LibGuides: ELCL6290: Research in Education: Getting Started

Background Information

Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts by Diane Lapp (Editor); Douglas Fisher (Editor)
Call Number: LB1576 .H234 2010eb (ebook)
ISBN: 9781849729420
Publication Date: 2011
The third edition of the Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts (sponsored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English) provides an overview on the teaching of the English language arts and examines research in the field. Look for tabs for contents, headings and people. Reference lists identify prominent research.

Start with a topic that interests you.
Get Background Information
Note keywords, names, places, organizations
Develop your research question
Is your research question too broad or narrow (some preliminary searching/reading will help you determine this)
Develop a thesis statement

For example,

Topic keywords: Charter schools

Your Research Question/Interest might be: Do students learn better in charter schools?

Thesis Statement: Students in urban charter schools have better test scores than students in urban public schools.

Developing a Strong Thesis Statement (Purdue Owl)
A helpful discussion from the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.
Thesis Statements
A discussion of thesis statements from the Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Keywords: A Quick Guide
Sometimes finding the right articles and resources for your class projects isn't as easy as it should be. The problem might be with the keywords you're using! Check out this quick introduction to finding the right search terms for your research!