, and whether Findings relate to research questions or not (0 points) | Candidate vaguely describes how the data was collected, whether clear and understandable, and whether Findings relate to research questions or not and/or omits two or more prompts (10 points) | Candidate describes how the data was collected, whether clear and understandable, and whether Findings relate to research questions or not but omits one prompt (15 points) | Candidate fully and clearly describes how the data was collected, whether clear and understandable, and whether Findings relate to research questions or not (20 points) |
Part 5 Conclusions Section Critique | Candidate failed to describe whether conclusions were based on research questions, population that study can be generalized to, and why the design was appropriate (0 points) | Candidate vaguely describes whether conclusions were based on research questions, population that study can be generalized to, and why the design was appropriate and/or omits two or more prompts (10 points) | Candidate describes whether conclusions were based on research questions, population that study can be generalized to, and why the design was appropriate but omits one prompt (15 points) | Candidate fully and clearly describes whether conclusions were based on research questions, population that study can be generalized to, and why the design was appropriate (20 points) |
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