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How to Read, Evaluate, and Use Research
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How to Read, Evaluate, and Use Research



264 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

This text helps students learn how to select, read, understand, and evaluate the research they read. Many texts focus on the process of conducting research and not as much on how students in applied disciplines can assess and apply that research in their future professional lives; this text aims to fill that gap. Organized in the same way as a research article, the book includes a chapter on literature reviews and research questions, followed by three methods chapters (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods), and a chapter on research conclusions and implications. The book includes a wealth of pedagogical features including Learning Objectives, Check Your Understanding questions, a Guided Application exercise in each chapter, suggested further reading, and a glossary. Three research articles, used as exemplars throughout, are included in the appendix to the book.

 
Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview
 
Chapter 2: Introduction and Overview of Data-Driven Articles
 
Chapter 3: Literature Review
 
Chapter 4: Methods and Results: Quantitative Approaches
 
Chapter 5: Methods and Results: Qualitative Approaches
 
Chapter 6: Methods and Results: Mixed Methods Approaches
 
Chapter 7: Putting it All Together - Discussion, Conclusions, and Implications

This is an excellent and readable resource for doctoral students starting their dissertation process and at the beginning of their work to identify, integrate and apply scholarship to emerging research projects. It is one of the better texts I have seen in recent years that synthesizes the basic concepts for research methods and scholarly inquiry.

Felice D. Billups
Johnson & Wales University

Nichols et al. do a good job showing why research is important. I love that finding peer-reviewed sources is treated as a separate topic
than the literature review.

Trevor Brooks
Brigham Young University-Idaho

The authors provide a well-defined yet simple explanation of how students can find, analyze, and apply research to their own evidence-based practice.

Hollea Ryan
Samford University

Making Sense of Research will support learning for students and researchers in all avenues. Through introduction and development of key research topics, readers will gain a deeper understanding of some of the important fundamental concepts of research.

Kristina Harshman
Grand Canyon University

Sharon Louise Nichols

Paul A. Schutz

Paul A. Schutz, PhD is currently a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His research interests include the nature of emotion, the influence of emotional experiences on teachers’ identity development, research methods and issues related to race and social justice. He has several publications related to the use of mixed methods and has taught a variety of different research methods course, including qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research courses. He is a past president for Division 15: Educational Psychology of the American Psychological Association and a former co... More About Author

Sofia Bahena