Chapter 9: Reporting and

Evaluating Research
Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and
Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Edition 5
John W. Creswell

(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights

Reserved

By the end of this chapter,

you should be able to:

Define the purpose of a research report

and identify the types
Identify how to structure your research
report
Identify good sensitive, ethical, and
scholarly writing practices
List criteria for evaluating a research
report

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-2

What Is a Research Report?

A research report is a completed study
that reports an investigation or
exploration of a problem, identifies
questions to be addressed, and
includes data collected, analyzed, and
interpreted by the researcher.

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-3

The Audience for Your Report

Audiences have different standards

Audiences for research

Faculty including advisors or committees

Journal reviewers
Policy makers
Practicing educators
Conference paper reviewers
The researcher

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-4

The Types of Research

Reports

Dissertations and theses

Dissertation and thesis proposals
Journal articles
Conference papers
Book chapters
Reports for policy makers or school
leaders and personnel

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-5

Identifying the Structure of

Research Reports

Examine:

The levels of heading in a study

The six steps in the research process
The research questions or hypotheses and
the answers
The structures or different types of reports,
qualitative and quantitative

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-6

Structure of a Quantitative and

Qualitative Proposal
Quantitative Format
Qualitative Format
Title page
Abstract
Introduction
Review of the literature
Methods
Timeline, budget, and preliminary
chapter outline
References
Appendices

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Title page
Abstract
Introduction
Procedure
Preliminary findings
Anticipated outcomes and tentative
literature review (optional)
Timeline, budget, and preliminary
chapter outline
References
Appendices

9-7

Variations in Structure
a Qualitative
of
Scientific
approach Study

Storytelling approach
Thematic approach
Descriptive approach
Theoretical approach
Experimental, alternative, or
performance approach

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-8

How Do You Write Your Report in a

Sensitive and Scholarly Way?

Use language that reduces bias

Describe individuals at an appropriate level
of specificity
Be sensitive to labels for individuals or
groups
Acknowledge participation of people in a
study

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-9

Writing in a Scholarly Way

Encode scholarly terms

Use standard quantitative and
qualitative terms appropriately
Balance research and content
Interconnect sections and be consistent
for the reader
Advance a concise title

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-10

Ethical Report and Writing

Research

Report honestly
Share reports with others
Refrain from duplicate and piecemeal
publication of data
Give credit for using someone elses work
Do not engage in research that represents a
conflict of interest
Give credit for authorship-negotiate early

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-11

Evaluating the Quality

of a Research Report

Does it meet publication standards?

Will it be useful in schools/workplaces?
Will it advance policy discussions?
Will it add scholarly knowledge about a
topic or research problem?
Will it help address some pressing
educational problem?

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-12

Signs of a Good Quantitative

Research Study

Validity and reliability of data-gathering

procedures
Appropriate research design or
problems in research design
Limitations of study stated
Appropriate sampling

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-13

Signs of a Poor Quantitative

Research Study (contd)

Results of analysis clearly reported

Appropriate methods to analyze data
Clear writing
Assumptions clearly stated
Data-gathering methods clearly
described

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-14

Three Perspectives on Standards

for Qualitative Research

The philosophical ideas behind the

research
The procedures of data collection and
analysis
The participatory/advocacy writers
focus on collaboration and persuasion

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-15

Qualitative Standards:
Lincolns (1995) Philosophical Criteria

Standards set in inquiry community

(guidelines for publication)
Positionality (text honest and authentic)
Community (serves community purposes)
Voice (participants heard)

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-16

Qualitative Standards:
Lincolns (1995) Philosophical Criteria
(contd)

Critical subjectivity (researcher heightened selfawareness/creates social transformation)

Reciprocity (between researcher and participants)
Sacredness of relationships (respect for
participants)
Sharing privileges (sharing of rewards with
participants)

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-17

Qualitative Standards:
Creswells (2013) Procedural Criteria

Rigorous data collection (multiple forms, extensive

data)
Consistent with philosophical assumptions of
qualitative research (evolving design, multiple
perspectives)
Employs tradition of inquiry (e.g., case study, grounded
theory, narrative)
Starts with focus on central phenomenon
Written persuasively
Multiple levels of analysis
Narrative engages the reader
Includes strategies to confirm accuracy

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-18

Qualitative Standards:
Richardsons (2000) Participatory
Advocacy Criteria

Substantive contribution (significant

understanding of social life)
Aesthetic merit (practices open up text,
artistically shaped, not boring)
Reflexivity (adequate self-awareness, selfexposure to reader)
Impact (affects the reader emotionally,
intellectually, moved to action)
Expression of reality (seems true)

Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating

Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 5th Ed.
(2015, 2012, 2008) by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

9-19