Methodology in Our Education Research Culture: Toward a Stronger Collective Quantitative Proficiency

How doctoral programs train future researchers in quantitative methods has important implications for the quality of scientifically based research in education. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to examine how quantitative methods are used in the literature and taught in doctoral programs....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Educational researcher 2010-04, Vol.39 (3), p.229-240
Main Authors: Henson, Robin K., Hull, Darrell M., Williams, Cynthia S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Culture
Curricula
Doctoral Programs
Doctoral students
Education
Educational Quality
Educational Research
Effect Size
Graduate studies
Group Behavior
Measurement Techniques
Misconceptions
Observational research
Psychological research
Quantitative statistical methods
Research Design
Research methodology
Research methods
Research News and Comment
Research Skills
Researchers
Statistical Analysis
Teacher education
Teaching methods
Training Methods
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Summary:How doctoral programs train future researchers in quantitative methods has important implications for the quality of scientifically based research in education. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to examine how quantitative methods are used in the literature and taught in doctoral programs. Evidence points to deficiencies in quantitative training and application in several areas: (a) methodological reporting problems, (b) researcher misconceptions and inaccuracies, (c) overreliance on traditional methods, and (d) a lack of coverage of modern advances. An argument is made that a culture supportive of quantitative methods is not consistently available to many applied education researchers. Collective quantitative proficiency is defined as a vision for a culture representative of broader support for quantitative methodology (statistics, measurement, and research design).
ISSN:0013-189X
1935-102X
DOI:10.3102/0013189X10365102