Validity in Research
When planning research, scholars must consider many factors. Two such factors are is the measure of the construct valid and will the specific measure of the construct result in reliable data (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008). Take for example a study to determine the effectiveness of a specific Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) medication for children ages 8-14 who are diagnosed with ADD, where the researchers yield consistent results for each participant for each dosage for the particular medication, but the participants are only children who do not have ADD. The results may be reliable, meaning the data being collected is consistent, but the research is not valid because the correct participants are not being used. While this …show more content…
The term ‘generalizability’ is used to describe this phenomenon. Generalizability in research refers to the level of which the variable would result in the same or very similar conclusion when applied to the population outside of those used in the study (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008; Cozby & Bates, 2012). In the above example, a study of calibration activities at WGU might yield internal validity; however, applying this methodology outside of the unique job functions of faculty at WGU would prove difficult and external validity would be difficult to demonstrate, if not impossible. To demonstrate generalizability, the study would have to yield the same increased calibration results when applied to populations outside of WGU. An example of external validity could be researching the effects of serving free breakfast each morning at public schools that are in low-socioeconomic regions by completing a study at one specific school in a designated low-income district. The same results may be seen when serving free breakfast each morning at all schools that are designated as being part of a low-socioeconomic
When planning research, scholars must consider many factors. Two such factors are is the measure of the construct valid and will the specific measure of the construct result in reliable data (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008). Take for example a study to determine the effectiveness of a specific Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) medication for children ages 8-14 who are diagnosed with ADD, where the researchers yield consistent results for each participant for each dosage for the particular medication, but the participants are only children who do not have ADD. The results may be reliable, meaning the data being collected is consistent, but the research is not valid because the correct participants are not being used. While this …show more content…
The term ‘generalizability’ is used to describe this phenomenon. Generalizability in research refers to the level of which the variable would result in the same or very similar conclusion when applied to the population outside of those used in the study (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008; Cozby & Bates, 2012). In the above example, a study of calibration activities at WGU might yield internal validity; however, applying this methodology outside of the unique job functions of faculty at WGU would prove difficult and external validity would be difficult to demonstrate, if not impossible. To demonstrate generalizability, the study would have to yield the same increased calibration results when applied to populations outside of WGU. An example of external validity could be researching the effects of serving free breakfast each morning at public schools that are in low-socioeconomic regions by completing a study at one specific school in a designated low-income district. The same results may be seen when serving free breakfast each morning at all schools that are designated as being part of a low-socioeconomic