Research Methodology: A Comprehensive Guide for Social, Scholars, Practitioners and Educational Sciences

Research Methodology: A Comprehensive Guide for Scholars and Practitioners by Torang Siregar presents research methodology as the foundational framework upon which credible knowledge is built and meaningful contributions to scholarship and practice are made. The book is systematically organized to guide readers through the entire research process, from formulating research problems and understanding philosophical foundations, through designing and executing empirical investigations, to analyzing, interpreting, and disseminating findings. The work thoroughly examines philosophical underpinnings including ontology, epistemology, axiology, and methodology, while exploring major research paradigms such as positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism, critical theory, and postmodernism. A dedicated chapter addresses research ethics and integrity, covering principles of respect for persons, beneficence, justice, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, plagiarism, Institutional Review Boards, and ethical issues in digital research. The book provides comprehensive coverage of quantitative research methods including experiments, surveys, and correlational studies, alongside qualitative approaches such as phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, case studies, and narrative inquiry, as well as mixed methods designs including convergent, explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential, and embedded approaches. Detailed guidance is offered on probability and non-probability sampling techniques, sample size considerations, and data collection instruments including questionnaires, interview guides, observation protocols, and standardized tests. The book covers both quantitative analytical techniques including descriptive and inferential statistics, and qualitative techniques such as coding, thematic analysis, content analysis, and discourse analysis, alongside mixed methods integration strategies. Validity, reliability, and trustworthiness are examined from both quantitative perspectives and qualitative perspectives, with strategies to enhance rigor including peer debriefing, prolonged engagement, and negative case analysis.