11 research mthods11 research methods11 research methods11 research methods.ppt

3 Standards for Sound AppliedLinguistics Research The qual–quant not only provides an interactive continuum useful for characterizing applied linguistics research but can also serve as a basis for understanding the standards that researchers use in judging the soundness of such research. This discussion will again focus on primary research, leaving secondary research out because it involves a separate set of issues. Because I consistently started with the qualitative-exploratory end of the continuum in the previous section, out of fairness, I will start with the quantitative- experimental end in this section. 3.1 The quantitative-experimental end ofthe continuum Researchers at the quantitative-experimental end of the continuum value the concepts of reliability, replicability, validity, and generalizability. Generally speaking, those are the standards quantitative researchers hold up in judging the soundness of their research. 3.1.1 Reliability The standard of reliability in quantitative research requires researchers to demonstrate both (1) the reliability of the instruments used in their studies and (2) the reliability of the results of their studies. Reliability of instruments is concerned with the degree to which the results of a questionnaire, test, or other measuring instrument are consistent. Addressing this issue typically means answering the question: To what degree would the results be the same if the instrument were administered repeatedly? Similarly, the reliability of the results of a study is concerned with the degree to which the results would be likely to reappear if the study were replicated under the same conditions. 3.1.2 Replicability The standard of replicability in quantitative research requires researchers to provide enough information about a study to allow other researche