“Student affairs practitioners are faced with an environment in which they are increasingly challenged to demonstrate that their programs, activities, and learning experiences contribute to student learning and growth through research studies. Patrick Biddix has developed a thorough, comprehensive treatment of how to go about answering this challenge. Whether readers are graduate students or long-time practitioners in student affairs, this volume will provide an excellent foundation for them as they seek to advance their research skills.”
—John H. Schuh, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Iowa State University
“Research Methods for Student Affairs is an essential resource for student affairs professionals interested in being consumers of and contributors to research in the profession. By using practical language, the book provides a breadth and depth of knowledge that will benefit scholars and practitioners alike.”
—Darby M. Roberts, Director of Student Life Studies, Texas A&M University
“Applying theory to practice in student affairs is critical to supporting college students and depends on effective implementation and understanding of research. Whether one is a new or seasoned researcher or a practitioner who consumes research, Dr. Biddix's text supplies the essential tools to comprehend and execute research as both a product and process.”
—Gavin Henning, PhD, Professor of Higher Education and Program Director, New England College;President, Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education
“Patrick Biddix's book is a must-have resource for any student affairs practitioner-scholar trying to better understand the often “unconsumed middle” of research articles—the methods and results/finding sections. This useful guide provides concrete examples on how to read and dissect research articles by discussing concepts and methodological terms often found in them.”
—Matthew R. Wawrzynski, Associate Professor and Coordinator, Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education, Michigan State University
“Vice presidents for student affairs/life, assessment and research practitioners, and master's and doctoral students alike will benefit greatly from Research Methods and Applications for Student Affairs. The practical and technical approaches to conducting research and applying it to practice is easy to understand and places a finer point on the importance of data-informed decision making.”
—Melissa S. Shivers, PhD, Vice President for Student Life, University of Iowa
“This book fills a large gap in the fields of student affairs and higher education. Patrick Biddix makes the case for why research is critical to the field and at the same time offers excellent advice on how to do research well.”
—Robert A. Schwartz, Professor of Higher Education, Chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, College of Education, Florida State University
“Patrick Biddix weaves together clear explanations, examples from literature, and perspectives from the field to address not only the how of research, but also the what and the why. Comprehensive, practical, and context-specific, this intentionally structured resource provides both practitioners and students with a guide to understanding, using, and designing research in student affairs.”
—Laura Dean, Professor, University of Georgia, College Student Affairs Administration
“Research Methods and Applications for Student Affairs is a clearly written and useful tool for student affairs professionals committed to evidence-based practice. It serves as a perfect supplement in graduate preparation courses, and is also a beneficial book for seasoned professionals.”
—Debora L. Liddell, Professor of Higher Education & Student Affairs, University of Iowa
“In an era when the value of higher education is questioned, demonstrating student affairs contributions to student learning and development has never been more necessary. This is a must-read for student affairs practitioners.”
—Tricia A. Seifert, Associate Professor of Adult & Higher Education at Montana State University
Copyright © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by Jossey-Bass
A Wiley Brand
One Montgomery Street, Suite 1000, San Francisco, CA 94104-4594—www.josseybass.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Readers should be aware that Internet Web sites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read.
Jossey-Bass books and products are available through most bookstores. To contact Jossey-Bass directly call our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-956-7739, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3986, or fax 317-572-4002.
Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data are available
ISBN 978-1-119-29970-7 (Hardcover)
Cover design by Wiley
Cover images: © Decorwithme/Shutterstock; © Exdez/iStockphoto
This book is dedicated to the influences of
Esther Lloyd-Jones and Alexander “Sandy” Astin,
pioneering methodologists in the field of student affairs,
for advancing research as fundamental for practice.
Prospective graduate students often ask us if our respective programs are “research focused” or “practice focused.” We view this question as reproducing a false binary in student affairs that sets research (or theory) versus practice. Rather, we regard the professional ideal in (at a minimum) a matrix construct, in which we can think, act, and communicate from a stance that is high in both research and practice. This practitioner–researcher perspective invites professionals whose full-time work is in administration to pose and answer questions as well as use scholarship to inform their work, and those professionals whose full-time work is in research and teaching to address questions of importance to the practice of student affairs in higher education. The book you are about to read strikes exactly at this crucial nexus. In this context, Patrick Biddix has aimed for outcomes in four frames: understanding, reading, evaluating, and using research in practice.
