Abstract
Reliability and validity remain
appropriate concepts for attaining rigor in both qualitative and quantitative
research. Few or not many researchers in public administration always salvage
responsibility for reliability and validity by implementing verification
strategies integral and self-correcting during the conduct of inquiry which
promote the attainment of rigor using strategies inherent within each
quantitative and qualitative design, and moves the responsibility for
incorporating and maintaining reliability and validity from external reviewers’
judgments to the investigators themselves. This study clarifies the meaning and
use of reliability and validity in both quantitative and qualitative research
paradigm in public administration. The study also contributes to knowledge
creation on how meeting validity and reliability demand of research affects its
outcome and acceptability. In pursuit of this aim the paper relied on
qualitative technique as its methodology. Threatening or risk factors that may
affect validity and reliability of research outcomes were appraised. However,
the research paper revealed that the trustworthiness, universality,
acceptability of any research findings in public administration lies in the
researcher’s capacity to meet the validity and reliability needs of the
research exercise as any data collected with invalid or unreliable instrument
eventually renders the research outcome unacceptable. The study concludes by
recommending some possible strategies to enhance validity and reliability in
public administration (social research).
Keywords: Research instrument, Validity,
Reliability, Public administration, Quantitative research, Qualitative research
DOI: www.doi.org/10.36349/fujpam.2024.v3i02.012
author/Mela, K., Agustine, J. & Jim, G.K.
journal/FUJPAM Vol. 3, No. 2