Conducting Educational Research

TABLE OF CONTENTS
5 Collecting Data: A Closer Look at Qualitative Techniques......................... 99
viii
Chapter Overview.............................................................................................. 99
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 99
Selecting a Sample........................................................................................... 100
Data Collection Tips........................................................................................ 103
Field Notes/Personal Journals ..................................................................... 103
Interviews.................................................................................................... 104
Surveys/Questionnaires............................................................................... 107
Documents .................................................................................................. 109
Sociograms.................................................................................................. 110
Overall Considerations................................................................................ 111
Limitations....................................................................................................... 111
Pilot Study ....................................................................................................... 112
Writing a Methods Chapter ............................................................................. 113
Your Research Proposal .................................................................................. 114
Next Steps........................................................................................................ 114
Chapter Self-Check.......................................................................................... 114
Chapter Review Questions .............................................................................. 115
References ....................................................................................................... 115
6. Analyzing Data: Qualitative Methodologies................................................ 117
Chapter Overview............................................................................................ 117
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 117
Steps to Data Analysis..................................................................................... 118
Coding Categories ........................................................................................... 119
Organize the Data........................................................................................ 120
Read through the Data................................................................................. 121
Identify and List Categories ........................................................................ 121
Assign Codes............................................................................................... 122
Sort the Data by Codes................................................................................ 124