Student affairs professionals have a responsibility to engage in research-informed practice. Such practice will ensure that the academic community that relies upon leadership from the student affairs professional receives guidance based on rigorous investigation of theories, concepts, and professional practices. This type of leadership will only be possible if the professional has an understanding of contemporary research and is able to interpret that research appropriately. The ability to understand research enables professionals to interrogate their own practices and make informed judgments about the direction their institutional efforts should take. It should be a foundational skill for student affairs professionals to be able to make sense of the knowledge generated by researchers. It is especially important that leaders of specific functional areas have the capacity to be discerning about the research that might have direct application to their area(s) of responsibility. At the same time, practitioners should be able to understand research beyond their particular community of practice. A firm understanding of research prepares a practitioner to participate in conversations that are important to the dynamism of the academy—What important questions are being asked? What are we learning about issues important to our institution? How should research inform our efforts?
If understanding research should be a foundational skill for student affairs professionals, the ability to read research should be considered an essential skill. Research is an activity through which knowledge is generated and disseminated. It is the responsibility of student affairs professionals to be engaged and responsible consumers of that knowledge in the many forms that it is made available—print, electronic, websites, and so forth. Professional accountability and commitment require that practitioners regularly read journals, books, monographs, special reports from professional associations, government agencies, and foundations, as well as other sources, in order to stay contemporary in their knowledge. In addition to keeping up to date, reading research regularly serves to hone the professional's skills as a consumer of research. The more research professionals encounter, the more astute they can become in judging relevance, rigor, and applicability to their own work and institutional context. An essential responsibility of an institutional leader is to be research-literate, having the ability to engage with the research of their field and make informed judgments about whether or how that research is applicable. Reading research should be integrated in every practitioner's professional lifestyle and sharing what one is learning from research should be embedded in the organization's culture.
Student affairs professionals must develop the ability and the habit of evaluating the source, quality, and value of research, just as they should with other information. It is common even for experienced professionals holding advanced degrees to encounter results of a study that is out of their area or that uses an unfamiliar research method, but having the confidence and competence to evaluate the underlying quality of the study (How well were the methods used to collect and analyze data aligned with the research purpose/question? How adequately do they support the findings?) allows them to place it in context with other evidence. One of the strengths of this book is its ability to help readers evaluate research and its value in developing, improving, and/or discontinuing higher education policy and practice. A smart professional will refer to chapters on specific research methods for guidance in assessing quality of a study and its conclusions.
Of course, a primary reason to understand, read, and evaluate research is to apply it in practice. Research findings can inform policy decisions, undergird improvements to procedures and programs, and provide counterevidence to prevailing common knowledge in the field or at an institution. Data that are collected and interpreted systematically form the building blocks of arguments to begin, continue, amend, or end policies and practices in all areas of student affairs. Theories derived from and tested through research form the foundation of good practice, experimentation, and innovation. Knowledge gained through research can be used to challenge prevailing assumptions, illuminate challenges, and increase visibility for understudied populations.
As will become clear to readers of this book, different research approaches allow for exploring different kinds of questions. Likewise, different approaches produce findings that are useful in different applied contexts. Qualitative studies can produce compelling narratives and themes; quantitative studies can produce equally compelling statistics; and mixed methods studies can combine the benefits of methodological approaches to produce findings that are useful in a number of institutional, state, federal, and international contexts for policy and practice.
This publication is an incredible resource for the professional development, vitality, and relevance of student affairs professionals. Unlike other texts that tend to focus on how to be a successful researcher, this book emphasizes skill development in the arenas of reading, understanding, evaluating, and applying research. The author has thoughtfully organized this volume to facilitate deeper understanding of how research is organized and presented and how the consumer of research can navigate the literature to determine its fitness for the reader's professional needs. We are certain that this book will be a significant addition to your library and serve your professional development needs for years to come.
| Kristen A. Renn Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies for Student Success Research, Michigan State University |
Larry D. Roper Professor and Interim Director, School of Language, Culture, and Society and Former Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Oregon State University |
Dr. J. Patrick Biddix is Professor of Higher Education and Associate Director of the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He teaches graduate courses in research, assessment and evaluation, and special topics in higher education and student affairs. His areas of expertise include research methodology and assessment, college student experiences, and postsecondary outcomes. Prior to coming to UT, he was associate professor and program coordinator for higher education and student affairs at Valdosta State University. He also worked as a student affairs professional at Washington University in St. Louis. He has received three faculty excellence awards for research and teaching (2010, 2011, 2015). In 2015, he was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
Dr. Biddix received his doctorate in education with a concentration in higher education from the University of Missouri in St. Louis (2006). He also holds a graduate certificate in Institutional Research from UMSL (2005). He received a master's degree in higher education administration from the University of Mississippi (2003) and a bachelor's degree in classical civilization from the University of Tennessee (2001). His published research has appeared in top-tier student affairs and communication technology journals. He also coauthored the second edition textbook of Assessment in Student Affairs (Jossey-Bass, 2016).
