class 2 (08/29/11)beginning as a

researcher

researchroot:

re: againcircare (circum): to go around,

about

a research attitude

• the world is out there—but descriptions of the world are not. The world does not speak. Only we do. (Richard Rorty)

• supposing is good, but finding out is better (Mark Twain, n.d.)

• one is tempted to think that [researchers] are often like children playing cowboys; they emulate them in everything but their main work, which is taking care of cows. The main work of scientists is thinking and making discoveries of what was not thought of beforehand. [Researchers] often attempt to “play scientist” by avoiding the main work. (David Bakan, 1968, p. 64)

a unified perspective

1. all research consists of making observations of some part of the world and drawing inferences about that part of the world from those observations

– social scientists have devised many useful ways to observe the world

“As far as our propositions are certain, they do not say anything

about reality, and as far as they do say anything about reality, they are

not certain.” (Albert Einstein)

2. research findings are always uncertain– researchers should always provide an

estimate of their certainty (or uncertainty)

– the goal is to reduce uncertainty

3. research methods are public—both how one did one’s observations and how one made one’s inferences

4. all research seeks the unobservable, but to get to the unobservable, one must begin with the observable

the act of research• identify an area • formulate a problem or question• find out what is known, how well it is

known, and who knows it• make a plan for finding it out• observe—generate data• bring raw data (observations)“home”• construct a data record from raw data• work on data record• make inferences (analyze/interpret)• write up what one did and what one

found out• make the writing public

constructing a question or problem• find an hypothesis (explanation) in

literature for which there has been little systematic empirical study

• find an accepted explanation in the literature you suspect is not warranted, or has not been adequately confirmed

• find a controversy in the literature and provide evidence for one side or the other—or show controversy unfounded

• make the case that an important topic has been overlooked in the literature and contribute a systematic study

Kiewra: a slice of advice

• study a domain intensively•10 year rule•pay yourself first

• have challenging and important goals•kid test

• conduct systematic work with colleagues

• write clearly and with style•Levin’s friend test

• embrace feedback•find a candid colleague and

venerate that individual• do not lose perspective

•what are we about

Krathwohl: ch 3• journey: interesting and useful but

leaves out the human element • sources of knowledge

•what are they in your area• norms of knowledge production

•universal standards•common ownership•integrity in gathering & interpreting

data•organized skepticism

important ideas

• findings, claims*, knowledge • Dewey: “warranted assertability”• Cronbach: “uncertainty reduction”• replication• gatekeepers• parsimony (Occam’s razor)• disinterestedness *not in Krathwohl

Krathwohl: Ch 4• the journalist’s questions:

– who, what, where, why, how, when• the chain of reasoning

•only as strong as its weakest link•links should be equally strong•each link determined by link before it•where links share load, strong link

may compensate for weaker one

important ideas

• chain of reasoning• generalization• hypothesis• model

housekeeping• discussion: 262 armory, F 12:15-1:30• RefWorks:

www.library.uiuc.edu/refworks/– similar to EndNote, but free

• AERA: www.aera.net, meetings & events• lit review examples—list on website• next class (2 weeks):

– professional org membership report (all)– professional org project plan (A & A-)

• 5-minute assignment• test example on website

name prof org project plan

AERA (NARST, APA etc) option 2

ethicsSieber ch 1• IRB (Institutional Review Board)

– reviews all proposals for human research before the research is done to ascertain whether the research plan has adequately included the ethical dimension of the project

Sieber ch 2research protocol• description of research methods

and procedures– how benefit is maximized and risk

minimized– autonomy of subjects respected– fairness to subjects ensured

• additional material included (p. 14)

writing: references: APA 193 ff.

journal article (journal paginated across year)

one author• Walsh, D. J. (1989). Changes in

kindergarten: Why here and now? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4, 377-91.

