WK750

ResearchDesignProjectQuantitativePreMatrixAssignmentInstructions.docx

Research Design Project: Quantitative Pre-Matrix Assignment Instructions

Overview

The main assignments for this course are wrapped into the Research Design Project. This project has three pre-matrices that will inform three matrices. Each pre-matrix and matrix address basic and applied research that is quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, action research, and/or program evaluation. For each pre-matrix, you will find peer-reviewed education research articles on the same topic using the specified research design(s). For the matrices, you will identify methods, information, and critique the studies. This assignment helps you learn how to evaluate research, identify the main components of good research, and start building your literature review. You will use the articles approved in Modules 2-4 during Modules 5-7.

Instructions

You will submit 2 documents for this assignment:

1. RDP: Quantitative Pre-Matrix

2. Zip-file with all of your articles (Naming convention of zip-file: RDP QUAN Articles)

For the RDP: Quantitative Pre-Matrix, you will

1. Select 3 research study articles published in a peer-reviewed journal related to your topic of interest.

a. All articles must be on the same or connecting subject matter.

b. All articles must be of educational studies published within the past five years.

c. Articles cannot be literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses or meta-syntheses, any other type of review or synthesis, longitudinal studies, or instrument validation studies; all research evaluated must be original/single empirical research. Reports and dissertations are not allowed as they are not peer-reviewed journal articles.

2. Each of the 3 articles will have a different QUANTITATIVE research design. NOTE: You only select 3 of the six designs listed below. You must have at least 1 basic research design and at least 1 applied research design:

a. Basic Research Article: Non-Experimental Research Design (QUAN-B)

b. Applied Research Article: Non-Experimental Research Design (QUAN-A)

c. Basic Research Article: Quasi-Experimental Research Design (QUAN-B)

d. Applied Research Article: Quasi-Experimental Research Design (QUAN-A)

e. Basic Research Article: Experimental Research Design (QUAN-B)

f. Applied Research Article: Experimental Research Design (QUAN-A)

NOTE: Applied research cannot use the action research form

3. For 1 and only one of your article searches, you are required to use artificial intelligence (AI) to find and verify your article.

a. You may only use M365 Copilot, LU’s approved source for AI.

b. You may ONLY use AI to complete the components in the pre-matrix for that single study.

c. You will identify which research design component you used AI for and include a copy of your “conversation” after your reference section in the template.

d. Please remember that AI is not always correct, and you have to use your knowledge gained for the week in determining whether AI’s information is usable or if you have to reprogram.

e. Remember to download the article!

Microsoft Copilot Software – As a student, you have access to this tool as part of the Microsoft 365 software package. You can also access it from your myLU account > IT Marketplace > Scroll down to Microsoft 365 Software (under IT Marketplace Software).

4. Be sure to download every article and save it in a folder on your computer. You may be asked to produce the article if the instructor has any issues downloading it. This will also ensure that the article is real!

HELPFUL INFORMATION

For help finding articles in general, refer to the Read: Suggestions and Tips for Determining Research Designs in the Learn section of this module for more information.

Any sections requiring textbook support must use the textbook from this course.

Please see the two tables at the end of the document to refresh your memory on the differences between basic and applied research, as well as non-experimental, quasi-experimental, and experimental research.

For help determining the research design(s) (e.g., experimental, quasi-experimental, causal-comparative, descriptive, correlational, regression). See the Read: Quantitative Research: Common Types of Analyses and Research Designs item in the Learn section of this module.

It is highly recommended that you search for articles in your capstone interest area. Additionally, higher-tiered journals are preferred over lower-tiered journals as they provide better information from top experts. The link to the tiered rankings can be found in the Resource section of the assignment description.

Using the provided Research Design Project Quantitative Pre-Matrix Template, provide the following information in a paraphrased format for the 3 articles:

· In the pre-matrix

· Article type

· Article reference (also must include hyperlink DOI/URL)

· Narrative in-text citation

· Parenthetical in-text citation

· Rationale with support from the article for how you know it is basic or applied (include page/paragraph number)

· Rationale with support from the textbook for how you know it is basic or applied (include page number)

· Specific quantitative research design (e.g., descriptive, comparative, quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test, randomized controlled trial, correlation, predictive correlation, etc.)

· Rationale with support from the article for how you know the specific research design is correctly identified (include page/paragraph number)

· Rationale with support from the textbook for how you know the specific research design is correctly identified (include page number)

· AI Identification if used for the study (hyperlink to AI Conversation heading which has already been bookmarked)

· After the pre-matrix

· You will answer a few questions about how research design is encapsulated in a biblical worldview. You must include Bible verses to support each of your answers.

· Reference page: Include references for the course textbook and Bible sources

· AI Conversation (already bookmarked in template): You can go to the AI conversation in M365 Copilot and copy and paste it under this heading. I encourage you to copy and paste along the way in the event of a technological issue. See the separate M365 Copilot Conversation document in the assignment instructions. This document provides information on how to hyperlink and copy information.

