ABSTRACT
One often thinks of research as a cumulative endeavor by which “bricks” of empirical evidence are laid one on top of the other to form a “building” of knowledge. Long before the building is complete, we often construct theories to predict the building’s looks and functionality, and further research provides additional bricks of knowledge that can be used to confirm, or refine, our theories. Although this architectural analogy may bear a close similarity to how research and theory progress in the natural sciences, I would argue that the analogy is more an idealization than a reality when dealing with educational research. In many cases, the construction or refinement of a theory is hampered by the very technique used to answer research questions. That is, the techniques and measures used to answer research questions, especially in the early stages of developing a theory, drive both the kinds of research questions one can ask and the refinement of the theory itself.
