ED695 Fall 2019 Ronfeldt

Program of Research Paper Guidelines

The purpose of this project is to give you the opportunity to look closely at a topic in educational research
that matters to you, pose a question about that topic, and review relevant literature in order to begin to
answer your question and identify areas that need future investigation and research. Regardless of the role
you plan to play in the educational enterprise -- practitioner, researcher, policymaker, curriculum developer,
programmer, writer, etc. -- knowing how to identify, review, and synthesize relevant literature are essential
skills. As part of reviewing and making sense of literature, you must be able to critically examine the quality
of the research in order to identify its strengths and limitations in coming to assess the degree to which one
can believe its findings. You must also be able to make sense of results from a variety of studies, some of
which may seem conflicting or inconsistent, in order to reach a conclusion (or set of conclusions) regarding
your guiding question. The program of research project will provide you with an opportunity to develop
these skills while pursuing answers to educational questions that are personally meaningful.

This project will unfold in seven parts. Each is delineated below.

Part Description Due date

1. Topic selection Write: (a) a brief description of the topic you have selected and your 9.16
and description reasons for selecting this topic, (b) a question or two that will guide (no more
than 3 pages,
your analysis, (c) a description of the process you went through to
double-
come to this topic (e.g., discussion with others, reading literature, spaced, 12-
past experience with the topic….), (d) your plans for identifying point font, 1
empirical research regarding this topic (e.g., what journals you plan inch margins)
to search or sources you plan to review).

2. Identification of five Write: (a) the complete reference (using APA style) for five empirical 9.30
empirical studies studies that have been published in peer-refereed journals related to (analysis of
each article
related to your topic your topic (be sure that you include at least two qualitative studies
are typically
and an analysis of one and two quantitative studies), (b) following the attached guidelines, about 3 pages
of these studies analyze one of those empirical pieces. but no more
than 4 pages,
double-
Mote: Make sure that the articles you select have been published in peer-
spaced, 12-
reviewed journals. Articles appearing in books, downloaded from websites, point font, 1
produced by important organizations, or published in conference inch margins)
proceedings will not be accepted. If you are in doubt about the
appropriateness of your articles, ask me for advice.
3. Analysis of another (a) Select a different article (from the one you reviewed in Step 2) to 10.14
one of your articles and share with your partner, preferably one that you feel you could use (an analysis
of each article
one of your partner’s assistance in reviewing; your partner will also share an article with
is typically
articles. you (b) following the attached guidelines, analyze both (yours and about 3 pages
your peer’s) empirical pieces. (c) After you have completed your but no more
analyses, submit them on our class CANVAS site; in addition, please than 4 pages,
double-
send to your partner your analysis of your partner’s empirical piece
spaced, 12-
(your partner will also send her/his/their review to you). (d) Before point font, 1
our next class session, please read your partner’s analysis of your inch margins)
empirical piece and be prepared to discuss it with your partner in
class (please bring copies of your analyses and your partner’s
analyses to class for reference).

4. Analysis of your Following the guidelines you have been provided, complete the 11.4
remaining three analysis of the three remaining empirical pieces. Please also (see above)
empirical pieces; revise consider the feedback you received from your instructor and your
your first two empirical partner in revising your first two analyses of empirical pieces;
ED695 Fall 2019 Ronfeldt

pieces according to indicate any revisions you make by using a different color font.
feedback. Please submit all five (final draft) analyses of empirical pieces in a
single (.doc/.docx) document.
5. Synthesis Now you are ready to look across the empirical work you have 11.18
analyzed. Compare and contrast the studies in terms of: (a) the (at least 5 but
no more than
central arguments / theses put forward, (b) the strengths and
10 pages,
limitations of the methods that have been employed in this area of double-
inquiry, (c) the implications of this research for matters related to spaced, 12-
education practice, policy and/or research, and (d) the gaps that point font, 1
inch margins)
your analyses have revealed in this research.

*Note 1: A synthesis is NOT separate, short summaries of each text.

Syntheses are your attempts to pull together and make sense of the
texts AS A COLLECTION. Comparing and contrasting central themes
and arguments is often the first step. However, you should work
towards constructing an argument based upon what you have
learned from reviewing the research. Use the evidence from the
texts, and comparisons across texts, in service of YOUR argument.
6. Presentation You will prepare a 20 minute presentation about the program of Either
research you have investigated. You will give your presentation in 11.22 or
class to small group of peers. 12.5 (TBD)
7. Evaluation This writing should focus on what you have learned about yourself 12.13
relative to the selection and close reading of research in your area of (no more
than 6 pages,
interest. Please describe what you learned about the conduct of this
double-
kind of scholarship, your areas of growth, and the aspects of this spaced, 12-
work that you want to continue to advance. point font, 1
inch margins)

Paper Expectations
Papers should use 12-point font, double-spaced formatting, and 1-inch margins; page limits described in
table above. Be sure to proof read your papers carefully and include all references, using APA style.

