ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide an introductory overview of the research field so that readers will be better equipped to deal with questions. Sometimes the term 'scholarship' is reserved for non-empirical work when 'research' is used only for empirical enquiry. The Education Endowment Foundation review quoted earlier found that the evidence of impact provided by the research studies examined was weak because they 'were small scale or lacked randomisation' and that design flaws included lack of comparison group. Much drama research examines aspects of classroom practice, including questions of pedagogy. The action research project on drama and writing is one example of a qualitative approach. The chapter also introduces some of the key terminology readers are likely to encounter when either embarking on empirical research or critiquing published accounts. Questionnaires and surveys are common in both qualitative and quantitative research.
