Key Points:
- Quantitative research can be characterized as a linear series of steps moving from theory to conclusion, but the process described is an ideal type from which there are many departures.
- The measurement process entails the search for indicators.
- Establishing the reliability and validity of measures is important for assessing their quality.
- Can be characterized as exhibiting certain preoccupations, the most central of which are: measurement, causality; generalization; and replication.
- It has been subjected to many criticisms by qualitative researchers. These criticisms tend to revolve around the view that a natural science model is inappropriate for studying the social world.
Questions for Review: