Conducting Educational Research

CHAPTER 2
Does the integration of service learning in elementary curriculum affect teacher
self-efficacy?
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MIXED STUDIES
Because mixed studies are looking at two questions, one to be answered with a
quantitative methodology and one with a qualitative methodology, the question
must be a compound statement. This is the only time we recommend the use of the
word “and” in writing a problem statement. You can also write your purpose in two
sentences, or in a list. For example:
The purposes of this study are to determine: (a) if looping in lower elementary
grades result in greater learning gains for students, and (b) how parents feel about
their children being looped.
The purpose of this study is to measure fifth grade student attitudes toward
classroom science. It will also examine the factors that students feel influence these
attitudes.
GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT PROBLEM STATEMENTS
Regardless of the type of problem statement you have decided on, here are a few
guidelines to consider in writing your statement:
The statement typically starts with “The purpose of this study…” Some
researchers prefer to use a question rather than a statement. Either is fine. Using
one of our prior examples, you can say “The purpose of this study is to measure
fifth grade student attitudes toward classroom science” or “What are fifth grade
student attitudes’ toward classroom science?” We prefer the former just because it
makes it very clear what the purpose of the study is.
Write for clarity. Avoid technical jargon or complicated grammatical construction.
Unless you are using a mixed methods design, you make your research work
much more complicated if you include more than one question in a study.
Especially for new researchers, avoid the use of the word “and” in a problem
statement.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Every university has a human subjects review committee, often called an institutional
review board (IRB), on its campus. While in the United States its function
initially is to review any federally funded grant to consider the risks involved to the
subjects participating in the research study, in most universities any research
project involving human subjects (regardless of funding) needs to be reviewed
by the IRB. Depending on the nature of the study, the research project may fall
into one of three categories: full review, expedited review, or exempt from review.