GEDU 6170 Research Literacy Titles, Abstracts & Introductions

1. GEDU 6170 Research Literacy
Titles, Abstracts & Introductions
Saad Chahine, PhD
May 8, 2014

2. Titles
What do you think of when you come across a title?
- Every research begins with a title
- Each title serves a purpose:
- Descriptive
- Equation
- Situation
- Process
- Theoretical
(Shank & Brown, 2007)

3. Descriptive
• Readers have an idea of what the research is
about…
Mu, M., & Childs, R. A. (2005). What parents know and believe
about large-scale assessments. Canadian Journal of
Educational Administration and Policy, 37. Retrieved from
http://www.umanitoba.ca/publications/cjeap
• Describes what will be examined
• Authors get to the point very quickly, possibly to
probe the reader

4. Equation
• Hints at the analysis
• Explains variables
Jaafar, S., & Earl, L. (2008). Comparing performance-based accountability
models: A Canadian example. Canadian Journal of Education, 31(3), 697-
726.
Hedges, L., & Newell, A. (1999). Changes in the Black-White gap in
achievement scores. Sociology of Education, 72(2), 149-182.

5. Situation
• Identifies a need to be examined and how it is
situated
Gillies, R.M., Nichols, K., Brugh, G., & Haynes, M. (2014). Primary
students’ scientific reasoning and discourse during cooperative
inquiry based science activities. International Journal of
Educational Research, 63, 127-140.
• Focus beyond just the variables in a study and try
to provide meaning through situating the topic

6. Process
• Similar to equating with the idea of
developing a model
• Also explain a process
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J.W. (2008). Cyeberbullying: An
exploratory analysis of factors related to offending and
victimizing. Deviant Behavior, 29(2) 129-156.
• Title extends beyond describing or comparing

7. Theoretical
• Examination of a theory or model to further
refine and/or gain knowledge
Raver, C.C, Carter, J.S. McCoy, D.C., Roy, A. Ursache, A., &
Friedman, A. (2012). Testing models of children’s self-
regulation within educational contexts: Implications for
measurement, Advances in Child Development and Behavior,
42, 245-270.

8. Why do we have titles?
- Engage the audience
- To inform
- To list research
- To describe
- Framing of the article
- Overview
- Sets the tone for what the article accomplishes
- Helps to search
- Build curiosity
- Marketing (selling your self)

9. The First Few Sentences
• Crises
• Importance
• Lacuna (Gap/Hole/Missing Link)
• Depth (Need for further investigation)
• Commitment (Qualitative?)
• Synopsis
(Shank & Brown, 2007)

10. Abstracts
• Accurate
• Self-contained
• Concise
• Non-evaluative
• Coherent
(Shank & Brown, 2007
based on APA)
Four Types
1.Empirical
2.Review or Theoretical
Article
3.Methodological Article
4.Case Study

11. Abstract Structures
Purpose – Problem – Participants – Design –
Analysis – Results – Conclusion
Purpose – Problem – Participants – Design –
Analysis – Results – Conclusion

12. Introductions
Why do you need an intro?
- Sets the stage for what's coming
- Background info on the topic
- Further elaborate on the purpose of the study
- Make the case for what it is your are studying
- Brings in other research (justification)
- Literature review
- States research questions
- Primes the readers brain
- Warms you up
- Relevance point of view of author
- Definition of important terms
- Why the researcher does the study (rationale)
- Exampling the study is important
- Connecting in a comparison study
- Builds credibility

13. The Appetizer of an Article
• Exploring relationships
• Predicting results
• Potential to explain phenomena
• Influences on theory
• Understanding of change
• IMPACT

14. The First Sentence
1. Piquing the interest in the study
2. Conveying a distinctive research problem or
issue
(Creswell, 2014, p. 114)

15. Find the Purpose of the Study
• Every study has a purpose statement.
• It should contain:
– What the article is about
– What the article hopes to accomplish
– Research questions/hypothesis
– Results/Findings*
– Discussions/Conclusions

16. Activity
In Pairs & Using an Articles you found, identify:
– What was the purpose of the study?
• Where did you find it?
– What method was used?
• Where did you find it?
– Who were the participants?
• Where did you find it?
– What was the conclusion?
• Where did you find it?