Practice determining the stat

Here are some examples of actual research study abstracts. Try to determine what statistic would be most appropriate for analyzing the data

1 - Kindergarten Buddy Program

THE KINDERGARTEN BUDDY PROGRAM AND ITS EFFECT ON

READING ACHIEVEMENT FOR AT-RISK KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS

Research states that more time and attention is needed for some students to acquire the necessary skills which allow them to become successful learners. Full-day kindergarten programs are desirable to ensure that all students have the necessary time to be successful. Due to lack of funds many school districts are unable to offer full-day kindergarten programs. The Kindergarten Buddy Program is a viable alternative for school systems seeking ways to provide opportunities for students who require extra support. The effectiveness of providing additional instruction in phonological awareness for at-risk learners needs to be explored to determine its impact on reading achievement. This information will be beneficial to school districts as they struggle to meet the needs of at-risk students in a fiscally responsible manner.

The purpose of this study was to determine if additional instruction in phonological awareness, the Kindergarten Buddy Program, had an effect on reading achievement for at-risk kindergarten students. Students’ reading achievement was analyzed to see if participation in the Kindergarten Buddy Program enabled them to reach grade level expectations. Using a convenience sample (N = 92), scores on the Gates MacGinitie Reading Test and the Kindergarten Inventory of Skills in the half-day extended Kindergarten Buddy Program were compared to students’ scores in half-day kindergarten without an extended program and in a full-day kindergarten without an extended program.

Answer 1

2 - Collaborative Teaching Models

EFFECTS OF A COLLABORATIVE TEACHING MODEL OF

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON

NEW SIXTH THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES,

SELF-EFFICACY, MOTIVATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INSTRUCTION

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a collaborative teaching model of professional development on new sixth through twelfth grade teachers’ attitudes, self-efficacy, motivation, and implementation of instruction. Educating students in the 21st century requires not only content expertise and the desire to teach, but pedagogical competence. To acquire these requisite skills new classroom teachers need more than discrete, periodic, in-house or off-campus professional development programs.

This research investigated the effectiveness of a collaborative teaching model for 6th through 12th grade teachers (n = 23) using a Pre/Post Quasi-Experimental Design. The dependent variables were the teachers’ attitudes toward professional development, levels of self-efficacy, motivation, and implementation of instruction. The first three variables were measured by the Semantic Differential Scale (SDS), the Teacher Efficacy Scale (TES), and the Work Motivation Inventory (WMI), respectively. Implementation of instruction was assessed using the Teaching Competencies: Non-Tenured Teacher Appraisal Program Observation.

Answer 2

3 - Test Debate/Test Analysis Assessment

EFFECTS OF CONCEPTUAL ASSESSMENTS USING TEST DEBATE AND TEST

ANALYSIS ON CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND LITERARY ANALYSIS

This study examined the impact of the conceptually designed assessment, test debate and test analysis, on students’ critical thinking and ability to analyze literature .The test analysis and test debate process involved three steps: (a) teachers created and administered a multiple-choice exam that asked conceptual questions; (b) students participated in a Socratic test debate in which they were required to support their answers using specific textual references; and (c) students wrote a metacognitive reflection of the evolution of their thought process including an initial interpretation of the question, the points gleaned during the debate, and their final interpretation of the course concept or theme addressed in the question .

Using a sample of convenience (n = 157), this study assessed the use of test debate and test analysis in six separate classes among heterogeneously and homogeneously grouped students in grades 6 through 11. The quasi-experimental research design of this study used The California Measure of Mental Motivation (CM3), Advanced Placement English Language and Composition raw scores, and New York State English Language Arts assessments to consider how well the process enhanced students’ critical thinking skills and students’ ability to read and analyze literature.

Answer 3

4 - Writing Achievement

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRITING ACHIEVEMENT, WRITING SELF-

EFFICACY, WRITING APPREHENSION AND PERCEIVED VALUE OF WRITING

BY GENDER FOR THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS IN A SUBURBAN SCHOOL

DISTRICT

Writing requires strong motivation to persevere through the unique problem solving and self-monitoring process required for a successful execution of the task. Results of writing achievement research often reveal a gender gap. Typically, girls outperform boys at local, state, national, and international writing assessments. This study examined the relationship between writing achievement ability and writing motivation by gender for third-grade students in a suburban school district. Writing motivation included writing self-efficacy, writing apprehension, and perceived value of writing. This study is important due to a dearth of information on academic motivation in the domain of writing because what does exist is usually focused on students from middle school to college age, not elementary age students. Academic motivation in literacy needs to be better understood in order to both maximize instructional practices suited toward this goal and to increase the development of self-efficacy among students.

