IPC 541:  Research Methods & Program Evaluation

 

Spring Trimester 2001

Wednesday  5:30 – 8:00

 

 

Instructor:                  Kurt Monroe

 

Telephone:                 618-457-7463 (Home)

                                    618-453-7635 (Office at SIUC)

 

E-mail:                        kmonroe1@siu.edu

 

Required Text:           Hadley, R.G., & Mitchell, L.K.  (1995).  Counseling Research and Program Evaluation.  Pacific Grove, CA:  Brooks & Cole.

 

Reference Texts:       Gay, L.R.  (1999).  Educational Research (6th ed.).  Englewood Cliffs, NJ:  Prentice-Hall.

 

                                    Gay, L.R.  (1996).  Student Guide To Accompany Educational Research (6th ed.).  Englewood Cliffs, NJ:  Prentice-Hall.

 

                                    American Psychological Association.  (1994).  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (4th ed.).  Washington, D.C.:  Author.

 

                                    Fischer, J., & Corcoran, K.  (1987).  Measures of Clinical Practice:  A Sourcebook, Vols. 1 & 2.  NY:  Free Press.

 

Course Objectives:

 

1.                  To provide a general exposure to various research designs, their strengths, the types of conclusions that can be derived from them, as well as their limitations and deficiencies.

 

2.                  To develop an understanding of internal and external threats to validity and strategies to minimize these threats.

 

3.                  To differentiate between qualitative and quantitative research and articulate the appropriate uses of each.

 

4.                  Demonstrate an understanding of basic statistical concepts, such as descriptive and inferential statistics, and ascertain whether a relationship is statistically significant.

 

5.                  To develop an understanding of the process as well as the structure of an outcome study/program evaluation, including understanding issues concerning sampling, instruments and other forms of data collection procedures, and data analysis.

 

6.                  To develop skills of critical evaluation of research articles.

 

7.                  To gain an awareness of the ethical and legal issues pertaining to the conduct of research.

 

8.                  To know, understand, and conduct guidance needs assessments.

 

9.                  School counselor candidates will know, understand, develop, and manage a comprehensive guidance program for all learners advocates for the guidance program throughout the school community.  Moreover, such candidates will know, understand, and conduct a program evaluation to monitor and improve the guidance program.

 

Note:

While you will not be working on your research proposal in this class, the knowledge you will gain is vital in that it will equip you with the foundation and tools for the successful completion of your thesis, if you have opted for doing a thesis.

 

Course Structure:

During each class period, we will focus on a variety of research designs and the tools to critically evaluate research articles.  The main text will be Hadley & Mitchell (1995).  The secondary text will be Gay (1999) (on reserve in the library).  Students will be expected to apply their understanding of research design and issues and evaluate articles that will be distributed during the course.  In addition, exercises in the Student’s Guide (on reserve in the library) will be used to facilitate the understanding and application of the various research concepts and tools.

 

Several class activities have been designed to facilitate the achievement of course objectives.  These include lectures, small group discussions and exercises, group presentations and demonstration of application of research design within a clinical and school setting, as well as an in-class review and critique of research articles.

 

Course Requirements:

 

I.                    Group Presentation/Paper (max 60 points)

Groups will be assigned to present on one of the following designs:

 

(i)                  Descriptive Design

(ii)                Experimental Research – Group Design

(iii)               Experimental Research – Single-subject Design

(iv)              Causal Comparative

(v)                Correlational Research

Group presentation/paper will be broken down into two (2) parts:

 

1)  Each group will be responsible for presenting the particular chapter in the Gay textbook.  In addition, the group will conduct a simple research “fun” exercise in class, using the particular design.  Groups will be graded on their presentation (max 30 points).  You be expected to meet with me as a group at least 2 weeks prior to your presentation to discuss the presentation

 

2)  Additionally, the group will work on a proposal to demonstrate how a particular design could be used to conduct an outcome assessment/program evaluation within a clinical or school setting.  The written proposal may be turned in to me on the night of your group presentation or anytime throughout the semester.  I will read it and provide feedback so that you can make revisions before you present it to the whole class on the last night of class (max 30 points).

 

II.                 Research Assignments: (max 60 points)

Complete 3 assignments (20 pts. each), which will involve application of research concepts to case scenarios, as well as critiquing of research studies, involving various research designs.  You will be given approximately 6 such assignments, and you may opt to do as many as you wish, but the scores on your three best assignments will compute towards your final grade.  All assignments must be turned in on the due dates, for we, as a class, will discuss and critique the articles.  Therefore, if you do not have the particular article turned in at the beginning of class, I cannot accept that particular article at a later date.

