Research methodology is an important foundation in the development of science, especially in the field of education. Educational research not only serves as an academic requirement, but also as a strategic instrument for understanding, analyzing, and solving problems that exist in learning practices and educational management. In general, research methodology can be divided into three main approaches, namely quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods, each of which has its own characteristics, advantages, and limitations.
Quantitative research is based on the positivistic paradigm, which emphasizes research as an objective, empirical, and measurable scientific process. This paradigm considers reality to be singular and systematically observable in order to discover universal laws. Quantitative research is built on three basic assumptions: objectivity, generalization, and causality. Theory serves as the basis for generating hypotheses, which are then operationalized into measurable variables and tested using research instruments. The quality of quantitative research is largely determined by the validity and reliability of the instruments used.
Quantitative research has the main objectives of testing hypotheses, measuring variables, and explaining the cause-and-effect relationships between variables. The research procedures used are systematic and structured, such as experiments, surveys, and ex post facto. Data is collected in numerical form and then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The advantages of quantitative research are objectivity, generalization of results, and replication of findings. However, its weakness is a lack of understanding of the social context and deeper meaning of a phenomenon.
Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research is based on interpretive and constructivist paradigms. These paradigms view social reality as pluralistic, contextual, and constructed through social interaction. The focus of this research is not on numbers, but on meaning, process, and a deep understanding of the subjective experiences of participants. Data collection techniques are carried out through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. The validity of qualitative research is measured through credibility, triangulation, and member checks. Although difficult to generalize and prone to subjectivity, qualitative research excels at exploring complex meanings and providing rich contextual descriptions.
Types of quantitative research include descriptive research that describes phenomena, comparative research that compares groups, correlational research that seeks relationships between variables, and experimental research that tests cause and effect with variable control. Qualitative research types consist of ethnography, which studies culture; phenomenology, which explores subjective experiences; case studies, which delve into specific phenomena; and grounded theory, which builds theory from empirical data. Meanwhile, mixed-methods research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to obtain more comprehensive, valid, and contextual research results. In data analysis, quantitative research uses descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative research uses coding, categorization, and analysis.
Educational research methodologies provide various approaches according to the objectives and context of the research. Quantitative methods excel in producing objective and measurable data, qualitative methods are stronger in understanding deeper meanings, while mixed-methods integrate the advantages of both. By understanding the methodology and types of research appropriately, educational research can contribute more significantly to the development of science and the improvement of educational practices in the field.
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 This paper is a reference from part 3 of Research Methodology and Types of Research from the teaching materials for the Research Methods in Management course taught by Prof. Dr. H. A Rusdiana., MM.Â
