are results generalizable in quantitative research

Quantitative methods allow some generalizability

. Experimental research, for example, often produces generalizable results. However, such experimentation must be rigorous in order for generalizable results to be found.

Full Answer

How can quantitative research be generalizable to an entire population?

“How can quantitative research be generalizable to an entire population?” In order for results from a sample to be generalisable to a whole population we need to ensure that the samples is a random, or unbiased, as we can achieve. Good statistical method does not simply claim that the sample represents the population.

Why generalizability is so important in research?

Why generalizability is so important? If the researcher uses the whole population to conduct the research the resultant research will be highly generalizable as it has been conducted on the whole population. But this is not possible in research. As the researcher conducts research on a sample it is not possible to achieve absolute generalizability.

Is generalizability really different from transferability in quantitative research?

Is generalizability (in quantitative research) really different from transferability (in qualitative research)? When both generalizability and transferability refer to the application of findings to other situations/contexts, I suppose they are essentially the same.

What is the difference between specific and generalizable research?

Specifically a research is weighed on the basis of its generalizability to the specific population on which the study is conducted. A more generalizable research can be applied to the overall population.

What makes quantitative research generalizable?

Generalizability is also often used to define quantitative research in positive ways. It is said that when properly applied quantitative methods can produce reliable results from a representative sample of participants that can be applied to a wider population or different contexts.

Is generalizable qualitative or quantitative?

Generalization, which is an act of reasoning that involves drawing broad inferences from particular observations, is widely-acknowledged as a quality standard in quantitative research, but is more controversial in qualitative research.

Is the results of quantitative research can be used to generalize and predict?

Quantitative research is the process of collecting and analyzing numerical data. It can be used to find patterns and averages, make predictions, test causal relationships, and generalize results to wider populations.

What type of research is generalizable?

If the results of a study are broadly applicable to many different types of people or situations, the study is said to have good generalizability. If the results can only be applied to a very narrow population or in a very specific situation, the results have poor generalizability.

Can qualitative research be generalisable?

Generalisable: Qualitative findings are not generalisable (extending findings from study sample to the population at large); however, they are not intended to be.

Why qualitative research is not generalizable?

In qualitative research the conventional generalizability that is required of the quantitative research cannot be achieved. The reason being that qualitative research is conducted on a particular set of population that has their own unique demographic, psychological, sociological, and cultural characteristics.

Why is generalizability important in quantitative research?

Generalizability Overview Because sound generalizability requires data on large populations, quantitative research -- experimental for instance -- provides the best foundation for producing broad generalizability. The larger the sample population, the more one can generalize the results.

How can quantitative research generalize an entire population Brainly?

The only safe way to do quantitative research generalizable to an entire population would be by random sampling, but how do you do that across a diverse population. Take political surveys.

What makes a study Generalisable?

Generalisability is the extent to which the findings of a study can be applied to other situations. Generalisability can be divided into population generalisability, environmental generalisability and temporal generalisability.

What is the best way to ensure that results of a study is generalizable?

One way to ensure generalizability in research is to get an adequate, yet random sample size from the population. Another way would be to increase the participation of the persons within the study to help yield valid and complete results.

What is characteristics of quantitative research?

Quantitative research deals in numbers, logic, and an objective stance. Quantitative research focuses on numeric and unchanging data and detailed, convergent reasoning rather than divergent reasoning [i.e., the generation of a variety of ideas about a research problem in a spontaneous, free-flowing manner].

What affects generalizability in research?

The generalizability of a study's results depends on the researcher's ability to separate the “relevant” from the “irrelevant” facts of the study, and then carry forward a judgment about the relevant facts,2 which would be easy if we always knew what might eventually turn out to be relevant.

What does generalizability mean in qualitative research?

Qualitative studies and generalizations The word 'generalizability' is defined as the degree to which the findings can be generalized from the study sample to the entire population (Polit & Hungler, 1991, p. 645).