Dr. Biddix is an active member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and a frequent presenter at the Annual Conference. He serves on the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) board of directors and the NASPA Assessment, Evaluation, and Research (AER) Knowledge Community Leadership Team. He is also an editorial board member for the Journal of College Student Development (JCSD), the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice (JSARP), and the NASPA Journal about Women in Higher Education (NJAWE), and Oracle: The Research Journal of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (editor from 2009 to 2013).
Dr. Biddix has an active family of five that includes his wife and three young children. Aside from spending time with them (which includes Legos, music, sports, and the occasional date night), he enjoys hiking, listening to hip-hop music, and playing board games. When you see him in person, ask about the music playlist associated with this book.
This introductory text provides an overview of the book with details about its features. It includes a statement of purpose, a rationale, details about the structure of the book and organization of chapters, a chapter outline, an explanation of key features, and information on additional support.
The purpose of this book is to provide graduate students, faculty, and professionals with a primary textbook and reference guide for understanding, reading, evaluating, and applying research in student affairs. Continued calls for accountability and the ability to demonstrate how programs and practices connect to learning outcomes are no longer outlooks, but are expectations of every professional (Schuh, Biddix, Dean, & Kinzie, 2016). Supporting professionals who are competent with research methods and applications, capable of consuming, critiquing, applying, and creating knowledge based on evidence, is increasingly important. Yet, both new graduates and chief student affairs officers admit to lacking fundamental research proficiencies (Sriram, 2014; Sriram & Oster, 2012). This textbook is intended to addresses these needs by providing an instructional guide as well as a professional reference for research methods and applications.
Student affairs professionals often are exposed to research in the field for the first time during an introductory graduate course in research methods. In contrast to applied courses and internships, a research methods course can seem unconnected to practice. Common criticisms include:
This book was written with those reservations and misperceptions in mind. Specifically, the first chapter incorporates these objections to serve as a convincing argument for the need to learn about research for practice and to appreciate the broader applicability of a research skillset. Learning about research can be challenging, particularly for learners who do not see clear connections between research and practice. Others may find the language of research difficult. Research can be engaging when it is relevant, and intimidating and overwhelming when it is not. Similar to job training, learning about research cannot be accomplished simply by taking one course. Learning about research is an engagement activity that begins with an introduction in formal coursework and extends into practice. The authors of the ASK standards (2006) noted:
While student affairs graduates are taught basic research and assessment skills in their programs, many more seasoned professionals look to current publications and professional organizations such as ACPA to assist them with the development of the skills and knowledge needed to successfully identify, measure, evaluate and articulate students' co-curricular learning outcomes. (American College Personnel Association, 2006, p. 1)
Research is a broad and complex topic, spanning multiple disciplines, perspectives, and skillsets. Learning to effectively read, evaluate, and apply research can require substantial time and effort. This book is organized to help make learning easier and seeing connections to practice clearer.
This book contains 14 chapters. Structurally, the chapters are divided into Frames, Foundations, and Methods chapters. Each section also has a specific organization. An overview follows.
Research Frames chapters introduce rationale, basic terminology and applications, and incorporates guidelines for reading research. Also included are ethical considerations. These chapters comprise the skills needed for a basic understanding of research in student affairs. Each is organized to build knowledge logically from initial concepts to applications.
Research Foundations chapters include core concepts, terminology, and basic applications for the main types of research methods. These chapters are structured in a question-and-answer format designed to address a central question: What essential concepts do student affairs practitioners and researchers need to know to understand (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed) methods? Each of the associated questions are derived from frequently asked questions, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about research. Key concepts are included for reference.
Research Methods chapters present a detailed overview of specific research methods. There are three qualitative-focused and four quantitative-focused chapters. Each is organized into four subsections corresponding to learning outcomes. Each subsection also includes a summary list to help guide the reader. Following is an outline of each subsection and associated summary list:
This structure of the book and organization of the chapters was designed to promote usability. A scaffolding approach paired with Bloom's taxonomy was used to build learning sequences. This decision was intended to accomplish two goals:
The Research Foundations and Methods chapters, in particular, were organized in this way to present an easily accessed, single reference for reading and evaluating research. For example, if a reader needs to learn the difference between a descriptive and an inferential statistic, they could quickly reference that question in text. Or, if a reader simply wants to know how to read regression results, they should be able to review the section labeled Reading Prediction Research along with the accompanying checklist Guidelines for Reading. Each chapter also contains numerous examples from student affairs research to contextualize the content.
Chapter 1 (Studying Research) introduces the role of research in student affairs and demonstrates connections between the text and skills, competencies, and intended learning outcomes. Chapter 2 (Reading Research) describes the individual sections that make up a research study and applies concepts by taking apart an article to analyze each section. Chapter 3 (Framing Research) overviews the four core components of methodology and details how they work together to create a study. Chapter 4 (Considering Ethics) provides an overview of ethical considerations in research, including origins and student affairs applications.
