Foundations of Qualitative Research

Foundations of Qualitative Research
Author: Jerry W. Willis
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 481
Release: 2007-01-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1544302770

"Willis catches the student up on relevant aspects of philosophy, empiricism, history, and prevailing political influences. This building of chronology is so valuable for students in understanding the origins of specific schools of thought in relations to a paradigm." —Heather T. Zeng, NACADA Foundations of Qualitative Research introduces key theoretical and epistemological concepts replete with historical and current real-world examples. Author Jerry W. Willis provides an invaluable resource to guide the critical and qualitative inquiry process written in an accessible and non-intimidating style that brings these otherwise difficult concepts to life. Key Features: Covers the conceptual foundations of interpretive, critical, and post-positivist paradigms: A thorough background of theory and social inquiry is given by looking at the development of each paradigm throughout history. Provides real-world examples: Cases illustrate different approaches to the same research problem so that students can better understand the contrasting features of these paradigms. Introduces seven qualitative research frameworks: In-depth coverage is provided on Altheide and Johnson′s Analytic Realism; Denzin and Lincoln′s Interpretive Perspective; Eisner′s Connoisseurship Model of Inquiry; Semiotics; the Phenomenological Psychological Model; Poststructuralism and Postmodernism; and Symbolic Interactionism. Offers general guidelines for qualitative research: Conceptually covers the best practices, approaches to data analysis, and interpretation of qualitative research. Examines emergent methods in qualitative research: New research areas such as PAR, emancipatory research, and participatory design research are included, as well as exemplary journal articles to further illustrate how theory links to research practice. Intended Audience: This text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking their first or second qualitative research methods course in the fields of Education, Psychology, and the Health and Social Sciences. It is also an excellent theory companion supplement to the more applied qualitative methods text.

The Shearer Method -- Classic Guitar Foundations, Bk 1

The Shearer Method -- Classic Guitar Foundations, Bk 1
Author: Aaron Shearer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012
Genre: Music
ISBN: 9780739094839

Aaron Shearer's Classic Guitar Technique is used by serious guitarists all over the world and has long been one of the definitive classic guitar methods. The Shearer Method: Classic Guitar Foundations, Shearer's final work, is the first in a series that encapsulates his lifetime experience as America's premier classic guitar pedagogue. This work is a step-by-step curriculum based on Aaron's innovative and common sense approach that incorporates all the advantages of modern technology. The method includes 63 DVD videos for up-close aural and visual learning, 74 new solo and duet compositions and arrangements (made exclusively for this method by Dr. Alan Hirsh), as well as works by Sor, Carcassi, Giuliani, and more. Plus, recorded tracks masterfully illustrate nuance, tone, and musicality. The book even includes Alfred Music's exclusive TNT 2 software that allows you to slow down and loop tracks for careful practice. In addition, a complete online supplement is available for teachers and students that want a deeper understanding of Shearer's work. The book does not replace Shearer's original classic. It augments and expands on it in ways not imaginable in the early '60s when the original was published. It's a must-have to complete the library of any classic or fingerstyle guitarist The Shearer Method Classic Guitar Foundations is not just a book but a media experience.

Ensemble Methods

Ensemble Methods
Author: Zhi-Hua Zhou
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 238
Release: 2012-06-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1439830037

An up-to-date, self-contained introduction to a state-of-the-art machine learning approach, Ensemble Methods: Foundations and Algorithms shows how these accurate methods are used in real-world tasks. It gives you the necessary groundwork to carry out further research in this evolving field. After presenting background and terminology, the book covers the main algorithms and theories, including Boosting, Bagging, Random Forest, averaging and voting schemes, the Stacking method, mixture of experts, and diversity measures. It also discusses multiclass extension, noise tolerance, error-ambiguity and bias-variance decompositions, and recent progress in information theoretic diversity. Moving on to more advanced topics, the author explains how to achieve better performance through ensemble pruning and how to generate better clustering results by combining multiple clusterings. In addition, he describes developments of ensemble methods in semi-supervised learning, active learning, cost-sensitive learning, class-imbalance learning, and comprehensibility enhancement.

Designing and Conducting Research in Education

Designing and Conducting Research in Education
Author: Clifford J. Drew
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 433
Release: 2008
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1412960746

"The authors did an excellent job of engaging students by being empathetic to their anxieties while taking a research design course. The authors also present a convincing case of the relevancies of research in daily life by showing how information was used or misused to affect our personal and professional decisions." —Cherng-Jyh Yen, George Washington University A practice-oriented, non-mathematical approach to understanding, planning, conducting, and interpreting research in education Practical and applied, Designing and Conducting Research in Education is the perfect first step for students who will be consuming research as well as for those who will be actively involved in conducting research. Readers will find up-to-date examinations of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research approaches which have emerged as important components in the toolbox of educational research. Real-world situations are presented in each chapter taking the reader through various challenges often encountered in the world of educational research. Key Features: Examines quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research approaches, which have emerged as important components in the toolbox of educational research Explains each step of the research process very practically to help students plan and conduct a research project in education Applies research in real-world situations by taking the reader through various challenges often encountered in field settings Includes a chapter on ethical issues in conducting research Provides a Student study site that offers the opportunity to interact with contemporary research articles in education Instructor Resources on CD provide a Computerized test bank, Sample Syllabi, General Teaching Tips and more Intended audience: This book provides an introduction to research that emphasizes the fundamental concepts of planning and design. The book is designed to be a core text for the very first course on research methods. In some fields the first course is offered at an undergraduate level whereas in others it is a beginning graduate class. "The book is perfect for introductory students. The language is top notch, the examples are helpful, and the graphic features (tables, figures) are uncomplicated and contain important information in an easy-to-understand format. Excellent text!" —John Huss, Northern Kentucky University "Designing and Conducting Research in Education is written in a style that is conducive to learning for the type of graduate students we teach here in the College of Education. I appreciate the 'friendly' tone and concise writing that the authors utilize." —Steven Harris, Tarleton State University "A hands on, truly accessible text on how to design and conduct research" —Joan P. Sebastian, National University

