QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
EVALUATION AND REPORTING
EVALUATING RESEARCH FINDINGS
The last step in a research, after rigor and extensive research processes, includes stepping back, evaluating what has been research and then reporting the findings. Research evaluation is the process in which the purpose of research, the methodology used and methods, such as data collection and analysis, are rated to ascertain their relevance, value and their ability to achieve research objectives, and to ascertain the significance of a research. In want to infer that though final evaluation of research is by far very important, all procedures of research including data collection and analysis should be concurrent with evaluation. For example, the purpose, design and availability of resources need evaluation. Also, preliminary steps of data analysis involves careful evaluation of data collected to ensure that the data is suitable for analysis.
There is usually no formalized system of evaluation especially in qualitative research. This is because, most evaluation methods can be emergent based on research purposes and design. General measures, such as peer review evaluation and transparency, however, should be taken into account to enhance rigor of research. Mostly, evaluation in research includes intra-disciplinary and interdisciplinary reviews. Several systematic evaluations guidelines are used in peer-reviews. Generally, these emphasize (Coughlan, Cronin and Ryan, 2007):
There is usually no formalized system of evaluation especially in qualitative research. This is because, most evaluation methods can be emergent based on research purposes and design. General measures, such as peer review evaluation and transparency, however, should be taken into account to enhance rigor of research. Mostly, evaluation in research includes intra-disciplinary and interdisciplinary reviews. Several systematic evaluations guidelines are used in peer-reviews. Generally, these emphasize (Coughlan, Cronin and Ryan, 2007):
- Research believability elements–authors’ credentials, writing styles, abstract and title.
- Research robustness elements such–problem and purpose, background/literature research, theoretical framework, aims, objectives, questions, hypothesis, sample, methods (collection, results, and analysis), discussion, conclusions, references, ethical considerations, etc.
- What are the findings?
- Are the findings valid?
- How can the finding be used and applied?
- Evaluation in quantitative approach tend to use mathematics and statistics than in qualitative approach
- Evaluation in quantitative opts to reach generalizability than in qualitative approach
- Evaluation in quantitative approach is more objective that in qualitative approach
REPORTING RESEARCH FINDINGs
Reporting of finding constitutes the last step in a research operation. Reporting is aimed at communicating the research findings to the audience. It is shaped by the purpose of a research as well as the primary audience and stakeholders. In reporting research results, a researcher usually considers the following aspects both in quantitative and qualitative research approaches:
- Research goals
- Type of report
- Reporting style which including writing style, presentation style and communication style
- Ethics–plagiarism, audience values etc.
- Audience and stakeholders
- Reporting in quantitative research study is usually fixed; reporting tends to be flexible in qualitative research study
- Reporting highly adopts an objective approach in quantitative research; reporting may adopt a subjective approach in qualitative research because it is context sensitive.