Research Reports, Subjective

Subjectivity is generally conceptualized as the way research is influenced by the perspectives, values, social experiences, and viewpoint of the researcher. Traditional scientific discourse equates subjectivity with personal biases because, according to its empirical orientation, direct or indirect influence of the researcher on the collection, handling, interpretation, and reporting of data invalidates the research findings. For this reason, research reports from a scientific orientation make a claim to objectivity, a principle drawn from postpositivism that researchers should make every attempt to remain distanced from the phenomenon under investigation. This philosophical belief represents one way of managing subjectivity in research. Rather than attempt to diminish its potential influence, some scholars centralize the subjective position in the research process or, at minimum, acknowledge that the values and ...