The validity of research is identifying how sound a study is. In other words, research validity is evaluated by assessing the appropriateness of methods for answering the set research question. There are many aspects of valid research that should be kept in mind to make the research valid. First, sound research needs to answer a clearly defined research question that closes a gap in the current body of knowledge (Check & Schutt, 2012). In order to identify the gap, research needs to review the current body of evidence using efficient practices while searching for relevant sources and synthesizing the acquired knowledge (Check & Schutt, 2012). Second, every study needs to use appropriate methods for answering the research question. Qualitative and quantitative methods are appropriate for answering different types of research questions. Qualitative methods can provide an overview of a topic, which can answer broad research questions, while quantitative methods aim at testing hypotheses acquiring more specific knowledge (Check & Schutt, 2012).
Third, valid research always provides a relevant discussion of the results of research that puts the findings of the study in line with previous knowledge. In other words, a valid discussion demonstrates how the results of the study solve a dispute between researchers or add to the understanding of a specific matter (Check & Schutt, 2012). Additionally, a discussion often includes implications for educators, scholars, and policymakers, which emphasize the practical importance of findings. Finally, valid research always acknowledges its limitations. Every research in education is concluded with revealing the possible biases that may have influenced the results and the areas of applicability of findings. Thus, the validity of research is a complicated matter that includes at least four crucial aspects that must be assessed.
Research ethics is also a very sensitive subject that should be addressed with increased attention. In order to conduct a study that adheres to all ethical standards, a researcher needs to ensure that no participants are harmed, informed consent is obtained, and privacy and confidentiality are protected (Check & Schutt, 2012). When speaking about harming the participants, both physical and psychological harm, should be considered. In order to achieve that, every researcher needs to use the best practices to foresee the possible problems and make every effort to prevent them from happening. In terms of informed consent, a researcher needs to make sure that the participants understand the conditions and dangers of the research. This is usually associated with language barriers and the wording of the informed consent forms.
In terms of privacy, researchers need to utilize the best practices to protect the information from security breaches. All the data should be stored using the best protective measures, and all the unneeded personal data should be excluded from the datasets (Check & Schutt, 2012). Finally, researchers need to be sure that they remain open and sincere about the purpose of the research and ensure that the results are used appropriately.
Reference
Check, J. & Schutt, R. (2012). Research methods in education. SAGE Publications, Inc.