Research Design - Stake, R. (1995)

1. Outlines

1.1. Topical Information Questions

1.2. Questions Calling for Coded Data

1.2.1. Coding used to classify whole episodes, interviews, or documents, making them more appropriately retrievable at a later time.

2. Ideas to Express Understanding

2.1. Researchers to consider all possibilities

2.2. Identify other researchers interested in the issue and in classroom observation, asking for suggestions

2.3. Search literature, particularly handbooks, should identify additional alternatives

3. Conceptual Bridges

3.1. Hypotheses and Goal Statements sharpen the focus, minimizing the interest in the situation and circumstance

3.2. Issues as conceptual structure

4. Cognitive Structures - "Good Thinking"

4.1. Guide Data Gathering "open to nuance"

4.2. Cultural Schema: Issues

4.2.1. Etic (Outside)

4.2.2. Emic (Inside)

4.3. Issues Questions - Evolution

4.3.1. 1) Identify issue questions early - 10 to 20 prospective questions

4.3.2. 2) Pared down to 2 to 3 to help structure observations, interviews, & document review

4.3.3. Questions orient to cases or phenomena

4.3.3.1. Patterns of unanticipated

4.3.3.2. Expected relationships

4.4. Issues Statements

5. Conceptual Organization

5.1. Constructivist

5.2. Seeking greater understanding of theta

5.3. Appreciate the uniqueness & complexity of theta, its embeddedness and interaction with its contexts

5.4. Hypotheses and goal statements sharpen the focus