Research methods and data analysis procedures used by educational researchers

Abstract

To assess the status and the trends of subject matters investigated and research methods/designs and data analysis procedures employed by educational researchers, this study surveyed articles published by the American Educational Research Journal (AERJ), Journal of Experimental Education (JEE) and Journal of Educational Research (JER) from 1971 to 1998. Results of the study show that almost three quarters of subject matters in each journal focused on psychology in education; teachers; teaching/instruction; measurement/assessment; and methods of inquiry. Frequently used research methods were experimental research; descriptive research; correlational study; comparative approach; and survey. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA/ANCOVA, correlation, regression, t‐test, and psychometric statistics were frequently used data analysis procedures. There was a continuous drop of percentages of experimental quantitative research since the mid 1980s with a relative increase of non‐experimental qualitative research in AERJ and JER. Though some new data analysis procedures were introduced into educational research during the last decade, the trends of frequently used data analysis procedures stayed relatively steady. These trends were discussed in light of the changing editorial policies of the journals. Implications for the training of educational researchers were also noted.