Research Foundations

Research Foundations
Author: Douglas Woodwell
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2013-11-07
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1483334058

Designing research can be daunting and disorienting for novices. After experiencing this first-hand, the author has written a book that shows how to mentally frame research in a way that is understandable and approachable while also discussing some of the more specific issues that will aid the reader in understanding the options available when pursuing their research. Stressing the link between research and theory-building, this concise book shows students how new knowledge is discovered through the process of research. The author presents a model that ties together research processes across the various traditions and shows how different types of research interrelate. The book is sophisticated in its presentation, but uses plain language to provide an explanation of higher-level concepts in an engaging manner. Throughout the book, the author treats research methodologies as a blueprint for answering a wide range of interesting questions, rather than simply a set of tools to be applied. The book is an excellent guide for students who will be consumers of research and who need to understand how theory and research interrelate. "The author did an excellent job on this text. This text is the missing link in explaining research methodologies. His comparison/contrasts are excellent. Moreover, the author provides interesting alternatives and discusses how each alternative might improve the validity of research." —James Anthos, South University, Columbia "...With only six chapters, the text can be covered in a short time allowing for students to spend the majority of their time investigating social issues and developing research. Students who read and understand this book will have the knowledge and resources to cover material they are unfamiliar with." —R. David Frantzreb II, University of North Carolina - Charlotte "I am looking for something just like this that is not overbearing for the student but will complement the supplementary material and resources that I am using with my students. I think the coverage is broad enough that I could use it with all of my groups." —Karen Larwin, Youngstown State University "...I think the author’s emphasis on demonstrating the relationship between theory and research is terribly important and understated in so many other texts. I also think that in the hands of competent professors, it can be supplemented with other sources to help students learn while not being encumbered financially with an expensive tome for which they may only use a fraction of it." —John R. Mitrano, Central Connecticut State University

Foundations of Mixed Methods Research

Foundations of Mixed Methods Research
Author: Charles Teddlie
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2009
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0761930124

""The authors have successfully integrated a technical and well rounded discussion of the evolution of mixed methods research balanced with practical application examples of using mixed methods for the pragmatic researcher.""

Re-thinking E-learning Research

Re-thinking E-learning Research
Author: Norm Friesen
Publisher: Peter Lang
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2009
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 9781433101359

In the rapidly-changing world of the Internet and the Web, theory and research struggle to keep up with technological, social, and economic developments. In education in particular, a proliferation of novel practices, applications, and forms - from bulletin boards to Webcasts, from online educational games to open educational resources - have come to be addressed under the rubric of «e-learning». In response to these phenomena, Re-thinking E-Learning Research introduces a number of research frameworks and methodologies relevant to e-learning. The book outlines methods for the analysis of content, narrative, genre, discourse, hermeneutic-phenomenological investigation, and critical and historical inquiry. It provides examples of pairings of method and subject matter that include narrative research into the adaptation of blogs in a classroom setting; the discursive-psychological analysis of student conversations with artificially intelligent agents; a genre analysis of an online discussion; and a phenomenological study of online mathematics puzzles. Introducing practical applications and spanning a wide range of the possibilities for e-learning, this book will be useful for students, teachers, and researchers in e-learning.

Process-Tracing Methods

Process-Tracing Methods
Author: Derek Beach
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2013-02-12
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 047205189X

Process-tracing in social science is a method for studying causal mechanisms linking causes with outcomes. This enables the researcher to make strong inferences about how a cause (or set of causes) contributes to producing an outcome. Derek Beach and Rasmus Brun Pedersen introduce a refined definition of process-tracing, differentiating it into three distinct variants and explaining the applications and limitations of each. The authors develop the underlying logic of process-tracing, including how one should understand causal mechanisms and how Bayesian logic enables strong within-case inferences. They provide instructions for identifying the variant of process-tracing most appropriate for the research question at hand and a set of guidelines for each stage of the research process.

Foundation

Foundation
Author: Eric Goodman
Publisher: Rodale Books
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2011-05-10
Genre: Health & Fitness
ISBN: 1609617711

A sense of fatigue dogs the fitness world. Many of the new programs that are tagged as groundbreaking are actually recycled ideas. Foundation offers something completely different for novices and athletes alike: a simple program with powerful and proven results that will remedy bad posture, alleviate back pain, and help readers break through fitness challenges and plateaus. Dr. Eric Goodman, a brilliant and dynamic young chiropractor, teams up with Peter Park, one of the top trainers in the United States, to radically redefine the core--shifting the focus from the front of the body to the back. Their groundbreaking approach works to strengthen the lower back and the full posterior chain and correct poor movement patterns by addressing mechanical imbalances and weaknesses. Foundation training involves simple movement patterns and is equipment free, creating maximum power, flexibility, and endurance. Word-of-mouth enthusiasm has inspired both Hollywood luminaries and world-class athletes to make Foundation training the core of their fitness programs. Eric and Peter's client list has grown exponentially to include Lance Armstrong, NBA star Derek Fisher, world-champion surfer Kelly Slater, and actor Matthew McConaughey.