ABSTRACT
Those who read research reports and those who carry out the research-the consumers
and producers of research-must have a solid foundation in both the investigative and com-
munication processes. In order for research to lead to knowledge growth or program im-
provement, the basic elements in the research tradition-the rules of research, if you will-
In order for improvement to occur in any endeavor, there must be change. Continu-
ously and repeatedly using the same mode of operation-the same teaching or grouping tech-
niques in education, for example-will not lead to improved results. But change just for the
sake of change, with the hope that positive results may occur, could lead to disaster. That is
why research has become the basic ingredient for thoughtful change. Decisions should be
data-driven, and the data used should be valid, reliable, and the result of authentic inquiry.
