Is This Quality Research?

With the renewed emphasis on using evidence-based instructional methods, it is more important than ever to be able to look at and evaluate a research report. The National Association of Child Advocates has developed a fact sheet with the top ten tips for understanding research. Policy and Advocacy Specialist Stephanie Schaefer, Ph.D. has written Understanding Research: Top Ten Tips for Advocates and Policymakers so that you will be able to decide whether a research study is one you can trust.

The fact sheet explains the following tips:

1. Consider the source.
2. Media is also a source to be evaluated.
3. Has the research been published, and where?
4. Research results are really about the topic AS MEASURED, not as we may think of it.
5. Different types of research have different strengths.
6. Sampling is more important than sample size.
7. Statistical significance explained.
8. Research findings are about groups.
9. All research is not created equal.
10. Any one study is not the whole story.

Access Understanding Research: Top Ten Tips for Advocates and Policymakers at http://www.voicesforamericaschildren.org/Content/ContentGroups/Publications1/Voices_for_Americas_Children/Advocacy/20024/understandingresearch.pdf.

National Association of Child Advocates, 1522 K Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005-1202, 202.289.0777 (voice), 202.289.0776 (fax), www.childadvocacy.org (web), naca@childadvocacy.org (e-mail).