ABSTRACT
Maykut and Morehouse explore the philosophical underpinnings of qualitative versus quantitative research. The positivist research orientation holds that science should be primarily concerned with the explanation and prediction of observable events. Qualitative researchers typically focus on looking for themes and examining the perspectives of those involved in a particular situation under investigation. Quantitative researchers typically focus on hypothesis testing and trying to see if their hypothesis is supported or not. They tend to want to make generalizable claims and seek to be able to prove or predict behavior. Students are also protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), so their academic performance cannot be displayed publicly. A quick review of the literature will yield many interesting results and may help one to shape his/her research question. Teachers need to protect their human participants by working with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) to make sure they are taking every precaution to protect the students involved in their studies/projects.
