Introduction to Educational Research

Outline of the course:

This course will focus on the foundations of educational research and will cover the following topics:

1. An overview of educational research  

2. Sources of data 

3. Measurement 

4. Indicators of good research 

5. Developing research questions 

6. Reviewing the literature 

7. Types of research (ethnographic, descriptive and historical, co-relational, action and evaluation, experimental and quasi- experimental)   

8. Designs of research  

9. Introduction to sampling 

10. Procedures and tools for gathering data 

11. Analysis of data 

12. Interpreting and communicating research 

Assessment: Group interactions, presentations, seminars and assignments

References:

Selected chapters from the following books:

1. Charles C.M. (1995, Second Edition) Introduction to Educational Research, Longman USA 

2. Kidder L.H , Judd C.M  and Smith E.R. (1986, Fifth Edition) Research Methods in Social Relations, Holt Rhinehart and Winston Inc. 

3. Kerlinger F.N. (1983, Second Indian Reprint) Foundations of Behavioural Research, Surjeet Publications 

4. Baker T.L. (1988) Doing Social Research, McGraw Hill Inc. 

5. Denzin N.K. and Lincoln Y.S (1994) Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage Publications 

6. O’Leary Zina, (2004), The Essential Guide to Doing Research, Vistaar Publications, New Delhi 

7. Cresswell, J.W. (2002), Educational Research; Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Merrill Prentice Hall