What are the 7 characteristics of quantitative research?

7 Characteristics of Quantitative Research MethodsContain Measurable Variables. ... Use Standardized Research Instruments. ... Assume a Normal Population Distribution. ... Present Data in Tables, Graphs, or Figures. ... Use Repeatable Method. ... Can Predict Outcomes. ... Use Measuring Devices.

What is the example of quantitative research?

An example of quantitative research is the survey conducted to understand the amount of time a doctor takes to tend to a patient when the patient walks into the hospital.

What is objective qualitative or quantitative?

Simply put, quantitative observation is an objective method of data gathering while qualitative observation is a subjective method of data gathering. For example, when a researcher pays equates research variables in terms of their quality, then this is qualitative observation.

What is transferability in quantitative research?

Generalisability in quantitative research refers to the extent to which we can generalise the findings from a sample to an entire population (provided that the sample is representative for the population) regardless of context, transferability refers to the extent to which we can transfer the findings found in a specific context to another, very similar context. So you can see that the purpose is different just as the quantitative and qualitative paradigms of research are based on different assumptions.

What is the purpose of triangulation?

the use of a variety of methods to collect data on the same topic, which. involves different types of samples as well as methods of data collection. However, the purpose of triangulation is not necessarily to cross-validate. data but rather to capture different dimensions of the same phenomenon.

When is transferability applied?

In contrast, transferability is applied after the conclusions have been reached , and can be extended to any of a variety of possible "populations." The degree of transferability is based on subjective arguments the researcher must justify.

Is random sampling a transferable tool?

(See the attached paper.) Random sampling is a powerful tool for internal generalization, but is irrelevant for external generalization. Qualitative researchers have largely substituted the term "transferability" for generalizability, arguing that transferability is mainly the responsibility of the reader or potential user of the results, although the original researcher can facilitate such transfer by providing detailed information about the context of the original study and the processes that led to the results. This allows the reader to decide whether this process is likely to replicate in the new setting.

Is transferability a goal?

My own opinion is that transferability is probably the more relevant goal in most research, but it is a more controversial claim due to its subjective nature.

Is quantitative research rigorous?

My point was that quantitative research is (relatively) "rigorous" only for internal generalization; it has essentially no rigor ous tools for external generalization (see the 2016 paper by Cartwright cited in the paper I uploaded). External generalization is fundamentally dependent on a qualitative understanding of how the results from the original study might transfer to a new context, which may or may not support the processes that led to the original outcome.

Is sampling required for qualitative research?

Since sampling is not required in qualitative researches, I want to know if there is any minimum-maximum criteria for the number of interviews to be done to meet the research objectives in a qualitative research.

Abstract

An essential element of scientific realism is the frequent and long-term corroboration of statements based on empirical tests. From an empirical perspective, it is about the question of generalizability, and to what extent empirical findings on the same statement found in various other studies are confirmed.

9.1 Empirical Research and Generalizability

Section 2.5 outlines ways of gaining scientific knowledge. There are different approaches used to develop new theories, among them the attempt to generalize from observations (➔ induction, see Sect. 2.5 ). This is followed by tests and, if necessary, negation or modification of the theory.

9.2 Replication Studies

Replication studies are repetitions of empirical studies aimed at demonstrating the reproducibility of the results. Replication studies do not differ from the original studies in terms of the study object or research question, but often in some aspects of the procedure.

9.3 Meta-Analysis

A particularly comprehensive and methodologically advanced approach of empirical generalizations is meta-analysis . Glass ( 1976, p.

9.4 Generalizability and Theory Development

In many cases, the process of theory development does not take place in such a way that, at the beginning, a “final” theory is formulated and then empirically tested, ultimately leading to rejection or acceptance.

What is quantitative research?

Quantitative research involves methodical analysis of phenomena by means of collecting quantifiable data and then carrying out mathematical, statistical, or computing techniques. To conduct quantitative research, methods like online survey, questionnaires, sampling methods etc. are used and the outcome from these methods is represented in numerical form.

