Excelling Teaching & Learning : S.I.M. & A.R. : Research Requests : Procedures For Conducting Research

Request to Conduct Research:
Prospective researchers will obtain a copy of the form "Request to Conduct Research in the Scottsdale Unified School District" through the link above or from Elden Cozort, the District's coordinator of research.

This form will be completed and submitted along with a copy of the research proposal to the coordinator of research.

Graduate students should receive approval from their supervising professor or department chairperson at the university prior to formally submitting the proposal to the Scottsdale Unified School District. The supervisor's signature on the proposal indicating approval is required.

If the researcher desires to work with an individual school within the District, the researcher will contact the principal of that school for informal approval. The proposal should indicate this prior approval.

The District's research coordinator will review all research proposals for acceptability in the following areas:

• The purpose of the study;
• Outlined objectives;
• Soundness of the study in terms of design, measurement, and analysis;
• Impact on students, parents, and staff;
• Educational benefits which may accrue to the District as a result of the study;
• Compatibility with the regular instructional program;
• Provision for confidentiality and compliance with right of privacy;
• Effect on job role if person doing the research is a District employee.

After review, the proposal will be forwarded to the site school. An approval form used to formally indicate the principal's willingness to participate in the proposed research project will accompany the proposal. The administrator(s) may elect not to participate unless otherwise directed by the appropriate supervisory administrator.

Three to four weeks should be allowed for the completion of the review and acquiring of necessary signatures, after which the researcher will be notified whether the project has been approved.

Protection of Student Rights:

Student anonymity must be ensured in any research project. Results pertaining to individual students may never be publicized outside the District and may only be shared with teachers if approved by the District's research coordinator. The researcher will be required to secure written permission from parents prior to participation of any student in a research project. Letters of permission must be on file in the principal's office prior to the initiation of research.

Conducting the Research Project:
Any approved research proposals are regarded as contracts with the Scottsdale Unified School District. The District's research coordinator must approve any deviation from the procedures described in the proposal. Unapproved procedure changes will be considered grounds for project termination.

All research activities must be completed by April 30.

Required Documentation of Research Projects:
Copies of all project reports (dissertations, journal articles, etc.) and a summary of the results must be submitted to the coordinator of research at the conclusion of the research project.

Dissemination within the Scottsdale Unified School District:
When the project is relevant to a specific program in a curriculum area, the results will be shared with the appropriate leadership personnel.