Chapter Three: Methodology

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Chapter ThreeMethodology

• Anne René Elsbree
• California State University San Marcos

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Chapter Three Objective

• To describe the methodology of your project
  creation or data collection
• Written in past tense because you usually
  revise this after you have completed the work.

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Chapter Three Introduction

• Identify problem restate the research/project
  question (Do not repeat your entire Ch 1.)
• Preview the contents of the chapter
• For a thesis label your methods qualitative or
• quantitative, data collection method,
  participants,
• tools, design
• Use all of the titles of subsection in the
  introduction as sign posts for the reader to know
  what is coming.

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Design

• THESIS
• Name the thesis design Quantitative surveys
• Explain how this methodology is a good match to
  answer the research question
• Cite research that supports this design choice
• PROJECT
• Name what you are created for the project
• 6 week Language Arts Unit for 6th Grade

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Participants

• THESIS
• Identify how many participants, criteria for
  in/exclusion and characteristic (demographics-
  race, class, ELL, Sp. Ed., )
• Identify sampling, selection, recruitment,
  consent, and safeguard process ( mortality rate)
• PROJECT (Can combine Participants Setting)
• Who is the targeted audience for the curriculum?
• Use proper citations for each process how is
  this based on another model

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Setting

• Identify where study is taking place or the
  audience for the curriculum project
• Geography
• Location (pseudonyms)
• Demographics of class, school, faculty
• Cultural-political climate
• Time elapse of study
• Explain how the setting is conducive for
  study/project and what impact it may have on
  findings/implementation

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Instrument

• Describe the instruments that guided project
  development (lesson format, schedule, standards)
• Describe the data collection instrument (survey,
  questions, test)
• Provide example of instrument(s)
• Explain how its a good match for study/project
• Use proper citation for referencing instrument
  design and modeling

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Research Procedures

• List the steps to conduct study so specifically
  that someone could replicate. Articulate who did
  what when to collect the data.
• Explain why you chose these steps
• Uses proper citation for Methodology
• Written in past tense.
• Articulate how author is an insider/outsider
• with this sample/site data collection.

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Project Procedures

• List the steps to conduct project. Be so
  specifically that someone could replicate.
• Explain why you chose these steps.
• Uses proper citation for Methodology
• Written in past tense.

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Project Procedures Example

• Reviewed Literature
• Identified Best Practices for Curriculum
  Instruction (share your best practice list)
• Chose Format Components for Curriculum
• Designed Curriculum with the Best Practices in
  Mind
• Evaluated/Revised based on Best Practices

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Data Analysis (Only for Thesis)

• Identify the process you used to analyze data
• Specify if your analysis is grounded and/or with
  what particular lens and name the lens and why
  you chose it.
• Describe how you can validate your findings
• Use proper citation for analysis

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Chapter Three Conclusion

• Summarize key concepts in Chapter 3
• Re-articulate research/project question
• If a thesis, recap the data collection procedures
  
• If a project, recap the best practices and how
  they informed the curriculum creation.
• Provide a transition to Chapter 4