How many types of quantitative research methods are there?

There is mainly two types of quantitative research methods with several sub-types. Let’s learn about them one-by-one.

What is customer satisfaction survey?

A customer satisfaction survey is prepared where questions like how long do you have to wait before a waiter come to take your order, how frequently customers walk into a restaurant and other similar questions. quantitative research is mostly conducted in social environments on statistical data collected using this research method. In this type of research, statistician and researchers form theories and mathematical frameworks that refer to the quantity being researched.

How many people are in a random sample?

Random sampling of 500, 1000 or 2,000 people in a population is normally seen as most cost effective.

What is longitudinal survey?

This way researcher can analyze the thought-processes and behavior of different participants. In a longitudinal survey, one variable is evaluated at different times. This type of surveys is useful in circumstances where a sequence of events matters. Longitudinal surveys are the right choice to use in medicine and applied sciences fields.

How does the cause effect relationship work in a research experiment?

This research method works on the comparison. In this research experiment, the researcher identifies the cause-effect relationship between two or more variables. Out of two variables , one variable is dependent on the other. To conduct this research, the researcher establishes one variable without modifying it and observe its impacts on another variable. This research is not only restricted to the statistical analysis of two variables, however, but impacts can also be observed on different variables in a group. For example, the impacts of sports on children, the impact of parents’ divorce on children.

What is cross sectional survey?

In this survey, the researcher can evaluate different variables at the same time. Cross-sectional surveys are used to conduct research mostly in retail stores, health care industry or SMEs.

What are the three gold criteria for qualitative and quantitative research?

In summary, the three gold criteria of validity, reliability and generalizability apply in principle to assess quality for both quantitative and qualitative research, what differs will be the nature and type of processes that ontologically and epistemologically distinguish between the two.

How does qualitative research help in primary care?

Five qualitative studies are chosen to illustrate how various methodologies of qualitative research helped in advancing primary healthcare, from novel monitoring of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) via mobile-health technology ,[1] informed decision for colorectal cancer screening,[2] triaging out-of-hours GP services,[3] evaluating care pathways for community psychiatry[4] and finally prioritization of healthcare initiatives for legislation purposes at national levels.[5] With the recent advances of information technology and mobile connecting device, self-monitoring and management of chronic diseases via tele-health technology may seem beneficial to both the patient and healthcare provider. Recruiting COPD patients who were given tele-health devices that monitored lung functions, Williams et al.[1] conducted phone interviews and analyzed their transcripts via a grounded theory approach, identified themes which enabled them to conclude that such mobile-health setup and application helped to engage patients with better adherence to treatment and overall improvement in mood. Such positive findings were in contrast to previous studies, which opined that elderly patients were often challenged by operating computer tablets,[6] or, conversing with the tele-health software.[7] To explore the content of recommendations for colorectal cancer screening given out by family physicians, Wackerbarth, et al.[2] conducted semi-structure interviews with subsequent content analysis and found that most physicians delivered information to enrich patient knowledge with little regard to patients’ true understanding, ideas, and preferences in the matter. These findings suggested room for improvement for family physicians to better engage their patients in recommending preventative care. Faced with various models of out-of-hours triage services for GP consultations, Egbunike et al.[3] conducted thematic analysis on semi-structured telephone interviews with patients and doctors in various urban, rural and mixed settings. They found that the efficiency of triage services remained a prime concern from both users and providers, among issues of access to doctors and unfulfilled/mismatched expectations from users, which could arouse dissatisfaction and legal implications. In UK, a care pathways model for community psychiatry had been introduced but its benefits were unclear. Khandaker et al.[4] hence conducted a qualitative study using semi-structure interviews with medical staff and other stakeholders; adopting a grounded-theory approach, major themes emerged which included improved equality of access, more focused logistics, increased work throughput and better accountability for community psychiatry provided under the care pathway model. Finally, at the US national level, Mangione-Smith et al.[5] employed a modified Delphi method to gather consensus from a panel of nominators which were recognized experts and stakeholders in their disciplines, and identified a core set of quality measures for children's healthcare under the Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program. These core measures were made transparent for public opinion and later passed on for full legislation, hence illustrating the impact of qualitative research upon social welfare and policy improvement.

