Education Commons^™

Requiring Counseling In Master's-Level Counseling Programs: Students' Perceptions Of Counseling And Psychological Characteristics, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

The present study investigates master's level counselors-in-training (N = 513) and whether there are differences between students in counseling programs based in schools of education that require personal counseling sessions for students to work through personal issues (n = 329) and those programs that do not require counseling (n = 184), with respect to willingness to seek counseling, distress, attitude toward counseling, social support, and self-concealment. To date, no studies have investigated these factors for this population. Five one-way multivariate analyses of variance were conducted to determine if there were differences between counseling programs that require personal counseling sessions and …

Building A Methodological Foundation: Doctoral-Level Methods Courses In Colleges Of Education, Nancy L. Leech, Laura D. Goodwin

Nancy Leech

Due to the continued growth of qualitative research methodology, the demand for large-scale quasi-experimental studies, and a renewed interest in mixed methodologies, there is concern regarding methods courses taught in schools or colleges of education in the United States. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of current methods course requirements in doctoral programs and explore the balance among qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods course requirements and dissertation policies and procedures. A purposeful sample (n = 100) of schools of education was collected from across the nation. The findings indicate that, overall, there is large variability in the …

An Array Of Qualitative Analysis Tools: A Call For Data Analysis Triangulation, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

One of the most important steps in the qualitative research process is analysis of data. The purpose of this article is to provide elements for understanding multiple types of qualitative data analysis techniques available and the importance of utilizing more than one type of analysis, thus utilizing data analysis triangulation, in order to understand phenomenon more fully for school psychology research and beyond. The authors describe seven qualitative analysis tools: methods of constant comparison, keywords-in-context, word count, classical content analysis, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, and componential analysis. Then, the authors outline when to use each type of analysis. In so …

Qualitative Data Analysis: A Compendium Of Techniques And A Framework For Selection For School Psychology Research And Beyond, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

Qualitative researchers in school psychology have a multitude of analyses available for data. The purpose of this article is to present several of the most common methods for analyzing qualitative data. Specifically, the authors describe the following 18 qualitative analysis techniques: method of constant comparison analysis, keywords-in-context, word count, classical content analysis, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, componential analysis, conversation analysis, discourse analysis, secondary analysis, membership categorization analysis, narrative analysis, qualitative comparative analysis, semiotics, manifest content analysis, latent content analysis, text mining, and microinterlocutor analysis. Moreover, the authors present a new framework for organizing these analysis techniques via the four major …

Statistics Poker: Reinforcing Basic Statistical Concepts, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

Learning basic statistical concepts does not need to be tedious or dry; it can be fun and interesting through cooperative learning in the small‐group activity of Statistics Poker. This article describes a teaching approach for reinforcing basic statistical concepts that can help students who have high anxiety and makes learning and reinforcing these concepts more interesting and fun.

A Typology Of Mixed Methods Research Designs, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

The mixed methods paradigm is still in its adolescence, and, thus, is still relatively unknown and confusing to many researchers. In general, mixed methods research represents research that involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or in a series of studies that investigate the same underlying phenomenon. Over the last several years, a plethora of research designs have been developed. However, the number of designs that currently prevail leaves the doctoral student, the beginning researcher, and even the experienced researcher who is new to the field of mixed methods research with the challenge of …

Mixed Data Analysis: Advanced Integration Techniques, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, John R. Slate, Nancy L. Leech, Kathleen Mt Collins

Nancy Leech

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Framework For Collecting And Analyzing Data In Focus Group Research, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, W. B. Dickinson, Nancy L. Leech, A. G. Zoran, Annemarie G.

