EDUC 6033: Research Design and Analysis
COUN 6033: Research Design and Analysis for Counselors

Class Assignments

Students will complete two assignments during this course:
(a) Abstracts of research articles, and
(b) Research Paper.
These assignments are described in detail below.

Abstracts of Research Articles

Rationale: This assignment is designed to introduce the student to the various types of research literature. It is also designed to develop the student's critical abilities in the identification of the parts of a research article and in abstracting and reporting only the significant parts of a study.

Subject: Having selected a topic of interest, the student will read and abstract research studies in Education or Psychology related to this topic. These studies include journal articles, theses and dissertations, and ERIC documents which report actual research results. Theoretical articles, essays, and editorials are not the subject matter for these research abstracts. (They may, however, be included in the review of the literature for the research paper.)

Content: Each review will include the following:

Types: One of each of the following types of research studies is to be reviewed and abstracted (they may be done in any order):

  1. An article from any Journal
  2. An abstract from Dissertation Abstracts
  3. A UH-CL Master's thesis
  4. An ERIC Document (from RIE, not CJIE)
  5. An article from an Internet site

Format: Each abstract must be typed on one side of a 5½ x 8½ inch page. (Kinesthetic Learners will especially welcome an opportunity to use their scissors to cut a standard 8½ x 11 inch page in half.)

Research Paper

Rationale: This assignment serves two purposes. First, it is designed as a comprehensive test of the student's ability to apply the lessons learned in the course. Second, it provides those students who plan to complete a research project or thesis with guidance in developing a prospectus.

Subject: The subject of the research paper is a proposed original research study. The topic should be a subject of personal interest and may be related to the student's area of professional expertise.

Content: As a proposal for a research study, the paper must include the following complete chapters: 1) Introduction, 2) Review of related literature, and 3) Proposed research design. Although the research study will not actually be completed during this course, the paper should include, in skeleton form, the following chapter: 4) Results and Conclusions.

Component Assignments: To provide extrinsic motivation to those students who require it, and to provide an opportunity for interim feedback on the project, two intermediate assignments and the final paper will be required as part of the course project.

  1. Proposed research problem & hypothesis. Required after about the first month, this will be a single typed page on which the student describes the proposed research problem and states the formal hypothesis(es) to be tested.
  2. Abstract and outline of research paper. After about two months of class sessions, the student will completely describe the proposed research study in a formal abstract and present a complete, annotated outline of the proposed paper.
  3. Final research paper. The paper must be typed in APA format. The finished paper must be submitted, without any outside cover, binding, clips or staples, in a 9 x 12 inch mailing envelope with the student's name and mailing address on the envelope, along with sufficient postage, so that the paper can be returned to the student after it has been graded.

Collaboration (optional): Students may choose work together in groups of two to four students to complete this assignment. Groups working together will choose one problem. They will submit (1) one proposed problem and hypothesis, (2) one abstract and outline, and (3) one final research paper. Every member of the group will receive the same grade for each component and the final paper. The graded paper will be returned to one member of the group. All others should include a stamped, self-addressed letter-sized envelope with the final project so a copy of the paper evaluation form can be mailed to every group member.

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Last modified: Thursday, January 12, 2007