Experimental and Non-Experimental Study - Research Proposal Example

The paper 'Experimental and Non-Experimental Study' is a worthy example of a research proposal on education.
The article applies an experimental design. This is because of its scope that identifies randomization, control of the independent variables and the causal effect relationship that the researchers sought to establish. The researchers, in the statement of purpose, for instance, indicate that the study’s aim of exploring a causal factor that contributes to achievements advancing weak vocabulary among weak children. In the research methods, control of the variables is identified as the researchers have the authority to determine the characteristics of the sample. The sample space was particularly predefined for controlling the sample space (Robbins and Ehri, 1994). The lack of a special procedure for generating the sample also identifies randomization as a feature of the research methods. The three characteristics of the research, randomization, control over the variables and the causal effect, therefore, identify an experimental design (Boswell and Cannon, 2010).

A paragraph on the study

The research study affirms existing literature that telling stories to kindergarten children and repeating new words to them improves their vocabulary. This identifies the significance of the study in real-life experience, in developing children’s cognitive ability. The study also establishes its reliability by identifying a possible weakness in its non-delayed posttest that it discredits using a model (Robbins and Ehri, 1994).   

Ethical considerations for consideration in the type of study

A number of ethical considerations exist for the type of study, especially with the involvement of human beings as the participants. One such consideration is the issue of informed consent that the researchers had to obtain from the children’s representatives. The representatives could be the children’s parents, guardians, or caregivers at school. Other ethical considerations are beneficence to ensure that the children suffer no psychological harm and anonymity to protect their identity (Boswell and Cannon, 2010).

Applied types of descriptive statistics

The researchers used the mean, standard deviation, and partial autocorrelations to describe features of the observations.

Applied Statistical test off significance

The applied statistical tests of significance are regression analysis and analysis of variance for identification of significant existence of causal effect and difference across groups (Robbins and Ehri, 1994).

Summary of the results

The results identify a lack of significance of the period between readings to the children’s development. While the children significantly misread words, those with better vocabulary identified more words. Further, the results identify the existence of a positive relationship between repeated listening to stories and the children’s ability to improve their recognition of vocabularies (Robbins and Ehri, 1994).

The authors’ recommendations

The authors recommend that teachers offer clear instruction to children with weak vocabularies, and to use experiences to develop the weak children’s bases towards effective development of vocabulary (Robbins and Ehri, 1994).

A personal critique of the research

The research was scientifically organized with a literature review towards a problem statement and a research methodology. Its presentation also identifies the essential elements of a research article. Further, the authors succeeded in proving what they wanted to prove by successfully testing their formulated hypothesis (Robbins and Ehri, 1994).