AN

EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

An Evolving Definition of Good Educational Research by a Beginning Doctoral Student

M. Christopher Goodwin
University of the Pacific

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

An Evolving Definition of Good Educational Research by a Beginning Doctoral Student

The question of what counts as good educational research has been debated for a long
time and still concerns researchers (Hostetler, 2005, p. 16). I have been invited to join the
debate as I begin my doctoral studies. The development of a definition of good research has
proven quite challenging in this new arena. This is in part due to the fact that my education has
centered primarily in the natural sciences as I received my undergraduate degree in biology with
a minor in chemistry. Therefore, my training has predominantly emphasized empirical,
scientific research. In order to be considered good scientific research, one must go to great
lengths to eliminate bias, control all independent variables, and ensure that only the dependent
variable is tested. Additionally, one must follow the scientific method, carefully explaining
methodology and experimental design so that results can be replicated. The research must also
stand up to the scrutiny of the scientific community at large. It has been somewhat of a struggle
to unlearn some of these predispositions of good research that have been embedded in my
training over some 20 plus years of schooling and as a high school science teacher. However, I
realize that I must have a solid understanding of what I consider to be good educational research
to provide a foundation for the bridge from consuming knowledge to ultimately generating
knowledge.
As I develop my own definition of good research, I believe that it will not be necessary to
completely abandon my previous training, but instead modify the application of some of these
characteristics and combine them with new ideas (at least new to me), forming an amalgam of
old and new as the basis for the definition. I further believe that the definition will be in
continuous evolution as future learning supports my transition from consumer to producer of
knowledge. I recognize that the definition that I am going to present is still in its infancy of

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

development, and is likely incomplete. However, I do believe that it has been developed with
great thought and consideration to all that I have learned in six short weeks of doctoral work.
Overall, I think that good educational research must, at a minimum:

focus on answering a research question;

use sound methodology;

be grounded in a theoretical framework;

be ethical (contribute to the greater human good and do no harm);

contribute to a greater understanding of an issue, problem or observation by addressing

gaps in research;

lead to a deeper discussion of the issue, problem, or observation;

be clear about how findings relate to theoretical framework; and,

be clearly articulated.

In examining research and researchers, I have been particularly drawn to the work of two
researchers, Linda Darling-Hammond and Annette Lareau. They both are knowledgeable and
articulate in the process of research (Hostetler, 2005, p. 17), and additionally conduct research
that fits my definition above. For the purposes of this paper, I selected the research article,
Moments of Social Inclusion and Exclusion: Race, Class, and Social Capital in Family-School
Relationships, co-authored by Annette Lareau and Erin McNamara Horvat and published in
1999, to illustrate the elements of my definition. I chose this article because it is interesting and
soundly demonstrates most (if not all) of the components of my definition.
The first element of my definition is that good research attempts to answer a question.
Lareau and Horvat spend little time introducing the question they are attempting to answer. The
authors write in the first sentence of the second paragraph, However, a key dilemma that

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

confronts those who seek to understand how the reproduction of inequality occurs in schools has
been where to focus the debate. Exactly how is inequality perpetuated in school settings? (p.
37). They conclude the introduction by stating, we investigate the complex topic of relative
influence of race and social class in aspects of childrens school experience and we show how
race acts to mediate the importance of class and has an independent theoretical significance in
shaping family-school relationships (p. 38). The authors clearly present the research question
that drives the study, including the importance of addressing the research question.
Moreover, the introduction also provides other examples of the elements I proposethat
good research is grounded in a theoretical framework, findings relate to theoretical framework
and that it contributes to a greater understanding of an issue, problem or observation by
addressing gaps in research. The authors skillfully weave these components into the introduction
to give the reader an understanding of the importance of the research and the theory they are
using to frame the research, while clearly explaining how their findings relate to this theoretical
framework. For example, early in the introduction they point out the gaps in current research by
stating:
In other words, these studies have identified cultural and social factors that contribute to
inequality, but have not advanced knowledge of the process whereby social and cultural
resources are converted into educational advantages. Thus, the picture that emerges from
them is incomplete and overly simplistic. (p. 37)
They go on to explain their use of Bourdieus work on social reproduction as the theoretical
framework for their research. Lareau and Horvat explain how their research findings are related
to Bourdieus theory by framing his work on social capital in this way:

