Compare and contrast three different perspectives on the relevance of Essay

Compare and contrast three different perspectives on the relevance of postivist validity criteria for the evaluation of qualitat - Essay Example These perspectives are validity, reliability and generalizability, which apply to the evaluation of qualitative research. This paper compares and contrasts three different perspectives of positivist approach to evaluate the qualitative research. The paper will elaborate of how the perspectives are different and similar in the evaluation of qualitative research. A comparative analysis of the perspectives will be made in this report. The Positivist Approach in Qualitative Research The researchers in contemporary studies mostly in areas of medical science, psychology or social sciences come up with the proposition of positivist approach. They propose this approach for the evaluation of qualitative research method, which adapts less significant methods of knowledge acquisition. Qualitative research, which is based on the principle of introspection, requires the approach of positivism for bringing its conductive evaluation (Leavy, 2010, p.16). Positivism brings the evaluation on the basis of positivist verification which comes out through detailed experimentation and analytical observation altogether. By applying the scientific approaches such as mathematics and modeling, a positivist has a more valid ground to analyze or assess a qualitative study. A positivist approach primarily focuses on the objective reality of a qualitative research, avoiding all the subjective theism in research evaluation (Keegan, 2009). This increases the impact of evaluation as more rationalized and reasonable hypothesis is derived by positivism in a qualitative study. It is the rationale based on scientific reasons that work out in positivism for evaluating a qualitative study (Keegan, 2009). It is the accuracy of data that is the accuracy of measurements and observations which matters in a positivist approach of evaluation. This is how by applying both reason and science a positivist brings a conductive path for evaluating a qualitative study (Golafshani, 2003). For all such reasons, a p ositivist validity criterion appears significant for evaluating qualitative research. The criterion is based on three different perspectives – validity, reliability and generalizability. Applying the criterion with the three different perspectives gives a pathway to evaluate qualitative research. Below is the comparison of all these three perspectives of positivist approach (Flick, 2009, p.69). The Three Perspectives of Positivist Validity The validity criteria of positivist approach significantly apply to the process of evaluation. The criteria provide a deliberate route to conduct an evaluation of a qualitative research (Merriam, 1995). The positive approach primarily focuses on the methods of research, which build the ground of an empirical study or qualitative research. If the methods are correct, find enough to identify the objective reality, they can determine of how much effective a qualitative research is. Actually, it is the assessment of the methods of a qualitative study, which is described as evaluation of a positivist (Markula & Silk, 2011). Validity According to the contemporary literature, validity is the initial perspective of positivist validity criteria. Validity is described as authenticity of a research with respect to its measurement and observation approaches. If measurement or observation is right in a qualitative research as if it gives the right answer to the qualitative resea