초판발행 2024.01.05

Our decision to write this book, “A Handbook for Educational Research and Academic Writing: From Idea to Reporting Your Research,” did not happen overnight. As educators, researchers, and scholars, we understand the intricate process one needs to undertake in the journey of pursing knowledge creation and effective communication. This handbook was created out of our collective passion for fostering excellence in educational research and academic writing.

After completing our Master's and Ph.D. degrees in the United States, we met and worked with many graduate students working toward their degrees. Dr. Yong-Jik Lee (hereafter Lee) returned to South Korea and has been working on many international publications. Dr. Hyunjin Jinna Kim (hereafter Kim) remained in the United States, conducting educational research with various departments and experts in different fields. The first few years immediately after earning our Ph.D., we lived with the memory of and under the shadow of our dissertation and research. We observed graduate students struggling to master academic writing conventions while enduring the pressure of completing their degree programs and balancing all the expectations of being an emerging scholar.

Working with those new to educational research taught us the importance of uncovering rigorous research processes in education. Lee noticed that some graduate students' thesis and dissertation presentations had complex diagrams and pictures with a 'fancy' analysis method. These were interesting research topics, but students could not answer some basic questions when he asked about the theoretical backgrounds. The students' research projects lacked theoretical foundations and were designed superficially to claim something with eye-catching visuals and analysis tools. Kim collaborated with undergraduate student research projects and non-education experts to realize that the rigorous educational research steps and processes are complex and not well-established. We also came to the realization that academic writing as a genre and educational research as a discipline are both new cultural experiences no matter where you came from or what linguistic and cultural backgrounds you have.

The landscape of education is ever-evolving, demanding a robust understanding of research methodologies and effective communication skills. Whether you are a graduate student embarking on your first research project or an early-career academic navigating the complexities of academic culture and scholarly writing, we hope this handbook will be a supportive companion on the road from conceptualization to the reporting stage of your research.

Based on a few years of observation and working with undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers, we noticed a gap in educational research and academic writing. We began to reflect on our research experiences in the U.S. and realized that writing a handbook to support those involved in the writing and scholarly community in education can be immensely helpful. We found the necessity of addressing the cultural and knowledge gap every emerging scholar or novice writer experiences and making those implicit cultural norms rather explicit.

Our aim is to provide a comprehensive guide that not only demystifies the research and academic writing process but also empowers you to articulate your ideas with clarity and impact. Each chapter is constructed to address specific stages of educational research and academic writing. We intend to offer practice insights, actionable advice, and illustrative examples throughout this handbook. From noticing an educational problem to refining your research question, from crafting a captivating introduction to selecting appropriate research methods, from effectively presenting your results to carefully formulating your discussion, this handbook provides guidance at every step of your research and academic writing journey.

We wrote this handbook to provide a sound research process and guidance for completing your essential academic writing piece. We hope this book offers proper yet practical research writing skills to support your research endeavor.

This handbook was specifically designed to achieve the following purposes.

To highlight the valuable and advantageous experiences beyond obtaining a graduate degree.

To transform the landscape of educational research and academic writing practices.

To outline the appropriate research steps and directions for producing high-quality research.

To emphasize the importance of conducting ethical and rigorous research.

To reiterate the real purpose behind academic writing and shift perspectives from recognizing research methodology as a tool to creating and presenting innovative research.

To guide and support those entering the realm of academic writing and educational research to present high-quality academic papers and become international researchers and scholars in the future.

While rooted in the principles of academic rigor, we recognize the need for flexibility and inclusivity and acknowledge that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to educational research and academic writing. The authors’ shared experiences, lessons learned, and practical tips are intended to resonate with you, the reader, as you embark on your own scholarly journey. Consider this handbook not only as a guidebook but as a conversation?a dialogue between mentors and mentees. Use it as a resource to enhance your knowledge, advance your skills, overcome challenges, and, above all, find inspiration in the transformation of educational research.

May this handbook accompany you from the first innovative research idea to the moment you proudly wrap up reporting your research findings. We extend our heartfelt wishes for a fruitful and fulfilling academic journey.

Happy researching and writing!

Hyunjin Jinna Kim, Ph.D.

Yong-jik Lee, Ph.D.

김현진

Hyunjin Jinna Kim is a Postdoctoral Associate at Stony Brook University, coordinating and designing inclusive curriculum and instruction for diverse students in higher education. Her research broadly focuses on issues related to minoritized linguistic, cultural, ethnic, and racial identities in education and ways to provide equitable and inclusive education.

이용직

Yong Jik Lee received his Ph.D. in ESOL/Bilingual Education at the University of Florida and his MA in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) from Indiana State University. He is currently a research professor at Chonnam National University. His research and work focus on English language teaching with technology and incorporating AI in the ELT.