This study employed a quantitative approach using the following measures: self-efficacy for writing, writing apprehension, writing valuation, the Connecticut Mastery Test’s Direct Assessment of Writing, and general aptitude from the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). The first analysis involved an examination of any differences in writing achievement scores for boys and girls, after covarying for general aptitude. There would be a second analysis as well

Answer 4

5 - Literacy Coaching

THE EFFECT OF LITERACY COACHING ON TEACHER STRATEGY USE AND

STUDENT READING COMPREHENSION

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of literacy coaching on teacher strategy use and student reading comprehension. A convenience sample of 20 third-grade teachers and their students (n=330) participated in this study. Literacy coaches were identified as experts in the area of literacy, reading, and teaching methodologies. They provided job-embedded staff development to teachers with the intent of improving teacher effectiveness and student learning. The coaching consisted of three levels (in-class coaching, consultant coaching, and no coaching). Before treatment, the researcher provided an initial 3-hour presentation on summarization, the instructional focus of the study. Then, seven literacy coaches in seven schools administered the coaching treatment during an 8-week coaching cycle. The two treatment groups (in-class and consultant) received different numbers and/or combinations of follow-up coaching training. This study utilized a pre-post test, quasi-experimental design. Parametric and nonparametric statistics were used to analyze the data.

In order to measure whether the type of coaching (no coaching, consultant coaching, or in-class coaching) impacted teacher strategy use, the Concern Based Adoption Model’s (CBAM) Levels of Use (LoU) structured interview was administered pre and post treatment to investigate gains achieved by the teachers in the implementation of summarization.

Answer 5

6 - Metacognitive Awareness for Math Homework

THE EFFECTS OF METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS ON THE

DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

IN FOURTH-GRADE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

Presently, research is questioning the value of homework, especially at the elementary level. One reason homework is considered important is that it allows for the opportunity to practice and reinforce skills. Currently, elementary school students in the United States are assigned homework in mathematics three or more times a week. Since homework assignments extend learning beyond the classroom environment, these assignments need to demonstrate an effective use of students’ and teachers’ time and energy.

Research has shown that mathematical problem-solving skills improve when students are metacognitively aware of the process they follow as they solve these problems, and this metacognitive awareness improves as students consistently practice and reinforce these skills. This study investigated the effects of metacognitive awareness on the development of problem-solving skills when metacognitive awareness practice was included as a part of mathematical problem-solving skills homework assignments of fourth-grade students.

This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of the independent variable of homework assignments with or without metacognitive awareness practice, on the dependent variables of mathematical problem-solving achievement, completion, accuracy, independence, and quality of responses. Although there was no significant effect of homework assignments, with or without metacognitive awareness practice, on these dependent variables, there was a significant correlation between independence and mathematical problem-solving, completion, accuracy, and quality. Students who independently completed their homework had higher achievement scores than students who did not. The results of this study pointed out the need to explore how the construct of homework can be effectively utilized as an important element in the development of independent learners.

Answer 6

7 - Visual Thinking Strategies

THE EFFECTS OF VISUAL THINKING STRATEGIES AND VARYING LEVELS

OF MOTIVATION ON READING ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS

This study examined the effects of the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) curriculum on reading achievement of students with various motivational levels. A 2X2 factorial design was used. The sample population consisted of 104 fourth grade students from an upper middle-class school system in Connecticut. All students were administered a Motivation to Read Profile to measure their levels of motivation. Form S of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test served as a pretest to measure reading achievement prior to treatment. The pretest score was used as a covariate to control for initial reading levels. Both the experimental and the control groups received traditional reading instruction, but the experimental group’s instruction was supplemented with nine weeks of the Visual Thinking Strategies curriculum. A posttest using Form T of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test was administered to both groups after the instruction to measure reading achievement.

Answer 7