OVERALL Assessment Criteria for Final Paper (Parts 1-5 & 7)

Projects will be assessed according to whether you meet the guidelines listed, the completeness and quality
of your responses to questions asked, the clarity of your communication (Is the writing comprehensible?
Does it enable the reader to understand the argument? Is the paper well-organized, within and across
sections? Do arguments build progressively across the reading response in logical and deliberate ways?), and
meticulousness (Has the paper been proofread carefully? Does the paper follow linguistic conventions in
terms of spelling, grammar, syntax, etc.? Does it meet formatting guidelines?). See below for more details,
including Example Rubrics used to assess the assignments.

Guidelines for Analyses of Empirical Texts (Parts 2-4)

The analysis of each text is to be no more than 4 pages in length (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point
font). Below are the expectations for analyses of empirical texts, though the order of your analysis need not
necessarily follow the order listed:
a) Include full reference as header
b) Write your name, the date, and “ED695:Fall2019” at top of page
c) Include title in form: “Analysis of Text: Article 1”
d) Summarize the study’s:
a. Purposes/rationale/literature review – What is the authors’ rationale for conducting this
study? What new knowledge does it intend to generate and for what purposes? What
contributions does the study intend to make – to practice, policy, research? How do the
ED695 Fall 2019 Ronfeldt

authors hope to extend or build upon prior literature? What gaps in prior literature does the
study intend to fill and why?
b. Research questions – What are the questions that guide this study? Are certain research
questions more central than others? Are there implicit research questions?
c. Methods for data collection and analysis – Who is the sample under study? What sampling
procedures were used? What is the context of the study? What data sources are collected
and why? What measures are used? What methods of analyses are used to make sense of
the data in order to respond to the research questions? What rationale do the authors offer
for their methods of analysis?
d. Findings – What are the main findings? As a result of the study, what do we know now that
we didn’t before?
e) Critically analyze the study’s:
a. Central arguments – Are there inconsistencies or shortcomings either in the content of the
arguments or in how (e.g., the logic) they are made?
b. Methodology - Do the data collected and analyses methods employed provide the kinds of
evidence necessary to draw the conclusions the authors make? What gaps seem to exist and
why? Do the data and methods align with the research questions and theoretical
perspectives the authors put forth? What concerns do you have about the data collected or
methods employed?
c. Other Limitations – Beyond gaps or limitations to the central argument and analysis
methods, what other limitations seem to exist, and why? What do these limitations mean for
the conclusions the authors have drawn? Do the conclusions and implications that the
authors put forth seem warranted by the evidence they present?
f) Discuss Implications and Future Directions: Discuss what you believe to be the central implications
of this study for practitioners, policymakers, and/or researchers of teaching and learning. What
future studies do you think would be most critical to build upon or address the gaps in the study
under consideration, and why?

Example Rubric
Points
Summary /10
-Purpose/Rationale/Lit Review
-Research Questions
-Methods
-Findings
Analysis/Critique /10
Discussion/Implications /10
Total /30
Conversion to 5-Point Scale /5

Guidelines for Synthesis (Part 5)

Main Components:
(a) the central arguments / theses put forward,
(b) the theoretical perspectives brought to the research,
(c) the strengths and limitations of the methods that have been employed in this area of inquiry,
(d) the implications of this research for matters related to teaching and learning, and
(e) the gaps that your analyses have revealed in this research.

Example Rubric
Completeness of responses /30
I will consider the completeness of
your response in all categories (a)-(e)
above.

Quality of analysis/synthesis /30

I will consider the quality of your
response in all categories (a)-(e) above.
ED695 Fall 2019 Ronfeldt

Clarity of communication /20

Is the writing comprehensible? Does it
enable the reader to understand the
argument? Is the paper well-organized-
within and across sections?

Meticulousness /20
Has the paper been proofread
carefully? Does the paper follow
linguistic conventions in terms of
spelling, grammar, syntax, etc.? Does it
meet formatting guidelines?

Total /100 Grade:

Points: /10

Guidelines for Class Presentation (Part 6)

During the final 3-4 sessions of class, you will have an opportunity to present what you have learned during
this project to a small group of peers. Your presentation will be between 20 minutes in duration and should
include the following:

1) Some discussion of how you arrived at your topic and the questions you posed
2) Presentation of the question(s) that guided your inquiry
3) Summary of the main findings from your analysis of the five texts
4) Presentation about what you learned from your synthesis of these texts
5) A discussion of your answers to your guiding questions based upon your analysis of the texts

After you have completed your presentation, you will be responsible for facilitating a discussion with your
peers about your work. As part of this, you should begin with a question and answer period. You should also
come prepared with at least three discussion questions related to your presentation. To the degree possible,
these questions should connect to the themes and readings from our course. Before your presentation, please
submit to the instructor any slides, handouts, materials, and/or agenda/lesson plan that you use for the
presentation.

Assessment: I will consider the following in my assessment: how well prepared you are for your presentation
and discussion, the quality (clarity and organization) of the presentation content, the quality of the questions
you prepare for discussion, and how adequately you respond to the questions and feedback from your peers.

**Note: This assignment was adapted, with permission, from a related assignment created by Dr. Annemarie
Palincsar. I thank Dr. Palincsar for her generosity in sharing her materials and ideas with me and for giving
me permission to adapt her assignment for my own courses.