"This edition was written in collaboration with Randall R. Bruce"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction to the seventh edition -- Part A: Introduction to research methods -- 1. Introduction to empirical research -- 2. Experimental versus nonexperimental studies -- 3. Experimental versus causal-comparative studies -- 4. Types of nonexperimental research -- 5. Variables in nonexperimental studies -- 6. Variables in experimental studies -- 7. Research hypotheses, purposes, and questions -- 8. Operational definitions of variables -- 9. Quantative versus qualitative reseach: I -- 10. Quantative versus qualitative research: II -- 11. Program evaluation -- 12. Ethical considerations in research -- 13. The role of theory in research -- Part B: Reviewing Literature -- 14. Reasons for reviewing literature -- 15. Locating literature electronically -- 16. Organizing a literature review -- 17. Preparing to write a critical review -- 18. Creating a synthesis -- 19. Citing references -- Part C: Sampling -- 20. Biased and unbiased sampling -- 21. Simple random and systemic sampling -- 22. Stratified random sampling -- 23. Other methods of sampling -- 24. Sampling and demographics -- 25. Introduction to sample size -- 26. A closer look at sample size -- Part D: Instrumentation -- 27. Introduction to validity -- 28. Judgmental validity -- 29. Empirical validity -- 30. Judgmental-empirical validity -- 31. Reliability and its relationship to validity -- 32. Measures of reliability -- 33. Internal consistency and reliability -- 34. Norm- and criterion-referenced tests -- 35. Measures of optimum performance -- 36. Measures of typical performance -- Part E: Experimental design -- 37. True experimental designs -- 38. Threats to internal validity -- 39. Threats to external validity -- 40. Preexperimental designs -- 41. Quasi-experimental designs -- 42. Confounding in experiments -- F. Understanding statistics -- 43. Descriptive and inferential statistics -- 44. Introduction to the null hypothesis -- 45. Scales of measurement -- 46. Descriptions of nominal data -- 47. Introduction to the chi-square test -- 48. A closer look at the chi-square test -- 49. Shapes of distributions -- 50. The mean, median, mode -- 51. The mean and the standard deviation -- 52. The median and interquartile range -- 53. The pearson correlation coefficient -- 54. The t test -- 55. One-way analysis of variance -- 56. Two-way analysis of variance -- 57. Practical significance of results -- Part G: Effect size and meta-analysis -- 58. Introduction to effect size (d) -- 59. Interpretation of effect size (d) -- 60. Effect size and correlation (r) -- 61. Introduction to meta-analysis -- 62. Meta-analysis and effect size -- 63. Meta-analysis: strengths and weaknesses -- Part H: Qualitative research -- 64. Sampling in qualitative research: I -- 65. Sampling in qualitative research: II -- 66. Measurement in qualitative research: I -- 67. Measurement in qualitative research: II -- 68. Quality control in qualitative research -- 69. Grounded theory for data analysis -- 70. Consensual qualitative research: analysis -- Part I: Preparing research reports -- 71: The structure of a research report -- 72. Introduction and literature review -- 73. Describing participants -- 74. Describing instrumentation -- 75. Reporting research results -- 76. Writing the discussion -- 77. Preparing theses and dissertations -- Appendices -- A. Electronic databases for locating literature -- B. Electronic sources of statistical information -- C. Excerpts from literature reviews -- D.A closer look at the standard devaition -- E.A closer look at effect size -- F. Outline of question route for a focus group study -- G. Sample abstracts of research reports -- H. Sample description of qualitative data analysis -- Tables -- 1. Table of random numbers -- 2. Table of recommended sample sizes -- Index.