doi:xxx.xx/xx

journal article (journal paginated across year)

two authors• Sims, L. M., & Walsh, D. J. (2009). Lesson Study with preservice teachers:

Lessons from lessons. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 724-733. doi:xxx.xx/xx

journal article (journal paginated across year)

electronic version• Lee, J-H., & Walsh, D. J. (2004). Quality in early childhood programs: Reflections from program evaluation practices. American Journal of Evaluation, 25, 351- 373. doi:

10.1177/109821400402500306. Retrieved from http://aje.sagepub.com/ content/25/3/351

journal article (paginated by issue)• Walsh, D. J. (2005). They’re kids, aren’t they? Culture, quality, and

contemporary preschool. International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 11(2), 7-30. doi:xxx.xx/xx

journal article in press (make sure)• Author, A. A. (in press). Title of article. Journal Name.

authored book

• Becker, H. S. (1986). Writing for social

scientists: How to start and finish your

thesis, book, or article. Chicago, IL:

University of Chicago.

edited book

• Hatch, A. (Ed.). (1995). Qualitative

research in early childhood settings.

Westport, CT: Praeger.

book with author and publisher same

• American Psychological Association. (2010).

Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

chapter in edited book

• Graue, M. E., & Walsh, D. J. (1995).

Children in context: Interpreting the

here and now of children's lives. In

A. Hatch (Ed.), Qualitative research in

early childhood settings (pp. 135-

154). Westport, CT: Praeger.

chapter in an authored book

• Bruner, J. (1990). Folk psychology as an

instrument of culture. In Acts of

meaning (pp. 33-65). Cambridge, MA:

Harvard University Press.

paper presented at conference

• Lee, K. (2001, April). Not the united colors

of Benetton: Language, culture, and peers. Paper presented at the

meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle, WA.

unpublished dissertation

• Chung, S. (1999). Unpacking child-

centeredness: A history of meanings

(Unpublished doctoral dissertation).

University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign, Urbana, IL.

grad life

more top 10 tips 10. attend the university 9. get a good adviser 8. develop a good relationship

with your adviser 7. work ahead 6. schedule ahead 5. schedule in detail.

4. work more efficiently, not more 3. rub shoulders with the giants 2. the habits you develop now will

be habits you carry through the rest of your academic career 1. these are the best years of your life—enjoy them

local treasures

• WILL: am 580, fm 90.9, tv 12.1 (www.will.uiuc.edu)

• WEFT: 90.1 fm: community radio (www.weftfm.com)

• WWHP: 98.3 fm: americana (non-pop) music (www.wwhp.com)

UI Ice Arena (www.campusrec.uiuc.edu)• public skates

– 11:15-12:45, M-F (students free) (skates $1)– Sat: 1:30-4 pm (beginning Sept 24) – 7:30-9:30 pm (Nov 19, 26, Dec 10, 17) – Sun: 1:30-4 pm (beginning Sept 11) – Wed: 7:30-9:30 pm (beginning Aug 31) – Fri: 7:30-9:30 pm (beginning Sept 2)

• kinesiology classes• learn-to-skate classes (fee)• clubs: speed skating, ice dancing etc• rat hockey 3:15-4:45 fridays ($6) (helmets and cage

required; full equipment recommended)• stick-&-puck beginner hockey fridays: 5-6 pm

(beginning Sept 23) ($6) or parent and child ($10). non-contact, informal hockey. helmet with full cage/shield required (available for rent).

some good weekend get-aways• Salt Fork River Preserve (Homer Lake)

(17 miles east of Urbana)• Allerton Park (near Monticello) 30-minute

drive (www.conted.uiuc.edu/allerton/)• Turkey Run State Park (1 hour east in

Indiana, off I-74)• Shades State Park (1 hour east in

Indiana, off I-74)• Indianapolis Children’s Museum (2 hours

east)• Starved Rock State Park (1 hour north of

Bloomington-Normal, off I-39)

free & cheap this week• under construction