What is qualitative research?

The essence of qualitative research is to make sense of and recognize patterns among words in order to build up a meaningful picture without compromising its richness and dimensionality. Like quantitative research, the qualitative research aims to seek answers for questions of “how, where, when who and why” with a perspective to build a theory or refute an existing theory. Unlike quantitative research which deals primarily with numerical data and their statistical interpretations under a reductionist, logical and strictly objective paradigm, qualitative research handles nonnumerical information and their phenomenological interpretation, which inextricably tie in with human senses and subjectivity. While human emotions and perspectives from both subjects and researchers are considered undesirable biases confounding results in quantitative research, the same elements are considered essential and inevitable, if not treasurable, in qualitative research as they invariable add extra dimensions and colors to enrich the corpus of findings. However, the issue of subjectivity and contextual ramifications has fueled incessant controversies regarding yardsticks for quality and trustworthiness of qualitative research results for healthcare.

What is reliability in research?

Reliability. In quantitative research, reliability refers to exact replicability of the processes and the results. In qualitative research with diverse paradigms, such definition of reliability is challenging and epistemologically counter-intuitive.

Is generalizability of qualitative research findings expected?

Most qualitative research studies, if not all, are meant to study a specific issue or phenomenon in a certain population or ethnic group, of a focused locality in a particular context, hence generalizability of qualitative research findings is usually not an expected attribute.

Is qualitative research a unified field?

Despite various measures to enhance or ensure quality of qualitative studies, some researchers opined from a purist ontological and epistemological angle that qualitative research is not a unified, but ipso facto diverse field ,[8] hence any attempt to synthesize or appraise different studies under one system is impossible and conceptually wrong. Barbour argued from a philosophical angle that these special measures or “technical fixes” (like purposive sampling, multiple-coding, triangulation, and respondent validation) can never confer the rigor as conceived.[11] In extremis, Rolfe et al.opined from the field of nursing research, that any set of formal criteria used to judge the quality of qualitative research are futile and without validity, and suggested that any qualitative report should be judged by the form it is written (aesthetic) and not by the contents (epistemic).[41] Rolfe's novel view is rebutted by Porter,[42] who argued via logical premises that two of Rolfe's fundamental statements were flawed: (i) “The content of research report is determined by their forms” may not be a fact, and (ii) that research appraisal being “subject to individual judgment based on insight and experience” will mean those without sufficient experience of performing research will be unable to judge adequately – hence an elitist's principle. From a realism standpoint, Porter then proposes multiple and open approaches for validity in qualitative research that incorporate parallel perspectives[43,44] and diversification of meanings.[44] Any work of qualitative research, when read by the readers, is always a two-way interactive process, such that validity and quality has to be judged by the receiving end too and not by the researcher end alone.

Is qualitative research the same as quantitative research?

In general practice, qualitative research contributes as significantly as quantitative research, in particular regarding psycho-social aspects of patient-care, health services provision, policy setting, and health administrations. In contrast to quantitative research, qualitative research as a whole has been constantly critiqued, if not disparaged, ...

What is generalizability in statistics?

In many ways, generalizability amounts to nothing more than making predictions based on a recurring experience. If something occurs frequently, we expect that it will continue to do so in the future. Researchers use the same type of reasoning when generalizing about the findings of their studies. Once researchers have collected sufficient data to support a hypothesis, a premise regarding the behavior of that data can be formulated, making it generalizable to similar circumstances. Because of its foundation in probability, however, such a generalization cannot be regarded as conclusive or exhaustive.

