Return-Path: <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i0TM3CI01066; Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:03:12 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:03:12 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <7F431EC0.337274E1.0A349A3F@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: AWilder106@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-family@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FAMILY:1776] Re: NIFL, research X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 X-Mailer: Atlas Mailer 2.0 Status: O Content-Length: 1286 Lines: 9 Yes, all good research is "scientifically-based," meaning that there are standards to follow and certain criteria, like "valid" and "reliable." "Valid" and "reliable" must stand up to "threats to validity," which vary according to method. Valid = is this the right measure to test what you want; reliable = can this be replicated. "Scientifically-based" has come to be, in my opinion, a rather shabby phrase to 1) impugn the motives of a researcher ahead of time, and to 2) suggest that the questioner is ignorant going into the discussion. The real hat trick is to use qualitative methods and turn them quantitative--makes offensive people choke. You have to really know what you are doing, though. The point of research is prediction--another way of reading entrails. My dissertation was 100% qualitative, yet I was able to predict the outcome of group behavior based on observation, interviews, and document research. As far as I'm concerned, the only way to get a grip on this is to ask a person precisely what they mean when they use the term, then ask for examples and further definitions. Nothing wrong with that, we're all educators. Ask for examples from their own work if it comes to that. A real scholar will be delighted to share the information! Andrea
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