ABSTRACT
The chapter gives six sets of criteria for assessing whether a study makes valid comparisons and produces true and useful conclusions. Researchers planning a study will also find these criteria helpful for making decisions about research design, data-gathering methods and other matters. One theme is that we can only assess the methods used in a study in relation to the question or problem which the study addresses. This chapter proposes that the validity of a comparative research study depends on:
1 the quality of the research problem statement, question or hypothesis
2 the validity of the comparisons made in the study
3 the validity of the research design for the purpose of the research (the ability of the design to answer the question; more details are given in Chapter 5)
4 the validity of the data-gathering methods and the quality of the data which were gathered (discussed in detail in Chapter 6)
5 the validity of the data analysis
6 the justification for the conclusions and the logical connections through out the report.
