Once you have brainstormed project topics, narrowed down the list, and reviewed the research related to that narrowed list, select a topic that seems most appealing to you. However, this project topic is not set in stone yet. After you begin working through the project, you may realize that the topic needs to be revised, or even entirely changed to a different topic. The next step is to identify the key variables and the research design. Show
Key
Variables All research projects are based around variables. A variable is the characteristic or attribute of an individual, group, educational system, or the environment that is of interest in a research study. Variables can be straightforward and easy to measure, such as gender, age, or course of study. Other variables are more complex, such as socioeconomic status, academic achievement, or attitude toward school. Variables may also include an
aspect of the educational system, such as a specific teaching method or counseling program. Characteristics of the environment may also be variables, such as the amount of school funding or availability of computers. Therefore, once the general research topic has been identified, the researcher should identify the key variables of interest. For example, a researcher is interested in low levels of literacy. Literacy itself is still a broad topic. In most instances, the broad topic and general variables need to be specifically identified. For example, the researcher needs to identify specific variables that define literacy: reading fluency (the ability to read a text out loud), reading comprehension (understanding what is read), vocabulary, interest in reading, etc. If a researcher is interested in motivation, what specific motivation variables are of interest: external motivation, goals, need for achievement, etc? Reading other research studies about your chosen topic will help you better identify the specific variables of interest. Identifying the key variables is important for the following reasons:
Research Design After the key variables have been identified, the researcher needs to identify how those variables will be studied, which is the heart of the research design. There are four primary research designs:
Descriptive studies are the most simple research design and provide the least amount of information about improving education. Therefore, descriptive studies should only be conducted for first degree and diploma projects. Only in special cases should a Masters thesis be descriptive. Doctoral dissertations should aim for experimental or quasi-experimental studies. Once the key variables and the research design have been identified, the rest of the study falls into place.
NEXT Return to Educational Research Steps Copyright 2012, Katrina A. Korb, All Rights Reserved Which variable that are not related to the purpose of the study?Independent variable that are not related to the purpose of the study , but may affect the ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ are termed as extraneous variable.
What are the independent variables that are not related to the purpose of the study but still affect the dependent variable termed as?Extraneous variables: These are variables that might affect the relationships between the independent variable and the dependent variable; experimenters usually try to identify and control for these variables.
What are the 4 types of variables used in research?You can see that one way to look at variables is to divide them into four different categories ( nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio). These refer to the levels of measure associated with the variables.
What are the variables that the researchers are studying?In research, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores. Researchers often manipulate or measure independent and dependent variables in studies to test cause-and-effect relationships. The independent variable is the cause.
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