ABSTRACT
This chapter describes general principles of research methods for the study of small discussion groups. Quantitative approaches are the focus, but a brief overview of qualitative research is provided. Regardless of the approach used, the research design should reflect the general substantive question of interest. The issue is credibility – does a study's method approach the question in ways that can be justified and supported? The section on quantitative research is structured on the standard APA reporting template in which study participants, materials, task used, and procedure are described. Information regarding all of these study elements is key to developing credibility. The material on qualitative research addressed the relationship between the researcher and participants, different types of data collection, and options for data analysis.
