Other forms of research

Reliability
“Reliability is the extent to which a test or procedure produces similar results under constant conditions on all occasions. Questions which ask for opinions may produce different answers for a whole range of reasons” Bell (1999). “The respondent may have seen a television programme which affected opinions or may have had some experience which angered or pleased and so affected response” Wragg (1880: 17)

Validity
“Validity is an altogether more complex concept. It tells us whether an item measures or describes what is supposed to measure or describe. If an item is unreliable then it must also lack validity, but a reliable item is not necessarily also valid” Bell (1999).

Judith Bell’s ‘Doing your Research Project third edition’ has been very useful, and through reading the book and using her quotes I have been able to learn more about these research method in preparation for my project.

Casual Research
Causal Research explores the effect of one thing on another and more specifically, the effect of one variable on another.
The research is used to measure what impact a specific change will have on existing norms and allows market researchers to predict hypothetical scenarios upon which a company can base its business plan http://www.marketresearchworld.net

Experimental Research
The experimental style does allow conclusions to be drawn about cause and effect, if the experimental design is sound, but in education and the social sciences generally, large groups are in need of many variations and ambiguities involved in human behaviour are to be controlled (Bell, 1999)


Sources

Bell, J, 1999, Doing your research project (3rd ed), Berkshire: Open University Press.
http://www.marketresearchworld.net/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=799&Itemid=64
Bell, J, 1999, Doing your research project (3rd ed), Berkshire: Open University Press.