Chapter 5 (Learning Qualitative Research) contains the basics of qualitative research methods and emphasizes essential questions such as “How much qualitative data are enough?” and “How do researchers analyze qualitative data?” Chapters 6 (Reviewing Documents), 7 (Observing People and Places), and 8 (Interviewing Individuals and Groups) detail each of the main types of qualitative research methods. Each chapter emphasizes the purpose and rationale for each method, how to differentiate major types, and how to understand, read, evaluate, and apply results.
Chapter 9 (Learning Quantitative Research) contains the basics of quantitative research methods emphasizing essential questions such as “What is a statistic?” and “How are they classified?” Chapters 10 (Describing Trends), 11 (Testing Differences), 12 (Assessing Relationships), and 13 (Making Predictions) detail the main types of quantitative research methods. Each chapter emphasizes the purpose and rationale for each method, how to differentiate major types, and how to understand, read, evaluate, and apply results.
Chapter 14 (Exploring Mixed Methods) contains the basics of mixed methods research emphasizing essential questions such as “What is meant by mixed methods?” and “How are mixed methods results presented?” Fundamental concepts in mixed methods research are introduced, such as diagramming, method prioritization, and integration.
The book is structured and organized to support formal (classroom) learning, self-directed learning, and referencing. The book also features a glossary of common terms that are also identified in corresponding text sections. Two additional features are highlighted:
Each chapter ends with a section titled Building Your Research Skillset that includes references and suggestions for expanding the information in each chapter. Additional resources are available online at www.wiley.com/go/biddix/research. These include presentation files for each chapter and a list of associated articles. Associated articles are published studies that can be paired with each chapter to enhance learning. Many of the associated articles are already cited in the corresponding chapters. These can be assigned or read alongside chapters. An article analysis worksheet is also included as a prompt for aiding article analysis, with guiding questions intended to promote an understanding of methods as well as considerations for applying results. Associated articles were chosen based on approachability and usability. The content is intentionally broad to include various publication venues, data sources, functional areas, institutional contexts, and student populations.
I love teaching research methods. I try to show my enthusiasm in every class, advising meeting, presentation, and conversation I have related to research. I truly enjoy helping others identify a research problem, specify and operationalize questions, and consider ways to answer those questions. I hope that the lessons I learned while helping others come through in this book.
Writing a textbook about research for a field that does not have one was challenging. Often, I had to make decisions about terminology, practices, and applications that the field has not formally codified. I drew on my familiarity with the existing research base, frequent discussions with colleagues across the country, and literature in the interdisciplinary field of methodology for assistance. In agreement or disagreement, I hope readers appreciate the effort and will engage in continued discussions of how we understand and apply research methods in student affairs.
The list of people to thank for the encouragement, reassurance, and motivation to write this book would take me nearly as many words as it took to finish it. This process spanned two countries, multiple cities and states, countless coffee shops across Montreal, Knoxville, and Johnson City, and hours upon hours of music ranging from trance/house and classical in the beginning to 1980s/yacht club in the middle to hip-hop and symphonic metal during editing. It included innumerable and unquantifiable valuable conversations with colleagues, mentors, and professionals who listened patiently so many times when content strayed from esoteric to minutiae. I cannot begin to name all the names of individuals whose advice shaped this work.
I need to specifically thank several individuals. Norma Mertz, my mentor and friend, gave me the time, space, and pragmatism to write this book. I will miss our conversations as it developed. I wish to thank John Schuh for introducing me to textbook writing and encouraging this one. I also need to thank Laura Dean and Diane Cooper for reassuring me that this book was important. My departmental colleagues, Dorian McCoy, Karen Boyd, and Terry Ishitani, provided invaluable clarification with their expertise when I needed it most. I would not have met any of my deadlines without the editing work of Katie Singer, Jacob Kamer, Wade McGarity, and Melissa Edwards. I also want to thank the contributors to the Perspectives From the Field features, many of whom represent my role models in the field. I am honored to share some page space with each of you. Finally, to all the authors I cited in this work, thank you for contributions to our field.
My final and most important acknowledgments go to my family. Writing a single-author book can be lonely work. It has its ups for sure, but some days are harder to leave to write than others. Mom and Dad, you never told me I couldn't do anything, and that is more important than you'll ever know. Benjamin, thank you for giving up Lego building and Imaginext time. I am looking forward to making some of that up. Clare Bear, thank you for the magic you gave me each night before I got up for a long writing session. Jackson, I see an author in you as well, but I know your work will be a lot funnier than mine. Finally, Erika, you gave me the love (sometimes #toughlove), time, and motivation I needed to get up all those early mornings and stay those extra hours. You are my muse and inspiration, and the person who always has the best advice. Your encouragement and ideas wrote more of this book than I ever did. Truly, thank you.