Why is empirical research important in natural science?

Research in the natural sciences has a long tradition of valuing empirical studies; experimental investigation has been considered "the" way to perform research. As social scientists adapted the methods of natural science research to their own needs, they adopted this preference for empirical research. Therefore, studies that are generalizable have long been thought to be more worthwhile; the value of research was often determined by whether a study was generalizable to a population as a whole. However, more and more social scientists are realizing the value of using a variety of methods of inquiry, and the value of transferability is being recognized.

Why is generalizability important?

In essence, then, both generalizability and transferability allow us to make comparisons between situations. For example, we can generalize that most people in the United States will drive on the right side of the road, but we cannot transfer this conclusion to England or Australia without finding ourselves in a treacherous situation. It is important, therefore, to always consider context when generalizing or transferring results.

Why is transferability important in research?

Cziko's point is important because transferability allows for "temporary understanding." Instead of applying research results to every situation that may occur in the future, we can apply a similar method to another, similar situation, observe the new results, apply a modified version to another situation, and so on. Transferability takes into account the fact that there are no absolute answers to given situations; rather, every individual must determine their own best practices. Transferring the results of research performed by others can help us develop and modify these practices. However, it is important for readers of research to be aware that results cannot always be transferred; a result that occurs in one situation will not necessarily occur in a similar situation. Therefore, it is critical to take into account differences between situations and modify the research process accordingly.

What is transferability in research?

Transferability is a process performed by readers of research. Readers note the specifics of the research situation and compare them to the specifics of an environment or situation with which they are familiar. If there are enough similarities between the two situations, readers may be able to infer that the results of the research would be the same or similar in their own situation. In other words, they "transfer" the results of a study to another context. To do this effectively, readers need to know as much as possible about the original research situation in order to determine whether it is similar to their own. Therefore, researchers must supply a highly detailed description of their research situation and methods.

What are transferable research examples?

An example of transferable research in the field of English studies is Berkenkotter, Huckin, and Ackerman's (1988) study of a graduate student in a rhetoric Ph.D. program. In this case study, the researchers describe in detail a graduate student's entrance into the language community of his academic program, and particularly his struggle learning the writing conventions of this community. They make conclusions as to why certain things might have affected the graduate student, "Nate," in certain ways, but they are unable to generalize their findings to all graduate students in rhetoric Ph.D. programs. It is simply one study of one person in one program. However, from the level of detail the researchers provide, readers can take certain aspects of Nate's experience and apply them to other contexts and situations. This is transferability. First-year graduate students who read the Berkenhotter, Huckin, and Ackerman study may recognize similarities in their own situation while professors may recognize difficulties their students are having and understand these difficulties a bit better. The researchers do not claim that their results apply to other situations. Instead, they report their findings and make suggestions about possible causes for Nate's difficulties and eventual success. Readers then look at their own situation and decide if these causes may or may not be relevant.

Why are reports based on these research methods detailed and specific?

However, because they often consider only one subject or one group, researchers who conduct such studies seldom generalize the results to other populations. The detailed nature of the results, however, makes them ideal for transferability.

Why generalizability is so important?

If the researcher uses the whole population to conduct the research the resultant research will be highly generalizable as it has been conducted on the whole population. But this is not possible in research. As the researcher conducts research on a sample it is not possible to achieve absolute generalizability. To be able to achieve absolute generalizability you have to use full population to study the research problem. Studying the whole population is not possible as it is time consuming, and needs lots of resources. When you study a sample you make some agreement and compromise between the quality of research and possibility to conduct a research. There are tools and means that you can use to make sure that you have chosen the right sample size and the sample is representable of the whole population. You cannot make absolute claim that your sample is fully representable but you can show the probability of representation through the use of statistical techniques.

What is generalizability in research?

Generalizability can be defined as the application of research findings based on a sample to the whole population, it also means that the findings of one study is transferable to another similar situation. Generalizability and transferability of the research are two interrelated characteristics of research.

