Scientific Project Methodology I

Recommended Prerequisites

Research methodology; Statistics.

Teaching Methods

Teaching methodologies in this curricular unit are diverse. A combination of traditional methods (lecture) and more active ones are used, such as Socratic questioning, demonstrations, small group exercises and discussions, as well as statistical data analysis with the SPSS program in classroom.

Learning Outcomes

This course aims to review the basics of scientific knowledge, to deepen its concepts and methods and  to develop critical thinking about this particular type of knowledge.

At the end of the syllabus specified below, students should be able to:

1) Have a correct idea about the nature of quantitative research in education, revealing clear scientific thinking and reasoning, as well as mastering its fundamental concepts.

2) Know the main steps of the quantitative research process.

3) Know the several research plans and be able to identify their limitations and advantages. They should also be able to select the most appropriate plan to a particular research problem.

4) Be able to conceive and plan correctly a quantitative research plan in education respecting ethics principles.

5) Know statistical analysis techniques.

6) Be able to critically analyze scientific literature.      

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1) Characterization of scientific knowledge and its distinction from other forms of knowledge.

2) Fundamental concepts of Educational Research Methodology.

3) Formulating a scientific problem and its respective hypotheses.

4) Literature review.

5) The main quantitative research plans and internal validity issues.

6) The operationalization of variables and psychometric properties of measuring instruments.

7) Selection of samples for quantitative studies and external validity issues.

8) Ethics in educational research.

9) Statistical descriptive analysis.

10) Testing hypotheses through correlations, t Student test, simple linear regression and ANOVA.oneway.

Head Lecturer(s)

Albertina Lima Oliveira

Assessment Methods

Assessement
Avaliação Final: Exame: 100.0%

Assessement
Research work:70% + 30% - Development of an individual report on the statistical analysis performed in the classroom: 100.0%

Bibliography

Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (1976). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E., (2003). How to design and evaluate research in education (5ª ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hill, M. M., & Hill, A., (2000). Investigação por questionário. Lisboa: Edições Sílabo.

Merriam, S. B., & Simpson, E. L., (2000). A guide to research for educators and trainers of adults (2ª ed.). Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company.

Pedhazur, E. J., & Schmelkin, L. P., (1991). Measurement, design and analysis. Hillsdale, Lawrence: Erlbaum Association Publishers.

Pestana, M. H., & Gageiro, J. N., (2005). Análise de dados para ciências sociais. Lisboa: Edições Sílabo.

Tuckman, B. W. (2000). Manual de investigação em educação. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.

Lima, M., Vieira, C. M., & Oliveira, A. L. (1999). Metodologia da investigação científica. Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da UC.