Today

• How to write a chapter 5• Additional parts to a capstone• What’s in an IRB• Start Class Presentations

Chapter 5

• Includes 3 main parts– Conclusion– Limitations– Implications

Conclusion

• Restate the problem• Summarize major findings • Be sure you only highlight findings already

discussed in the results section• Compare your findings to what other studies

have found– What is similar– If anything is dissimilar, why might that be?

Sample conclusionThe literature on preservice teachers’ views of the nature of

science is not conclusive. Some of the conclusions (e.g., Aguirre, et al., 1990; Bloom, 1989) imply that preservice teachers have traditional views of the nature of science. Others (Koulaidia & Ogborn, 1989) conclude that preservice teachers have a mixed view of the nature of science. This study supports the notion that preservice teachers enter teaching programs with a mixed view about the nature of science. Overall, only 4 of the 15 preservice teachers exhibited a definitive view of at least four aspects of the nature of science before starting the teacher education program at our University. However, that assertion alone masks a great deal of information. For example, a plurality…

Limitations

• Factors that may have biased or otherwise affected the results and/or generalizability of your study

• This is NOT a weakness but rather it shows you’ve given thought to your study

• Think of it as a chance to describe how the QUALITY of the data collected could have been improved.

Possible Limitations

• Generalizability – qualitative studies are not generalizable; address in quantitative study

• Selection of sample – small, not random• Self report data – is what people are saying

really true• Problems that arose during your study (e.g.

changes in sample, attrition, changes in opportunities to observe...)

Limitations of the Study

Several conditions may limit the validity and generalizability of the study reported here. First, the supervisors did not have a context for the lesson. They did not know the prevailing culture and customs of the novice teacher’s school or classroom, nor did they know her intentions or the background, abilities, or needs of her students. Secondly, the supervisors could only watch a videotape

Of the lesson with the videographer controlling their field of vision and perturbing the instructional situation as hemoved about the classroom. The supervisors might have assessed the lesson differently had they known the context and actually been in the classroom.

Thirdly, the supervisors had the opportunity to assess only the one lesson. They might have displayed a somewhat different set of values in response to another lesson, especially one taught by a teacher with other strengths, weaknesses, and values.

Finally, the nine supervisors were from New York State where state-mandated Regents examinations have inadvertently evolved into high-stakes achievement tests that serve to reinforce the workplace metaphor and other traditional pedagogical values (Madaus, 1998; Taylor, 1993).

View transparency on showing limitations from another study.

Implications

• Your turn• Your opinions• Your thoughts• The “so what”

Implications

• Why your study was important

• What further studies might be undertaken

Importance

• What have you learned• What will you do with this new knowledge• How will your findings impact your practice• How is what you did part of a larger picture

Generated ideas

• Changes you would do if you were to do your study again

• New questions raised• What further studies might be undertaken

Example of Implication

“Scholarship that has focused on the aesthetic forms of hip-hop and their implications on education has argued that there are particular ways of learning and being imbedded within and produced by hip-hop practices. As researchers initiate more empirical work in this more recent area, one important consideration is how habits of body and mind I hip-hop may undermine educational goals and practice. “

Our findings support what has been presented in the literature (e.g., Apple, 2003; Banana, 2009; Orange, 2007). Open-source software is designed for technologists; the overarching assumption is that technologists are the end users. However, this is not the case for open-source adminstrative applications or for applications intended to support teaching and learning. There is little insight into how open-source software enables sound pedagogy or enables institutions to achieve a balance of sound pedagogy and technical efficiency. A good starting point for future research is an in-depth examination of the progress and lessons learned from the Sakai, Kuali, and Moodle communities. Development, testing…

Ending your Chapter 5

• Close your whole paper• Paragraph or two that ties together

• Question/problem statement• Findings• Impact of your work (for you personally and/or

education broadly)

See overhead for examples

Other Components of the Paper

• References (recall, these are only those that have been cited in the paper)

• Appendices• Add a Table of Contents• See Chapter 10 for particulars• Title page format

General Comments

1. Variety of styles2. Use active v. passive boice3. 1st or 3rd person4. Use words subjects use to describe

themselves5. Write from others’ viewpoints and be clear

as to whose viewpoints those are

6. don’t overuse jargon7. How much background is sufficient?

What does the reader need to know to really understand what you’re doing and saying

Keep it clear and simpleMore is not necessarily betterDo describe the sample and context explicitly—why you

chose to study that sample/context

8. Data = plural, datum – singular9. Numbers less than 10, generally use words

IRB

• What is the IRB• Three categories– Exempt– Expedited review– Full review

www.up.edu/irb

• http://www.up.edu/irb

Informed Consent

• Voluntary• Benefits/risks• No ramifications if don’t participate or stop

participating• Obligations are clear• Signed by an adult if participant is under age

Your District

• Complete whatever human subject forms you need to do for your own district.

• Be sure your administrators know what you are doing and get them on board.