Quantitative Methods in Comparative Education and Other Disciplines: are they valid?

Educação & Realidade

Steven J. Klees¹ 

[1] University of Maryland (UMD), College Park/MD - United States of America;

关键词: Comparative Education;    Research Methods;    Regression Analysis;    Causal Inference;   

DOI  :  10.1590/2175-623664816

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Comparison is the essence of science and the field of comparative and international education, like many of the social sciences, has been dominated by quantitative methodological approaches. This paper raises fundamental questions about the utility of regression analysis for causal inference. It examines three extensive literatures of applied regression analysis concerned with education policies. The paper concludes that the conditions necessary for regression analysis to yield valid causal inferences are so far from ever being met or approximated that such inferences are never valid. Alternative research methodologies are then briefly discussed.

【 授权许可】

Unknown