In my (Clare) graduate literacy course last night we talked about Nell Duke’s excellent article: 10 Things Every Literacy Educator Should Know About Research. This is a highly informative article because Duke systematically addresses key questions about research – often questions that are not posed because the instant the word “research” is attached to a statement it seems to have more weight. She begins the article: Research-based,” “research-proven,” “scientifically based”—in the reading world these days, it seems that the term research is being used everywhere. it is also being misused and misunderstood.

My graduate students found the article very accessible and enlightening. Many said they will look at “research claims” more closely. It is well worth the read. Here is a link to article which was published in Reading Teacher. 10_things_to_know_about_research_duke_trtr1002

Duke addresses the following questions.

1. what research can do.
2. what research is.
3. what research is not.
4. the difference between research-based and research-tested.
5. Many kinds of research have valuable contributions to make to our understanding of literacy learning, development, and education.
6. different kinds of research are good for different questions.
7. high-quality research has a logic of inquiry.
8. conclusions drawn from research are only as sound as the research itself.
9. where and how research is published or presented requires particular attention.
10. educational research proceeds through the slow accumulationof knowledge.