Table of  Contents

Preface 3

List of Figures 8

Part I. Academic Writing and Educational Research

Chapter 01 What is Academic Writing? 12

Characteristics and Features of Academic Writing 13

Diversity in Academic Writing Styles 15

Academic Writing: Challenges and Solutions 15

Academic Writing Skills for Personal and Professional Development 17

Chapter 02 Conducting Educational Research 20

Methodological Approaches in Educational Research 21

Data Collection in Educational Research 22

Analyzing and Interpreting Data in Educational Research 23

Dissemination and Knowledge Mobilization 24

The Authors’ Reflection 24

Chapter 03 Situating Academic Writing in Educational Research 28

The Essence of Academic Writing in Research 29

Navigating through the Structural Facets 29

Ethical Narratives in Academic Writing 30

Academic Writing as a Tool for Impact and Change 31

Promoting Your Educational Research through Academic Writing 32

Chapter 04 Research Procedures 35

Conception of Research: Ideation and Framing 36

Research Design and Methodology 37

Reporting and Dissemination of Findings 38

The Authors’ Reflection 39

Chapter 05 Research Ethics 41

Understandings of Research Ethics 42

Importance to Understand and Abide by Research Ethics 42

Considerations for an Ethical Research 43

Institutional Review Board (IRB) 45

What is IRB and Why is it Important? 46

Part II Step-by-step Guidelines: From Idea to Reporting

Chapter 06 Considerations before Writing 52

Considering the "Why" 53

Organization of Your Research Writing 55

An Undesirable Organization of a Research Writing 58

Chapter 07 Planning and Preparation Stages 62

Steps for Research and Thesis Writing 63

Organization of an Introduction 64

Preparation Stage: Thinking about the Why, What, and How 66

Chapter 08 Establishing the Problem             : Problem-solving Research Method 71

What is a Problem-solving Approach? 72

The Cyclical Steps of a Problem-solving Research Method 75

Chapter 09 Establishing a Theoretical Foundation 84

Integrating Theory into Your Research 85

Drawing from Established Work 86

Constructing a Conceptual Framework 87

Chapter 10 Extensive Literature Review 94

Searching for and Documenting Relevant Literature 95

Unfavorable Literature Review 96

Organization of a Literature Review 99

Chapter 11 Beyond Research Methodology as a Tool 111

Understanding Research Methodologies 112

Research Paradigms: Ontology and Epistemology 114

Methodologies, Theories, and Research Methods 116

Writing the Research Methodology/Research Design Section 118

Chapter 12 The Art of Presenting Findings and Results 131

Steps to Craft a Findings/Results Section 132

Ways to Present Data and Findings 133

Ways of Reporting to Avoid 135

Chapter 13 Wrapping up: Writing Discussion and Conclusion 143

The Role of a Discussion Section 144

Steps for Composing a Discussion Section 145

Guiding Questions for the Discussion 147

Common Mistakes and Pitfalls in a Discussion 148

Concluding your Research and Thesis Writing 149

Part III. Furthering Research and Academic Writing

14 Self-checklist for Academic Writing and Research 160

Cycle of Academic Writing and Research Processes 161

Self-checklist for Research and Academic Writing 162

15 Dissemination Beyond the Thesis 165

Dissemination of Research: What Does it Mean? 166

Dissemination Channels Beyond the Thesis 167

16 Lifelong Development of Skills 171

Reflecting on Your Journey 172

Expansion and Development of Expertise and Skills 173

Concluding Remarks 178

References 180

List of Figures

Figure  1 Sample Research Timeline 35

Figure  2 Sample Informed Consent 43

Figure  3 IRB Process 46

Figure  4 Basic Organization of a Thesis 52

Figure  5 Structure of a Thesis Introduction 62

Figure  6 The Cycle of a Problem-solving Research Method 73

Figure  7 Cycle of Theory, Research, and Practice 81

Figure  8 Sample Conceptual Framework          : Research and Theoretical Strands of Dialogical Teacher            Professional Identities 83

Figure  9 Sample of Literature Review on Seminal Theorizations 91

Figure 10 Sample Literature Review Organization (Kim, 2021) 94

Figure 11 Conceptualization of Research Methodology 103

Figure 12 Common Research Paradigms          : Ontology, Epistemology, and Methodology 105

Figure 13 Organization of the Methodology/           Research Design Section 109

Figure 14 Sample Findings Presentation 123

Figure 15 Sample Mind Mapping Process of            Constructing Discussion 131

Figure 16 Cycle of Academic Writing and Research Processes 142