Current APA formatting is expected throughout your paper (see the APA Help Sheet or the Resource section of the assignment description).

The Research Design Project Quantitative Pre-Matrix Sample has been provided for your reference.

Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.

EDUC 750

Page 2 of 2

Research Designs: Basic, Applied, and Evaluation

	Basic	Applied
Purpose	Purpose is to acquire or produce new knowledge or expand on existing knowledge based on existing theories and previous literature.	Purpose is to find solutions to practical or specific work-related problems by exploring the value of basic research knowledge (for decision-making in schools and policymaking)
Theoretical Connection	Theory selected to test a hypothesis (quantitative) or frame (qualitative) a research study.	Existing theories, models, or guidelines are selected to address the problem being explored.
Types	Types can be exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory, as the goal is to understand and explain things. Sometimes it may look like a program evaluation, but it is an efficacy study.	Types can include action research, research and development, and program evaluation studies (effectiveness/impact), where the goal is to solve a problem. Program evaluation judges the program, its strategies, or its processes to improve effectiveness and/or efficiency, to see if it is meeting the needs of a school/school district.
Findings	Findings are more generalizable to larger populations	Findings are more pertinent to the demographics of the sample studied
Designs Used	Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods are used to design the study and determine sampling, data collection, and analysis. Usually, in an artificial setting such as a laboratory or a highly-controlled authentic setting	Quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods are used to design the study and determine sampling, data collection, and analysis. Usually, in an authentic setting like a classroom or school

Note: Adapted from tables and information in our textbook in Chapters 1 and 9. Kitsantis, A., Cleary, T. J., DiBenedetto, M. K., & Hiller, H. E. (2023). Essentials of research methods for educators. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Sub-Categories of Research
Defining Characteristic	Non-Experimental	Quasi-Experimental	Experimental
Definition	Non-experimental research can only look at relationships between variables without manipulating the independent variable. It relies on self-report or assessment data but does not have random assignment to conditions or groups.	Quasi-experimental research is a design where the researcher does not have complete control over the assignment of participants to conditions or groups. The researcher does not use random assignment to assign participants to groups; rather, random assignment of groups to conditions.	True experimental design is a research method where the participants are randomly assigned to different groups or conditions, and the independent variable is manipulated to test the effect on the dependent variable (an experiment occurs). It investigates cause-and-effect relationships in a controlled environment. It is usually basic research. However, applied experimental research is possible if the research applies or extends theory to an identified real-world problem with a practical outcome in mind.
Example	Investigating the differences in end-of-quarter reading scores among 3rd grade students who may have participated in outside sports and those who did not.	Investigating the difference in end-of-quarter reading scores among 3rd grade students who participated in weekly sports clinics during PE class (3rd grade classrooms were randomly assigned to a condition—sports clinics or no sports clinics)	Investigating the difference in end-of-year reading scores among 3rd grade students who participated in weekly sports clinics. Third-grade students in multiple schools volunteered to participate in after-school sports clinics. Students were randomly assigned to a condition: sports clinics or no sports clinics. If they were not assigned to the sports clinic, they signed a statement saying they would not change their physical activity during that time.
Characteristics	Does not seek to establish causal relationships or manipulate variables. Seeks description and understanding of relationships between variables.	Uses statistical techniques to control for extraneous variables and non-randomized assignment (preexisting groups or convenience sampling) to form groups. May not have a control group.	Has a control group that does not receive the manipulation (intervention), and a treatment group that does receive the manipulation (intervention) by means of a random assignment process to eliminate selection bias.
Types	· Correlation research · Survey research · Longitudinal research · Cross-sectional research	· Non-equivalent control group design · Interrupted time series design · Nonrandomized Control Group Pretest-Posttest Design	· Pre-test post-test control group design · Post-test only control group design · Randomized controlled trial
Advantages	· Cost and time-efficient · Examines variables that are not manipulated · Generates future hypotheses	· Practical when true experimental design is not possible or ethical · Establishes causal relationships · Can study variables that cannot be manipulated	· Establishes causality · Controls extraneous variables · Allows manipulation of variables that cannot be manipulated in real-world settings
Disadvantages	· Lack of causality · Confounding variables · Selection bias · Lack of control over independent and extraneous variables that might affect the dependent variable · Limited generalizability	· Selection bias (but uses matching and control to reduce/limit—propensity matching, block randomization, covariate control, participant restriction) · Lack of complete control over extraneous variables · Limited generalizability	· Manipulations of conditions may not be practical or ethical at times · Lack of external validity (in a controlled setting instead of the real world) · Expensive and time- consuming

Adapted from IAS Express (nd). https://www.iasexpress.net/modules/2-3-experimental-non-experimental-and-quasi-experimental-designs/ Note: This is not a peer-reviewed source for you to cite.