Nancy Leech

Despite the abundance of published material on conducting focus groups, scant specific information exists on how to analyze focus group data in social science research. Thus, the authors provide a new qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing focus group data. First, they identify types of data that can be collected during focus groups. Second, they identify the qualitative data analysis techniques best suited for analyzing these data. Third, they introduce what they term as a micro-interlocutor analysis, wherein meticulous information about which participant responds to each question, the order in which each participant responds, response characteristics, the nonverbal communication used, …

Utilizing Mixed Methods In Teaching Environments To Reduce Statistics Anxiety, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Nancy L. Leech, Mari Murtonen, Juhani Tähtinen

Nancy Leech

Many students deem statistics courses to be the most difficult in their programs of study, providing mostly negative experiences characterized by high levels of anxiety. Recent research on statistics anxiety has identified several teacher characteristics that help reduce students’ statistics anxiety levels. However, little attention has been placed on the role that the research-based curriculum plays in reducing anxiety levels. Thus, the present paper introduces a curricular framework for alleviating students’ negative feelings towards statistics. Building on the works of Onwuegbuzie and Leech (2004, 2005a), we contend that the best way to accomplish this is by eliminating statistics courses from …

Twice-Exceptional Learners: Effects Of Teacher Preparation And Disability Labels On Gifted Referrals, Margarita Bianco, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

The goal of this mixed methods study was to explore differences among teachers (n = 52 special education teachers, n = 195 general education teachers, and n = 30 gifted education teachers) on their perceptions of students with disabilities and their willingness to refer them to a gifted and talented program. In this follow-up to an earlier work, data reveal that teachers’ decisions for referral are significantly influenced by their teaching credentials and by the presence or absence of a disability label. When compared to teachers of gifted students and general education teachers, special education teachers are least likely …

Guidelines For Conducting And Reporting Mixed Research In The Field Of Counseling And Beyond, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

This article provides guidelines for conducting, reporting, and evaluating mixed research studies in 3 sections: research formulation, research planning, and research implementation. To date, no such guidelines are available. Detailed descriptions of each subsection are included. The authors hope that these standards assist researchers from the field of counseling and beyond.

Evaluating Mixed Research Studies: A Mixed Methods Approach, Nancy L. Leech, Amy B. Dellinger, Kim B. Brannagan, Hideyuki Tanaka

Nancy Leech

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate application of a new framework, the validation framework (VF), to assist researchers in evaluating mixed research studies. Based on an earlier work by Dellinger and Leech, a description of the VF is delineated. Using the VF, three studies from education, health care, and counseling fields are evaluated. The three mixed research studies differed in design and implementation. Elements of the VF were examined and evaluated for each study, and a picture of the quality of each study was captured textually. In presenting the VF and its potential for practical application in evaluating …

Couples Counseing For Transgender-Lesbian Couple: Student Counselors' Comfort And Discomfort With Sexuality Counseling Topics, Philip A. Rutter, Nancy L. Leech, Maggie Anderson, Diana Saunders

Nancy Leech

No abstract provided.

A Mixed Research Study Of Pedagogical Approaches And Student Learning In Doctoral- Level Mixed Research Courses, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Rebecca K. Frels, Nancy L. Leech, Kathleen M.T. Collins

Nancy Leech

No abstract provided.

The Use Of A Checklist And Qualitative Notebooks For An Interactive Process Of Teaching And Learning Qualitative Research, Rebecca K. Frels, Bipin Sharma, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Nancy L. Leech, Marcella Stark

Nancy Leech

From the perspective of doctoral students and instructors, we explain a developmental, interactive process based upon the Checklist for Qualitative Data Collection, Data Analysis, and Data Interpretation (Onwuegbuzie, 2010) for students' writing assignments regarding: (a) the application of conceptual knowledge for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative data; (b) utilizing detailed instructor feedback of content and writing style as a positive catalyst for growth; and (c) integrating feedback in future assignments and reflecting on the process. We advocate the cyclical use of this framework for teaching and learning rigorous qualitative research.

Writing Publishable Mixed Research Articles: Guidelines For Emerging Scholars In The Health Sciences And Beyond, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Julie P. Combs

Nancy Leech

In recent years, it has become more common for health science researchers to conduct and to write research reports and articles that involve the combining or mixing of quantitative and qualitative approaches within the same study. The purpose of this article is to delineate the challenges of writing mixed research studies and present a potential solution. The solution includes providing guidelines for writing mixed research that will be presented utilizing the framework designed by Leech and Onwuegbuzie (2010). Furthermore, examples of each step from a published mixed research study (Onwuegbuzie et al., 2007) will be presented. It is hoped that …

Mixed Research In Counseling: Trends In The Literature, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

No abstract provided.

