Educational Research

Book excerpt: Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches by R. Burke Johnson and Larry Christensen offers a comprehensive, accessible introduction to research methods for undergraduate and graduate students. Readers will develop an understanding of the multiple research methods and strategies used in education and related fields, including how to read and critically evaluate published research and how to write a proposal, construct a questionnaire, and conduct an empirical research study on their own. The Eighth Edition maintains the features that made this book a best-seller, including attention-grabbing chapter-opening vignettes, lively examples that engage student interest, a conversational and friendly writing style, and more. Fully updated for the Seventh Edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, this new edition includes expanded information on research ethics and IRBs, expanded and more current information on sampling and causation across research designs, and the latest thinking on mixed methods research. Designed to make learning about research methods enjoyable without sacrificing the necessary rigor, this highly readable text transforms readers into critical consumers and users of research.