Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women
                       Coimbatore 641 043
                    Department of Special Education
                          Ph.D.
              20PHSE01 – Research Methodology for Special Education
                                  Hours of Instruction/Week : 7
                                        No. of Credits : 5
       Objectives
       The Students are expected to
         1. Gain understanding of the application of various research methods and types 2. Select
         the variables for the research, formulate the hypothesis and apply appropriate  statistical
         techniques;
         3. Choose the specific method of research, sampling technique, and data collection: 4.
         Familiarize the quantitative analysis using ANOVA, correlation and regression; and  5.
         Use statistical software (SPSS) to analyze quantitative data
       Unit I: Basics of Research 21 Hours 1.1 Research Methodology: Meaning, Objectives
         1.2 Types of Research, Significance of Research
          1.3 Steps-Selecting a research question, Choosing a research method, planning the
            Research and executing the research
         1.4 Research Question: Choosing a Problem - The Literature Review -Use of Internet
         1.5 Research Methods and Methodology
       Unit II: Variables and Hypotheses 21 Hours 2.1 Variables: Types of Variables -
          Dependent and Independent Variables,  Confounded Variables, Quantitative and
          Categorical Variables, Continuous and  Discrete Variables
          2.2 Measurement: Types of Measurement Scales
          2.3 Standardization of Tools: Reliability and Validity of Measurements
          2.4 Hypotheses: Testing hypotheses, Null and Alternate Hypothesis
          2.5 Type I and Type II Errors, Alpha and Statistical Significance, Effect Size
                           1
       Unit III: Non-Experimental Methods 21 Hours 3.1 Observational Research: Naturalistic
          Observation, Participant Observation. 3.2 Survey Research: Designing a
          questionnaire, administering the questionnaire 3.3 Sampling- Steps in Sampling
          Design, Types of samples, probability and non   probability samples and Random
          selection
          3.4 Methods of Data collection- Questionnaire, Schedules, Case study, Selection of
          appropriate methods of data collection.
          3.5 Research Design - Meaning - Need for Research Design - Different Research
          Designs - Basic Principles of Experimental Designs
       Unit IV: Experimental Methods 21 Hours 4.1 Quantitative Analysis: Measures of
          Central Tendency, Measures of Dispersion 4.2 Measures of Asymmetry
          (Skewness), Normal Distribution
          4.3 Measures of Relationship- Correlation, Partial Correlation, Simple Regression
          Student t-test
          4.4 One way ANOVA, Two-way ANOVA
          4.5 Reporting of Statistics in APA style
         Unit V: Parametric and Non-parametric tests 21 Hours 5.1 Important Parametric
        Tests-Difference between Parametric and Non-Parametric Tests- Conditions for applying
                   parametric and Non-parametric tests
          5.2 Chi-square as a Non-parametric Test, Steps Involved in Applying Chi-square Test
          5.3 Important Nonparametric or Distribution-free Test - Characteristics of
          Distribution-free or Non-parametric Tests
          5.4 Multivariate Analysis Techniques- Classification of Multivariate Techniques-
          Variables in Multivariate Analysis - Important Multivariate Techniques 5.5
          Application of SPSS package for statistical analysis
                           2
       Course Outcomes
         On completion of the course, the scholars will be able to:
          1. State the meaning of research, significance of research and types of research
          2. Explain types of variables, types of measurement scale
          3. Describe the non- experimental and experimental methods
          4. Apply parametric tests using statistical software
       Text Books
          1. Best, J.W. & Khan, J.V. (2003). Research in Education. USA: Prentice-Hall Inc. 2.
          Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2007). Research Methods in Education.  New
          York: Routledge.
          3. Gall, M.D., Gall, J.P. & Borg, W.R. (2007). Educational Research. U.S.A:  Pearson.
          4. Gupta, S.P. (2008). Statistical Methods. New Delhi: Sultan Chand & Sons
            Educational Publishers.
          5. Krishnaswamy, O.R. (1993). Methodology of Research in Social Science. New
            Delhi: Himalaya Publishers.
       Reference Books:
          1. Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., Irvine, C. K. S., & Walker, D. (2018). Introduction to
            Research in Education. US, Cengage Learning.
          2. Berg, B.L. and Lune, H (2011) Qualitative Research Methods for the Social
            Sciences. New Delhi: Pearson Publication.
          3. Bernard, H. R. (2017). Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and
            quantitative approaches. Maryland, US, Rowman & Littlefield.
          4. Gravetter, F. J., & Forzano, L. A. B. (2018). Research Methods for the Behavioral
            Sciences. US, Cengage Learning.
          5. Green, J., & Thorogood, N. (2018). Qualitative methods for health research. New
            Delhi, Sage.
          6. Gupta, S. (2003) Research Methodology and Statistical Techniques. New Delhi:
            Deep & Deep Publishing.
          7. McBurney, D.H. & White, T.L. (2007). Research Methods. Delhi: Thomson. 8.
          Mukherji, P., & Albon, D. (2018). Research Methods in Early Childhood: An
          Introductory Guide. New Delhi: Sage Publications.
                           3
                  9. Potti, L.R. (2004) Research Methodology, Thiruvananthapuram: Yamuna
                     Publications
                  10. Silverman, D. (2012) Qualitative Research New Delhi: Sage Publication 11.
                  Singh, A. K. (2004).Tests Measurement and Research Methods in Behavioural
                  Science. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing.
                  12. Research Methods in Psychology. (2012). G.M.Breakwell, J.A.Smith, &
                                     th
                     D.B.Wright (Eds.), 4 Edt., NY: Sage Publication.
                  13. Singh, A.K. (2006). Tests, Measurements and Research Methods in Behavioral
                              th
                     Sciences. (5 Edition). Patna: Bharati Bhawan.
            Web Links
                  1. https://www.spss-tutorials.com/spss- what-is- it
                  2. https://onlinecourses.science.psu.edu/stat100/node/18
                  3. http://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/ahl.php?csrno=12
                   4. socsccybraryamu.ac.in/index.php/video-lectures/video-lectures/items/view/0187