Validity and Reliability of Research In today’s society researchers use many methods to determine facts, rules, laws, and regulations. Politicians, scientists, health care organizations, and educational groups provide solutions and reasoning to how and why the study of research is important in everyday living. According to the Webster Dictionary, research is defined as “The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). There are various forms of research and various ways to authenticate that research. Two ways to authenticate a research study is with validity and reliability. The validity of a study is with how sound the research is, validity means who and what methods were used in the research. When stating that a study is valid one is stating that his or her findings, results, and conclusions are true in fact. Not only are the findings of the research factually true but there is also solid evidence that justifies and validates the study. Along with validity of research there must be …show more content…
reliability in research. Reliability of research deals with the quality and consistency of the research.
To understand the reliability of research is to understand and have knowledge of what the research study is about. The researcher, subject, or subjects must have a solid foundation of what, how, and where the facts of the research study were justified. Reliability of research is stating that the findings of research are solely based on the facts and calculations of the research project. The researcher or researchers are basing results not on their opinions and biases but only on the consistency of the study. Gaining reliability of research is an on-going process that continues to progress with
time. Validity and reliability of research coincide with each other. To validate the findings of a research study is to find the reliability of the research study. One must ask who, what, when, where, and how the facts indicated within the study were gathered in order to validate the reliability of the study. When doing research one must have an understanding and knowledge of what evidence was found to solidify the results of the research are true not only in the present time but also continually as time goes on.
References Taming the Research Beast. (n.d.). Research Methods in TSEL and Language Acquisition. Retrieved from http://linguistics.byu.edu/faculty/henrichsenl/ResearchMethods/index.html Trochim, W. M. (n.d.). Web Center for Social Research Methods. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/concval.php Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Research. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/research?show=0&t=1372113624