Title: What is Scientifically Based Research?
Headings: What is Scientifically Based Research?
Using Research and Reason in Education
What is Scientifically Based Research?
A Guide For Teachers
Becoming a Wise Consumer of Education Research
The federal perspective on scientifically based research
Recognizing Effective Research
Independent peer review
Not all education journals are peer-reviewed
Replication of results by other scientists
Consensus within a research community
Scientific Investigation Proceeds by Stages
Using the Research Literature as a Guide
Teachers supporting teachers
In Summary
The basic principles of the scientific method

Content: In the early stages of investigation, case studies-- highly detailed descriptions of individuals or small groups and the context surrounding them--can be useful. Case studies provide descriptive information about how an educational program operates in a classroom, for example, descriptions of instructional strategies, amount of time, and types of materials used in a new vocabulary program. This qualitative design uses a variety of data collection methods from multiple sources to study a single entity in depth, over a period of time, and in its context. Case studies lack the comparative information needed to determine cause-effect relationships, but they can point researchers to variables that deserve further study and help generate hypotheses. They can be helpful in developing theories about what is or is not working instructionally. However, case studies cannot provide the measurable results that are necessary to understand and confirm outcomes. Correlational studies, take things a step further by testing whether there are links between variables and outcomes. They are useful in early and middle stages of an investigation once hypotheses have been developed. For example, if a researcher hypothesizes that vocabulary instruction leads to improved reading comprehension, he or she could conduct a correlational study, using statistical techniques, to determine if there is a link between vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension. If the study finds a link, the researcher could design a randomized controlled trial, or true experiment, to confirm whether the vocabulary instruction causes the improvement in comprehension.