e., combination classes or multi-grade and single grade classes). Further, operationalizing the terms context and composition would have greatly aided the reader in interpreting the study's results.
Study Purpose. Burns and Mason (2002) did follow best fit research practice protocol by stating the purpose of the study as that being to study student achievement with respect to the effects of class composition. However, this reviewer would have like to see more information of exactly what is meant by multi-grade composition and single grade composition. In other words, should such factors as gender, ethnicity, socio-economic level, family size, ESL possibilities, and reading ability have been considered? Without such information it is difficult to assign a value to the study's content knowledge worthiness.
Literature Review. The primary purpose of any review of literature is to...
Such support comes in the form of informing the reader that previous studies have been conducted but failed to encompass the variables of the current research endeavor or by alerting the reader that the current study is so unique that no previous research exists in the chosen topic area. Burns and Mason (2002) were successful in updating the reader that other research has not examined or compared the two classroom compositions with respect to achievement, they greatly weakened their position by citing references that were significantly out of date. In fact, out of 55 references on one was 2000 or above. Further, there was a significant lack of supportive reference material with respect to the concept of achievement.
Research Question. With respect to best fit research protocol Burns and Mason (2002) adequately stated their research questions