Mixed Research In Gifted Education: A Mixed Research Investigation Of Trends In The Literature, Nancy L. Leech, Kathleen M.T. Collins, Q. G. Jiao, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of mixed research techniques in empirical studies published in gifted education journals. During Phase 1, empirical full-text databases and relevant electronic bibliographic databases related to gifted education were searched during a time span of 10 to 18 years, resulting in the identification of 32 mixed research studies. During Phase 2, frequency data were compiled detailing the types of methods (quantitative, qualitative, mixed) implemented in empirical studies published in three leading gifted education research journals covering the time span of 5 years. A sequential mixed analysis was conducted on Phase 2 …

Assessing Internal Consistency In Counseling Research, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Rosemarie O'Conner

Nancy Leech

In counseling research, reliability is an extremely important concept. Reliability of scores refers to how consistent scores remain across time, instruments, and conditions. The most commonly reported methods of assessing reliability are Cronbach’s alpha and Kuder-Richardson's index of reliability, otherwise known as measures of internal consistency. The purpose of this article is to describe internal consistency reliability coefficients, delineate the history of these coefficients, depict contemporary issues in counseling research, and present recommendations for practice.

Educating Knowledgeable And Skilled Researchers In Doctoral Programs In Schools Of Education: A New Model, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

To better understand how skilled and knowledgeable researchers develop in schools of education, the process of becoming a successful researcher needs to be explored. The purpose of the paper is to present three theories/studies including scientific and technical human capital, Levine's study of schools of education, and Lovitts' model of the factors that lead doctoral students to be successful researchers; to review the extant literature; and to delineate a new model to assist faculty in thinking about educating skilled and knowledgeable researchers. It is hoped that this new model will advance our understanding about what it takes to educate skilled …

Agenda For Researching Teaching (Art): A Visual Model And Research Questions, Nancy L. Leech, Carolyn A. Haug, Ellen Hill Robinson

Nancy Leech

In response to the dearth of research agendas that connect teacher education and teaching in the field and to the call for more programmatic research, the purpose of this paper is to present the Agenda for Researching Teaching (ART). The ART is a visual research agenda that spans the time from a teacher candidate learning to teach to impacting student achievement as a teacher. Furthermore, we include research questions based on the extant literature for researching teachers and teacher education. It is hoped that the model will assist researchers who investigate teachers, teacher education programs, and so forth, to focus …

Beyond Constant Comparison Qualitative Data Analysis: Using Nvivo, Nancy L. Leech, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

Nancy Leech

The purposes of this paper are to outline seven types of qualitative data analysis techniques, to present step-by-step guidance for conducting these analyses via a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software program (i.e., NVivo9), and to present screenshots of the data analysis process. Specifically, the following seven analyses are presented: constant comparison analysis, classical content analysis, keyword-in-context, word count, domain analysis, taxonomic analysis, and componential analysis. It is our hope that providing a clear step-by-step process for conducting these analyses with NVivo9 will assist school psychology researchers in increasing the rigor of their qualitative data analysis procedures. (Contains 9 figures and …

Understanding And Evaluating Research In Applied Clinical Settings, George A. Morgan, Jeffrey A. Gliner, Robert J. Harmon, H. C. Kraemer, Nancy L. Leech, J. J. Vaske

Nancy Leech

About this book: Clinically oriented professionals and students need to understand and evaluate the research and statistics in professional articles, especially given today's emphasis on evidence-based practice. This book demonstrates how the research approach and design help determine the appropriate statistical analysis. Understanding and Evaluating Research in Applied and Clinical Settings features: *short, independent, chapters that do not have to be read in order; *a guide to understanding why a particular statistic was selected; *an emphasis on effects sizes including measures of risk potency; *numerous cross-disciplinary examples to illustrate the material; and *methods to help determine practical and clinical significance …

Research Methods In Applied Settings: An Integrated Approach To Design And Analysis, Second Edition, Jeffrey A. Gliner, George A. Morgan, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

About this book:

