Layout for Research Report

Research topic and reason for choosing it (100 words) Choose a current issue that is of interest to you and that is addressed in your partnership school How exactly does this current issue connect with teaching and learning? Briefly outline why you have chosen this issue. Why do you think it is an important issue to research? What kinds of questions, connected to your issue, would you like to find answers to? Review of Literature and Research (400words) You need to read 3-4 articles in academic journals or books as well as any other material related to your issue or question Think about other resources that you can use such as the internet, reference books, magazines, libraries, CD-ROMS, videos, kits, pamphlets, handouts on particular programs that might be tied to the issue you are investigating What does the literature say about the issue? You should try to use direct quotes in your report and link this to the arguments you are attempting to present. Try not to quote big chunks from the articles you read. Rather attempt to paraphrase the intellectual ideas you are presented with. You must reference the source you are paraphrasing from Make sure you keep a record of all the bibliographical details of your references, as you must include a bibliography as part of the research. Failure to do so will end in a fail grade.
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 Ensure that you make clear connections between the your writing an the literature you refer to! Are there areas in the literature that shed light into the questions you raise? Alternatively does any of the literature raise concerns for you? Why? Data collection (250 words) You will need to interview at least one teacher at your partnership school. Ensure that you have planned out your questions before you interview your participant. Ensure that your interview questions are opened questions rather than closed questions Ensure that your questions directly relate to the issue you are concerned with You should also take field notes while in your partnership school and use them when writing up the report as part of your data You should also be writing a journal throughout your teaching experience. Your journal entries can be used as part of your data Will you use a survey? You need to outline why you choose particular types of methodologies for collecting data Think about how you will record the information that you gather. Will you take extensive notes? Ensure that you organise your material appropriately so that your task of analysis will be easier to take on Data Analysis of the Data Gathered (300 words) Use subheadings Ensure that you make use of facts rather than opinions when incorporating the data into your writing and arguments
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 Examine how teachers, administrators and students have responded to the issue you are investigating. How is this response tied to teaching and learning? Look for patterns of words or phrases in the data. This often is a clue as to the main messages that the participant wants you to take in Ensure that when you are analysing your data that you relate it back to the original question you seek to investigate at the beginning. Always tie your writing to the central focus questions you raise at the start of the report! Discussion (450 words) What I NOW think about the question/issue- drawing together the ideas you have, the other research and your research to discuss your own thinking and knowledge and to identify any conclusions, recommendations, new questions that you think are important to investigate Is there anything that you could have done differently in your research design? If so what?

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