Online Journal of Education Research

Volume 1 Issue 3, Pages 44-56; June 2012

©2012 Online Research Journals

Available Online at https://onlineresearchjournals.org/IJER

Full Length Research Article

 

Approaches to Conducting Scientific Research in Education, Arts and the Social Sciences   Dr. Nwachukwu Prince OLOLUBE1 and Dr. Peter James KPOLOVIE2   1Department of Educational Foundations and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Education, P.M.B. 5047, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. 2Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.   *Corresponding Author's E-mail: ololubeprince@yahoo.com   Downloaded 3 June, 2012 Accepted 23 June, 2012

This article examines a number of methodologies used in conducting effective scientific research. It begins with an introduction to the significance of research methodology, followed by a description of research design, population, sampling, and sample size; it also involves a concise description of types of research instruments. The validity and reliability of effective investigations, as well as data collection methods are highlighted as is the need for use of both qualitative and quantitative techniques. This present study employs a qualitative research design that used document analysis to evaluate approaches to research methods. The authors describe as holistic a representation as space could allow of the components of the themes of this study. This study suggests that combining qualitative and quantitative methods adds rigor, breadth and depth to a scientific study.

Keywords: Scientific research, research design, methodology, qualitative, quantitative.