Through its integrated approach to quantitative research methods, this text teaches readers how to plan, conduct, and write a research project and select and interpret data so they can become better consumers of research. This is not a statistics book―there are very few formulas. Rather, this book helps students master which statistic to use when and how to interpret the results. Organized around the steps one takes in conducting a research project, this book is ideal for applied programs and for those who want to analyze and evaluate research articles. Having taught in a variety of departments, …

Spss For Introductory And Intermediate Statistics: Ibm Spss For Introductory Statistics Use And Interpretation, George A. Morgan, Nancy L. Leech, Gene W. Gloeckner, Karen C. Barrett

Nancy Leech

About this book:

Designed to help students analyze and interpret research data using IBM SPSS, this user-friendly book, written in easy-to-understand language, shows readers how to choose the appropriate statistic based on the design, and to interpret outputs appropriately. The authors prepare readers for all of the steps in the research process: design, entering and checking data, testing assumptions, assessing reliability and validity, computing descriptive and inferential parametric and nonparametric statistics, and writing about outputs. Dialog windows and SPSS syntax, along with the output, are provided. Three realistic data sets, available on the Internet, are used to solve the chapter …

Ibm Spss For Intermediate Statistics: Use And Interpretation, 4th Edition, Nancy L. Leech, Karen C. Barrett, George A. Morgan

Nancy Leech

About this book: Designed to help readers analyze and interpret research data using IBM SPSS, this user-friendly book shows readers how to choose the appropriate statistic based on the design, perform intermediate statistics, including multivariate statistics, interpret output, and write about the results. The book reviews research designs and how to assess the accuracy and reliability of data: whether data meet the assumptions of statistical tests; how to calculate and interpret effect sizes for intermediate statistics, including odds ratios for logistic and discriminant analyses; how to compute and interpret post-hoc power; and an overview of basic statistics for those who …

Ibm Spss For Introductory Statistics: Use And Interpretation, Fifth Edition, George A. Morgan, Nancy L. Leech, Gene W. Gloeckner, Karen C. Barrett

Nancy Leech

About this book:

Designed to help students analyze and interpret research data using IBM SPSS, this user-friendly book, written in easy-to-understand language, shows readers how to choose the appropriate statistic based on the design, and to interpret outputs appropriately. The authors prepare readers for all of the steps in the research process: design, entering and checking data, testing assumptions, assessing reliability and validity, computing descriptive and inferential parametric and nonparametric statistics, and writing about outputs. Dialog windows and SPSS syntax, along with the output, are provided. Three realistic data sets, available on the Internet, are used to solve the chapter …

Problems With Null Hypothesis Significance Testing, Jeffrey A. Gliner, George A. Morgan, Nancy L. Leech, Robert J. Harmon

Nancy Leech

In our last column, we discussed inferential statistics and hypothesis testing, both instrumental in the process of null hypothesis significance testing (NHST). Although NHST has been the hallmark of biological, behavioral, and social sciences for most of the past century, objections and concerns have recently increased for two reasons. First, the logic underlying NHST is difficult to understand and appears to be backward. Second, and perhaps more important, NHST is often improperly used in medical and behavioral research.

Teaching Statistics Courses: Some Important Considerations, Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

Most college students from the behavioral and social sciences are required to enroll in at least one statistics course. Unfortunately, many of these students often attain lower levels of achievement in these courses than in their other classes. Consequently, statistics instructors are faced with the challenge of deciding how to maximize student learning and minimize anxiety and disaffection. Thus, this paper provides a discussion of considerations upon which instructors must reflect in order to address students' needs: context (e.g., undergraduate vs. master's vs. doctoral), content (e.g., measurement vs. evaluation vs. research design), and pedagogical style (e.g., web-based vs. traditional; theory …

The Meaning Of Validity In The New Standards For Educational And Psychological Testing: Implications For Measurement Courses, Laura D. Goodwin, Nancy L. Leech

Nancy Leech

• The treatment of validity in the newest edition of Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (Standards; American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education, 1999) is quite different from coverage in earlier editions of the Standards and in most measurement textbooks. The view of validity in the 1999 Standards is discussed, and suggestions for instructors of measurement courses are offered.