Questions (and Answers) about Your Education Research Project
Questions (and Answers) about Your Education Research Project
First published on the Facebook page of A Beginner’s Guide to Doing Your
Education Research Project: http://on.fb.me/QsLY2Q
1. My research topic is unusual – how do I write my literature review?
2. Is it ok to carry out my investigation in the place where I work?
3. How can I give anonymity to participants, when others know who they are?
4. My written project is over the word count – what can I do?
5. I am doing a poster presentation about my research. Any advice?
1. My research topic is unusual – how do I write my literature review?
‘I have chosen an unusual topic for my research. It is an area which interests me,
but I cannot find anything which has been published about it. How can I write
my literature review in this situation?’
It sounds as if your research could fill a gap in knowledge and understanding.
This provides a strong justification for doing your investigation – better, it could
be argued, than researching something which has been extensively researched
before.
The definition of a literature review in A Beginner’s Guide… is this: ‘A critical
analysis of what is understood already about your topic and themes related to it’
(p.80). In relation to your topic, it seems that little is understood at the moment.
You could point this out by saying that it has been difficult to find literature or
previous research about it (although it is important you find what you can).
Instead you can focus in your literature review on the second aspect – the
‘themes’ related to it. Here is an example:
Marcia is investigating the perceptions and experiences of educators about how
the weather affects children’s readiness to learn in the classroom. She finds that
little has been written specifically about this issue.
However, she does find other material which examines wider ‘themes’ which are
relevant to it. These include:
• Ways in which different kinds of weather can affect mood and anxiety
amongst children and adults
• Ways in which children’s readiness to learn is influenced by a range of
other factors, e.g. the physical environment, events in the playground and
outside school
• The importance of recognising and understanding these and other
possible influences on teaching and learning
1
, Questions (and Answers) about Your Education Research Project
• Strategies used by teachers and others to encourage readiness to learn in
the face of such obstacles.
None of these themes is exactly about Marcia’s topic, but examining what is
written about them helps her reader to understand the background to it and
gives Marcia a basis for doing her own investigation.
2. Is it ok to carry out my research in the place where I work?
‘I intend to carry out my investigation in the place where I work. I feel that my
colleagues will be interested in taking part and will have valuable information to
offer about my topic. Is this ok, or should I try to find a different venue where
participants do not know me?’
Researching in your own workplace may help you arrange access and time for
your investigation. There are disadvantages too, however – for instance:
• Your place of work may not suit your topic
• Your methods and the data you collect may be influenced by the fact that
your participants know you well. It may be difficult to achieve a ‘neutral’
role as a researcher.
• If you are in a position of authority over your participants, this may cause
imbalance in your research relationship. For instance, interviewees may
decide to ‘play safe’ in what they tell you and avoid expressing
uncomfortable opinions.
• It could be difficult to come to critical conclusions. You may find yourself
avoiding these and producing only positive or complimentary findings
from your investigation.
There are ways you can lessen such effects – see this example:
Maya is carrying out her research in the school where she works. She intends to
interview colleagues, observe teachers and students in the classroom and
examine student achievement data.
To do this ethically and to strengthen validity in her investigation, Maya decides
that she needs as far as possible to establish a neutral position as a researcher.
So:
• She draws up a research brief (A Beginner’s Guide…, p.146‐147 & Project
Sheet 14) which describes her investigation in a formal way. She sends
this, with a short covering letter, to her potential participants (including
students), asking them for their consent to take part. She makes it clear
that there is no pressure to participate and that both positive and critical
conclusions may result from the investigation.
• She asks for permission from teachers and students to use relevant
2
Questions (and Answers) about Your Education Research Project
First published on the Facebook page of A Beginner’s Guide to Doing Your
Education Research Project: http://on.fb.me/QsLY2Q
1. My research topic is unusual – how do I write my literature review?
2. Is it ok to carry out my investigation in the place where I work?
3. How can I give anonymity to participants, when others know who they are?
4. My written project is over the word count – what can I do?
5. I am doing a poster presentation about my research. Any advice?
1. My research topic is unusual – how do I write my literature review?
‘I have chosen an unusual topic for my research. It is an area which interests me,
but I cannot find anything which has been published about it. How can I write
my literature review in this situation?’
It sounds as if your research could fill a gap in knowledge and understanding.
This provides a strong justification for doing your investigation – better, it could
be argued, than researching something which has been extensively researched
before.
The definition of a literature review in A Beginner’s Guide… is this: ‘A critical
analysis of what is understood already about your topic and themes related to it’
(p.80). In relation to your topic, it seems that little is understood at the moment.
You could point this out by saying that it has been difficult to find literature or
previous research about it (although it is important you find what you can).
Instead you can focus in your literature review on the second aspect – the
‘themes’ related to it. Here is an example:
Marcia is investigating the perceptions and experiences of educators about how
the weather affects children’s readiness to learn in the classroom. She finds that
little has been written specifically about this issue.
However, she does find other material which examines wider ‘themes’ which are
relevant to it. These include:
• Ways in which different kinds of weather can affect mood and anxiety
amongst children and adults
• Ways in which children’s readiness to learn is influenced by a range of
other factors, e.g. the physical environment, events in the playground and
outside school
• The importance of recognising and understanding these and other
possible influences on teaching and learning
1
, Questions (and Answers) about Your Education Research Project
• Strategies used by teachers and others to encourage readiness to learn in
the face of such obstacles.
None of these themes is exactly about Marcia’s topic, but examining what is
written about them helps her reader to understand the background to it and
gives Marcia a basis for doing her own investigation.
2. Is it ok to carry out my research in the place where I work?
‘I intend to carry out my investigation in the place where I work. I feel that my
colleagues will be interested in taking part and will have valuable information to
offer about my topic. Is this ok, or should I try to find a different venue where
participants do not know me?’
Researching in your own workplace may help you arrange access and time for
your investigation. There are disadvantages too, however – for instance:
• Your place of work may not suit your topic
• Your methods and the data you collect may be influenced by the fact that
your participants know you well. It may be difficult to achieve a ‘neutral’
role as a researcher.
• If you are in a position of authority over your participants, this may cause
imbalance in your research relationship. For instance, interviewees may
decide to ‘play safe’ in what they tell you and avoid expressing
uncomfortable opinions.
• It could be difficult to come to critical conclusions. You may find yourself
avoiding these and producing only positive or complimentary findings
from your investigation.
There are ways you can lessen such effects – see this example:
Maya is carrying out her research in the school where she works. She intends to
interview colleagues, observe teachers and students in the classroom and
examine student achievement data.
To do this ethically and to strengthen validity in her investigation, Maya decides
that she needs as far as possible to establish a neutral position as a researcher.
So:
• She draws up a research brief (A Beginner’s Guide…, p.146‐147 & Project
Sheet 14) which describes her investigation in a formal way. She sends
this, with a short covering letter, to her potential participants (including
students), asking them for their consent to take part. She makes it clear
that there is no pressure to participate and that both positive and critical
conclusions may result from the investigation.
• She asks for permission from teachers and students to use relevant
2
