Kerlinger's Practicality Myth and the Quality of Research Instruction: An Overview of the Content of Educational Research Textbooks

Abstract Almost 3 decades ago, Fred N. Kerlinger argued that until education dispells a few important myths about how research should be conducted, it will never be viewed as a scientific discipline. One such myth, the notion that research should have practicality as its principal aim, was vigorously attacked by Kerlinger in many of his publications. To determine whether or not Kerlinger's approach has been adopted by this generation of educational researchers, the author reviewed a selection of current educational research textbooks in terms of references to Kerlinger and adherence to the importance of basic research. Results suggest that the field of education is still focused on applied research more than on basic research.