Axioms in Quantitative and Qualitative Research: their role and implications

Axioms in Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Their Role and Implications

Isyrah Liya Shadriya/ Undergraduate Student, MPI VE UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung

Research is at the core of scientific development and educational practice. Through research, teachers, lecturers, and practitioners can find solutions to problems while strengthening theoretical foundations. Two main approaches, quantitative and qualitative, although different, complement each other in producing valid and relevant knowledge. Current educational phenomena reveal complex challenges, such as disparities in school quality, curriculum effectiveness, and the use of digital technology. There is also a gap between academic theory and practice in the field, so that research is often considered too theoretical, even though it can be a bridge to real needs. Therefore, the purpose of educational research is not only to produce new knowledge, but also to provide practical contributions to decision making, improving the quality of learning, and relevant strategies. Research plays a role in uniting theory and practice so that the results can be used sustainably to improve the quality of education.

First: Quantitative research is based on a positivistic paradigm that emphasizes objectivity, numerical measurement, and relationships between variables. The goal is to test hypotheses, find cause-and-effect relationships, and produce generalizations through surveys, experiments, or standardized instruments. For example, research on the effectiveness of certain learning methods on student grades often uses this approach. Meanwhile, qualitative research is rooted in the constructivist paradigm, which emphasizes meaning, experience, and social interaction. The data collected is usually in the form of in-depth interviews, participatory observation, or document analysis. The main focus is to understand phenomena from the subject's perspective. Examples of its application are research on student experiences in the learning process, teacher-student relationships, and school culture.

Second: The first step in research is problem identification. The research problem must be specific and relevant to the academic context. If it is too broad, analysis will be difficult; conversely, if it is too narrow, the contribution of the research will be minimal. After the problem is formulated, the researcher needs to develop a concept. There are two forms of concepts that must be considered, namely conceptual (theory or literature that forms the framework of thinking) and operational (how to connect abstract concepts with empirical reality through measurable indicators). The relationship between the problem and the concept will strengthen the validity and provide theoretical contributions to the research.

Third: In research, constructs and indicators are important bridges between theory and data. Constructs are abstract representations of phenomena that cannot be measured directly, while indicators make them measurable. The operationalization process then transforms indicators into instruments, such as Likert scales, rating scales, or tests in quantitative research. Meanwhile, in qualitative research, operationalization is realized through interview or observation guidelines.

Fourth: In addition, researchers must also understand phenomena, data, and variables. Phenomena are real symptoms that are interesting to study, data are representations of phenomena that are collected, while variables are central to quantitative research because they enable the analysis of cause-and-effect relationships. The data obtained are then classified using nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio scales so that they can be analyzed systematically.

Quantitative and qualitative research are not two opposing things, but rather complementary approaches. The selection of the right problem, clear formulation of concepts, and determination of accurate constructs, indicators, and variables will determine the validity and relevance of the research. By combining numbers and meaning, research in the field of education can make a real contribution to the development of science while responding to practical challenges in the field.

This work is based on Teaching Material Part 5 Paradigms, Axioms, and Concepts - Specific Concepts of Quantitative and Qualitative Research by Prof. Dr. H. Ahmad Rusdiana.Drs.,MM. (https://digilib.uinsgd.ac.id/121673/ )