CHAPTER 5 RESULTS SHOWING SCOPE AND QUALITY OF RESEARCH ON
5.1 INTRODUCTON
This chapter presents results for the first research question: What is the nature of research published on student difficulties with acid-base chemistry? To answer this question it was necessary to address three sub-questions as follows. Section 5.2 addresses the first sub-question (1a) Which reports give suitable research data on student conceptual difficulties in acid-base chemistry? It shows results of the search for, and screening of suitable research reports on acid- base difficulties. It includes discussion on the effectiveness of various search strategies and the type of research reports that were identified as suitable for analysis. Section 5.3 considers the second sub-question (1b) What is the scope of this research? In describing the scope of research already conducted, it will specifically consider countries of origin and educational level of the research cohorts, research aims given in the reports and acid-base topics investigated. Section 5.4 addresses the third sub-question (1c) What is the overall quality of this research? It is a critique of published work where it identifies both strengths and problems prevalent in previously reported research, specifically with types of data collection instruments, design of specific probes and interpretation of student responses. The summary in Section 5.5 shows the main findings in terms of the research sub-questions with recommendations arising from the analysis concerning effective searching and research methods and reporting. The reports which were available as primary sources and were judged suitable for analysis are summarised first in Table 5.1 which is given in a flip-out format to facilitate cross-reference when these findings are discussed in greater detail later in the chapter.
Table 5.1 Analysis of research studies used for critical analysis
Author(s) Year Search source Country of Study Educational Level Research Aims Cohort size Data Collection Instrument Probes Given Propositional Statements Given
Botton 1995 cont ERIC UK 2j N n/a CM A S
Bradley & Mosimege 1998 cont AcSC RSA 3 (Tp) A 53 MC & OE A S
Camacho & Good 1987 Cited not given 2u;T; PG, Ex N 23 I A 0
Chiu 2005 Cited Taiwan e; 2j; 2s N, X 13500 MC2 0 0
Chiu 2007 cont ERIC Google Taiwan e; 2j; 2s N, X, S >13000 MC2 0 0
Cros et al. 1986 cont Google France 3 N 100 I, MC, OE A I
Cros et al. 1988 cont Google France 3 X; L 145 pp A I
Demerouti et al. 2004 cited Google Greece 2u N 119 MC, MCE A S, G
Demircioğlu et al. 2004 cited ERIC Turkey 2u N 150 MC, OE 0 0
Demircioğlu et al. 2005 cont Google Turkey 2u L 88 I, MC P I
Dhindsa 2002 Cited Brunei 3 (Tp) N 48 OE 0 I
Drechsler & Schmidt 2005a cont Google Sweden T N 6 I A G
Drechsler & Schmidt 2005b Pers Sweden 2u N 7 I A G, S
Erduran 2003 Pers USA 2j N n/a Ob n/a I
Furió-Más et al. 2007 Cont Spain 2u N, S 86 pp A* I
Hand 1989 Pers Australia 2u L 24 I P I
Hand & Treagust 1988 cited Google Australia 2u L 60 I, PP 0 0
Kousathana et al. 2005 Google Greece 2u N, S 119 MC, OE A G, S
Lambert 2005 Google USA 2u; 2j N, L 399 pp A 0
Lin & Chiu 2007 cont ERIC AcSC Taiwan 2j N, S, L 38 MC2 A G, S
Lin et al. 2004 Google Taiwan 2j N, S, L 38 MC2 0 0
Linke & Venz 1979 cited Google Australia 2u N, A 500 MC, OE 0 0 Codes for Search Sources: Cont – journal contents search; Cited – previously cited; Google – Google Scholar; ERIC database;
PsycINFO database; AcSC – Academic Search Complete database; Pers – personal contact
Codes for Research Aims: L – level of understanding for a single cohort; N – nature of conceptions; P – prevalence of specific conceptions; S – source of conceptions; A – achievement on conceptual test; X - cross age comparison; L – longitudinal study over time, with or without intervention