Why are researchers interested in the universal appeal of research?

Once a research outcomes look promising more and more researcher s want to replicate such studies to authenticate the findings. The results thus become more generalizable to the overall similar populations universally. The findings thus help in the development of theories and establishment of hypothesis.

Why should a sample not be too small?

The sample should not be too small so that it is not representable of the whole population. The sample should not be too large so that it is difficult to manage it. Some researchers think that a large sample will be more representable but this is not the case as large samples are difficult to manage and hence cause chances of mistakes in research.

Why are such studies useful?

Such studies are very useful if conducted accurately. The results are generalized on the whole population and are very significant. The researcher needs to understand that the use of right sampling techniques, right sample size and accurate procedures will help such studies be more generalizable.

Why is research weighed?

Specifically a research is weighed on the basis of its generalizability to the specific population on which the study is conducted. A more generalizable research can be applied to the overall population. Many medical research are aimed to find out why a disease spread in a specific population and how the spread of disease can be prevented.

Why should studies be replicated?

To prove the generalizability of the research and to make it applicable universally the studies should be replicated with same techniques and study designs.

Why is it important to replicate a study?

Replication of results in independent samples supports both the internal validity and the generalizability of the original finding, and is now required for publication of genetic association studies. If 2 similar studies' results do not agree, one does not necessarily refute the other; however, several similar studies failing to replicate the original would weigh heavily against the original result. We do not expect all risk factor studies to have identical results because risk factor frequencies may be differentially distributed among populations. Sample variability does not rule out generalizability, a priori, but the potential effects of bias and confounding must not be ignored.

What is survival bias?

Survival bias is a form of selection bias that is beyond the control of the selector. For example, some African populations have high APOE*4frequency but have not shown an elevated association between APOE*4and AD.10,11While there could be multiple reasons for this paradox, one possibility is that individuals with the APOE*4genotype had died of heart disease before growing old enough to develop dementia.

What are the definitions of representative sampling?

Those meanings are 1) “general, unjustified acclaim for the data”; 2) “absence (or presence) of selective forces”; 3) “mirror or miniature of the population”; 4) “typical or ideal case … that represents it (the population) on average”; 5) “coverage of the population … (sample) containing at least one item from each stratum …”; 6) “a vague term to be made precise” by specification of a particular statistical sampling scheme, e.g., simple random sampling. In statistical literature, representative sampling meanings include a) “a specific sampling method”; b) “permitting good estimation”; and c) “good enough for a particular purpose.”4The conflicts and ambiguities among the above uses are obvious, but how do we seek clarity in our research discourse?

What is a clinic based study?

Clinic-based investigations are exemplified by those conducted at Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs). They typically examine high-risk, family-based, clinic-based, or hospital-based groups, to observe association with treatment or disease. This is an efficient means to facilitate in-depth study of “clean” diagnostic subgroups. The external validity of these studies rests on the judgment of whether the subject selection process itself could have spuriously influenced the results. This determination is often harder in clinic-based studies than in population-based studies. Replication in an independent sample is therefore key, but replication is more elusive and difficult with clinic-based studies, as we discuss later.

How many physicians were sent a questionnaire on smoking?

All 59,600 physicians in the Medical Register at the time were sent a questionnaire on their smoking habits. The investigators excluded physicians who did not return usable responses, and also women physicians, and physicians aged <35 years, because of their low expected frequency of lung cancer deaths.

What is the objective of scientific research?

Only to the extent we are able to explain empirical facts can we obtain the major objective of scientific research, namely not merely to record the phenomena of our experience, but to learn from them, by basing upon them theoretical generalizations which enable us to anticipate new occurrences and to control, at least to some extent, the changes in our environment.1( p12)

Why is population based research important?

This is true whether the study is clinic-based or population-based. Population-based research anchors the comparison group to the cases.