 

III.               Review Exercises & Class Participation: (max 80 points)

Short 10-minute review exercises will be given after each topic at the beginning of class the week following the lesson.  These will mainly comprise of multiple-choice, identification questions, crossword puzzles, etc. (max 40 points).

 

Additionally, you will be expected to discuss and critique articles (research assignments) that will be distributed prior to the session.  Your contribution to class discussion will also be graded (max 40 points). 

 

A maximum of 200 points is possible.

 

Points                           Grade

180 – 200                        A

160 – 179                        B

140 – 159                        C

120 – 139                        D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tentative Course Schedule:

 

                                    Research Design                                            Assignment Due

 

Jan. 10                        Introduction:

                                    Types of Research

                                    Guidelines for classification

                                    Readings:  Hadley & Mitchell, Ch. 2

                                    Recommended:  Gay, Ch. 1

 

Jan. 17                        Types of Research & Guidelines for classification (cont.)

                                    Ethical issues in conducting research

                                    Readings:  Hadley & Mitchell, Ch. 5

 

Jan. 24                   Sampling strategies

                                    Readings: Hadley & Mitchell, Ch. 10

                                    Recommended: Gay, Ch. 4

 

Jan. 31                   Data collection strategies

                                    Readings: Hadley & Mitchell, Ch. 11 & 12

                                    Recommended: Gay, Ch. 5

 

Feb. 7                          Program Evaluation                                                                                                               Readings:  Hadley & Mitchell, Ch. 3 & 4

 

Feb. 14                   Qualitative Research

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 6 & 7

 

Feb. 21                   Critique: Qualitative Research

                                                Readings:  Gay, Ch. 16 & article                                       

 

Descriptive Research                                         Presentation

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 8

 

Feb. 28                        Critique:  Descriptive Research                       RA 1 (Qualitative)

                                    Readings:  Gay, Ch. 16 & article

 

 

Mar. 7                         Threats to validity                                         

                                    Readings:  Hadley & Mitchell, Ch. 9

                                    Recommended:  Gay, Ch. 11, pgs. 367 – 383

 

 

 

 

Mar. 14                         Threats to validity (cont.)                              RA 2 (Descriptive)

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 11, pgs. 383 – 386

 

Mar. 21                  Experimental Research                                      Presentation

                                    (group design)

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 11, pgs. 386 – 400

 

Mar. 28                       Critique: True & Quasi Experimental Design

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 16 & article

 

                                    Experimental Research                                 Presentation

                                    (Single-subject design)

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 11, pgs. 400 – 411

 

Apr. 4                                  Critique: Single-subject design             RA 3 (Experimental

Group)

                                    Readings: Gay. 16 & article

 

                                    Causal Comparative Research                     Presentation

                                                Readings: Gay, Ch. 10

 

Apr. 11                        Critique: Causal comparative               RA 4 (Experimental

                                                                                                                      Single-subject)

                                    Readings: Ch. 16 & article

 

                                    Correlational Research                                 Presentation

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 9

 

Apr. 18                        Critique: Correlational Research                      RA 5 (Causal          

Comparative)

 

                                    Readings: Gay, Ch. 16                          RA 6 (Correlational)

 

                                    Presentation of group program                     Group outcome    

                                    evaluation/outcome studies                           research/program

                                                                                                             Evaluation proposal

 

Apr. 25                        Individual consultation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please Note:

 

(1)    Attendance Policy:

The Lindenwood policy regarding attendance will be adhered to.  If you miss more than two classes, this will result in a reduction in your grade by one letter.  Four absences or more may result in an “F” for the course.  Continued tardiness may also result in being  penalized.  Please let me know if you cannot attend class on a  particular night and do make arrangements with others to get copies of the notes and handouts.

 

(2)    Plagiarism:

Please pay attention to the policy on Academic Dishonesty as spelled out in the Lindenwood Catalog:

“Academic dishonesty is an exceptionally serious offense to oneself and one’s colleague, and may result in a failing grade on the piece of work, failure in the course or dismissal from the University.”

Plagiarizing in your research without proper citation of source constitutes a form of academic honesty and may result in a failing grade for your proposal.

 

(3)    Incomplete Grades:

Please note that the required number of assignments and review exercises have to be completed in order to get a grade for the course IPC 541.  In particular, if you are unable to meet the requirements of the course and need an extension, you will have to submit a petition for an incomplete grade to me.  You will then have 6 weeks to complete and turn in the work.  Otherwise, the “I” grade will revert to an “F.”  

 

(4)    Accommodation:

If you have a learning or physical disability (including test anxiety), please let me know as soon as possible so that accommodation may be made to facilitate you learning and performance in the class.