Codes for Educational Level: e – elementary; 2j – junior secondary; 2u – upper secondary; 3 – undergraduate; 3i or 3iii – 1st or 3rd year undergraduate; Tp – pre-service teachers; T – teachers, PG, post-graduate; Ex – experts
Codes for Data Collection Instrument: A – anecdotal; I – interviews (or Ig for group interviews); Ob – observation; student generated diagram; pp – paper & pencil (no further details); OE – open-ended paper & pencil question; D – student generated diagram; MC – multiple choice question; MCE – MCQ + free explanation; MC2 – 2-tier MCQ (MC for both question & explanation); MC3 – 3-tier MCQ (MC for both question & explanation & degree of confidence) CM – concept maps (CMg = mapping exercise as group work, otherwise individual)
Codes for Probes: 0 – not given; A – all given; A* - all given in supplement available on journal website; P – some given
Codes for Propositional Statements: 0 – not given; I – inferred from report; G – general scientific principles; S – specific to probes;
L – individual statements listed; C – given on concept map
Table 5.1 (continued)
Author(s) Year Search source Country of Study Educational Level Research Aims Cohort size Data Collection Instrument Probes Given Propositional Statements Given
Nakhleh 1994 Cont Cited Google USA 2u N, S 14 I, D P I
Nakhleh & Krajcik 1993 Cont ERIC USA 2u L 14 Ob, I P 0
Nakhleh & Krajcik 1994 Cont ERIC PsycINFO USA 2u L 15 I n/a L, G Ogunniyi &
Mikalsen
2004 Cont RSA &
Norway
2j P 130; 121 pp 0 0
Ouertatani et al. 2007 Google Tunisia 2u X 86 pp: OE A G
Oversby 2000b Cited ERIC UK 2j 0 A n/a G
Pinarbasi 2007 Google Turkey 3 (Tp) N 91 pp: OE & I P S
Ross & Munby 1991 Cont ERIC Google Canada 2u N 34 I, MC 0 G, C
Schmidt 1991 Cont ERIC Google Germany 2u N 7500 I, MC A G, S
Schmidt 1995 Cont Google Germany 2u N 160 I, MC2, OE A S, G
Schmidt & Volke 2003 Cont ERIC AcSC Google
Germany 2u S 3074 I, MCE A S
Sheppard 2006 Cont USA 2u N 16 I, D A I
Smith & Metz 1996 Cont Google not given 3; PG; Ex N 73; 22;
11
I, D P S
Tan et al. 2002 Cont Singapore 2u N 915 I, MCE, MC2 A G, C
Toplis 1998 Cited ERIC UK 2j N 17 I, Ob 0 0
Vidyapati &
Seetharamappa
1995 Cited India 2u N 75 I, pp A 0
Watters & Watters 2006 Eric Google Australia 3i; 3iii X 10; 96 MC3 P S
Ye & Wells 1998 Eric USA 2u L 81 pp A S
Zoller 1996 Cont ERIC Israel 3 N 43 I, pp P 0
Codes for Search Sources: Cont – journal contents search; Cited – previously cited; Google – Google Scholar; ERIC database;
PsycINFO database; AcSC – Academic Search Complete database; Pers – personal contact
Codes for Research Aims: L – level of understanding for a single cohort; N – nature of conceptions; P – prevalence of specific conceptions; S – source of conceptions; A – achievement on conceptual test; X - cross age comparison; L – longitudinal study over time, with or without intervention
Codes for Educational Level: e – elementary; 2j – junior secondary; 2u – upper secondary; 3 – undergraduate; 3i or 3iii – 1st or 3rd year undergraduate; Tp – pre-service teachers; T – teachers, PG, post-graduate; Ex – experts
Codes for Data Collection Instrument: A – anecdotal; I – interviews (or Ig for group interviews); Ob – observation; student generated diagram; pp – paper & pencil (no further details); OE – open-ended paper & pencil question; D – student generated diagram MC – multiple-choice question; MCE – MCQ + free explanation; MC2 – 2-tier MCQ (MC for both question & explanation); MC3 – 3-tier MCQ (MC for both question & explanation & degree of confidence) CM – concept maps (CMg = mapping exercise as group work, otherwise individual)
Codes for Probes: 0 – not given; A – all given; A* - all given in supplement available on website; P – some given
Codes for Propositional Statements: 0 – not given; I – inferred from report; G – general scientific principles; S – specific to probes;
L – individual statements listed; C – given on concept map