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

To understand the character of these moments [social inclusion and social exclusion], one
needs to look at the context in which the capital is situated, the efforts by individuals to
activate their capital, the skill with which individuals activate their capital, and the
institutional response to the activation. These factors working together can produce
moments of reproduction or moments of contestation, challenge and social change. (p.
38)
Later in the authors discussion of findings, they return to this theoretical framework when
analyzing data from an interview with a participant. In Bourdieus terms, Ms. Caldrons
habitus meant that she approached the educational field with fewer resources to influence her
childrens schooling successfully (Lareau & Horvat, 1999, p. 46). They tie this in with their
findings by stating, In any case, she felt (and appeared to be) excluded from the educational
process (p. 46). Thus, they provide a clear link between the theory and the research findings, as
one of the major implications of the study was the notion of social inclusion and social
exclusion. This reminds the reader of the connection between the framework and the research
findings, a component of good research.
Good research must have sound methodology. Perhaps I am a little nave about good
research having sound methodology. I say this because I make the assumption that all research
has good methodology if it is published in a respected journal (although I do not yet consider
myself qualified to define a respected journal, I trust my professors in the assigned readings we
are provided). The assumption is that if it does not have sound methodology, then it would not
be published (perhaps that is nave). What stands out to me in the Lareau and Horvat study is the
simplistic way in which the methods are described (this also provides an example of the clarity
of articulation which I will discuss later). Not only is the methodology described with clarity, it

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

is also well-structured and complete. The study describes the school district, participants,
research protocols (interviews), and background research (reading newspaper articles from the
community for the period from1950-1990) that were conducted. The reason I say the research
was complete is that the researchers interviewed parents of children attending the school in
study, teachers, principal, superintendent, board members and 26 other community members
(Lareau & Horvat, 1999, p. 40). They interviewed these community members because they
provided insights about the broader racial context (Lareau & Horvat, 1999, p. 40) that was a
characteristic of the history of this community. Although no method is perfect, the authors have
made every effort to use methodology that is consistent with the purpose of the study and they
have clearly identified the limitation of the methods. They readily recognize that the results of
such an intensive case study cannot be generalized to a broader population, they can be used to
challenge and modify conceptual models in the field (p. 40-41).
Good research must be ethical. So what does that mean? According to Karl Hostetler,
For their research to be deemed good in a strong sense, education researchers must be able to
articulate some sound connections between their work and a robust and justifiable conception of
human well-being (2005, p. 16). Here, Hostetler refers to the need of good researchers to not
only work ethically (human well-being), but also to the responsibility of the researcher to
articulate how the research is contributing to the good of humanity. Lareau and Horvat attempt
to provide a deeper understanding of the contributors to social inequalities, particularly between
different races and classes, and explore how these inequalities affect families in education
situations and relationships with schools. Undoubtedly, their research is considered ethical as it
seeks to provide attention to the question of human well-being by highlighting social inequities.
As Lareau and Horvat put it, their research has the potential to develop more nuanced and

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

accurate models of the continuing nature of social inequality (p. 50). In this sense, the
researchers are studying social inequalities in an attempt to better understand the issue and to
promote social change for the better of human kind. Also, the researchers have clearly articulated
how the research can contribute to this end.
This leads me to my final component of good research, which is a clear articulation of the
research through the use of clear, understandable, and straightforward writing. Who cares about
the research findings if no one can understand them? I will point to several examples of what I
mean using the work of Lareau and Horvat. While providing the overview of the conceptual
model of Bourdieu, they orient the reader by stating, We realize that we flirt with an overly
reductionist approach here, but, particularly for the uninitiated reader, believe that a discussion of
the core elements of the model is essential (p. 38). This statement explicitly explains why they
are spending time discussing the model. Another example of how the authors write clearly is
when they are explaining three points that prior research has neglected. To explain the second
point, the following two sentences give a concise description of the idea:
Second, there is an important difference between the possession and activation of capital
or resources. That is, people who have social and cultural capital may choose to activate
the capital or not, and they vary in the skill with which they activate it. (Lareau & Horvat,
1999, p. 38).
Often times there is elegance in simplicity. In this example, the reader is able to understand the
idea that is being conveyed by the authors by reading two well-written sentences. I strive to
emulate this characteristic in my own research and writing.
The development of a definition of good research is necessary to provide a foundation for
my own transition from a consumer of knowledge to a creator of knowledge. I am beginning the

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

process of redefining my previous ideas of good research by carefully evaluating the research of
scholars and adjusting the predispositions that are a relic of my past education and experiences
based on this deeper understanding. As I develop my own definition of good research, I will
encourage the definition to evolve as I shift from consumer to producer of knowledge. Although
the definition is still in its infancy, and is likely incomplete, I have started to discover the types
of research that I will choose to emulate. As a researcher, I will strive to revisit my
understanding of good research frequently in order to ensure my own research evolves as my
definition of good education research inevitably changes.

AN EVOLVING DEFINITION OF GOOD EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

References
Hostetler, K. (2005). What Is "Good" Education Research?. Educational Researcher, 34(6),
16-21.
Lareau, A., & Horvat, E. (1999). Moments of Social Inclusion and Exclusion: Race, Class, and
Cultural Capital in Family-School Relationships. Sociology of Education, 72(1), 37-53.