Types of Research Methods

Evidence of Research This is This works best for these This doesnt work well Additional Things
effectiveness Method kinds of questions for these kinds of to Note
questions
Detailed descriptions of How do people implement Did the program cause
LOW Descriptive- specific situation(s) using this program? any changes in
Qualitative interviews, observations, What challenges do people participants outcomes?
(Ethnography/ document review face?
Case Study) What are peoples
You describe things as perceptions?
they are.
Numerical descriptions How many people are Did the program cause
Descriptive- (frequency, average) participating in this program? any changes in
Quantitative What are the characteristics participants outcomes?
You measure things as of people in this program? Why did the program
they are. How well did participants in work this way?
this program do?
Quantitative analyses of What is the relationship Did the program cause Look for words such as,
Correlational/ the strength of between various school or any changes in more likely than, less
Regression relationships between two classroom context factors and participants outcomes? likely than, associated
Analyses or more variables (e.g., are student achievement? with, related to, and
teacher qualifications Is the extent of correlated with.
correlated with student implementation of a program
achievement?) across sites correlated with
better outcomes?
Comparing a group that Did the program cause any How are people Look for the phrase
Quasi- gets a particular significant differences in implementing the compared with.
experimental intervention with another participants outcomes as program?
group that is similar in compared to non-participants Why did the program get Look for results that are
characteristics but did not with similar characteristics the results it did? both statistically significant
receive the intervention who did not receive the and meaningful.
no random assignment intervention?
used NOTE: Did the study test
the equivalence of treatment
and control groups prior to
the intervention?

Adapted from Edvantia SBR Rating for Technical Assistance Programs and Services form (2007) and Carter McNamara Overview of Methods to Collect Information handout
(1998)

2008 by The SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. All rights reserved. www.serve.org
 Types of Research Methods
Evidence of Research This is
effectiveness Method
Using random
Experimental assignment to assign
participants to an
experimental or treatment
group and a control or
comparison group (e.g.,
one receives the
intervention and one does
not)
Synthesis of results from
Meta-analysis multiple studies to
determine the average
impact of a similar
intervention across the
studies
HIGH
This works best for these
kinds of questions
Did the program cause any
significant differences in
participants outcomes as
compared to the control
groups outcomes?
Over all studies conducted on
a particular intervention or
strategy, what can be said
about the direction or
strengths of the impacts?
What does the totality of
research studies say about the
effectiveness of a program?
This doesnt work well Additional Things
for these kinds of to Note
questions
How are people Look for words such as,
implementing the causes or leads to.
program?
Look for results that are
both statistically significant
and meaningful.
NOTE: The intervention
should be clearly defined
so that you know what it
was designed to entail, and
to what extent it was
implemented in the study.
Also look for information
on the experience of the
control group.
How are people Look for selection criteria
implementing the used to include studies and
program? look for measures of effect
What are peoples size.
perceptions?
Look for differences in
results among the studies.
Do some studies show
positive results while others
show negative or do all
studies show positive
results?

Adapted from Edvantia SBR Rating for Technical Assistance Programs and Services form (2007) and Carter McNamara Overview of Methods to Collect Information handout
(1998)

2008 by The SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. All rights reserved. www.serve.org