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Metodologi Penelitian: Buku Ajar

Achmad Wahdi (Editor)


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BUKU AJAR
METODOLOGI PENELITIAN

Nisfil Mufidah Zuryaty


Arif Rahman Hakim Yanis Kartini
Dian Eka Januriwasti Nety Mawarda Hatmanti
M. Hasinuddin Alvin Abdillah
Lelly Aprilia Vidayati Sofi Yulianto
Qurrotu Aini Yusuf Hanafiah
Selvia Nurul Qomari
BUKU AJAR
METODOLOGI PENELITIAN
Dicetak & Diterbitkan Oleh:

Penulis:

Nisfil Mufidah, dkk.


CV. Dewa Publishing
Desa Kalianyar RT 003/ RW 002, Kec.
Ngronggot Kab. Nganjuk, Jawa Timur
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Ukuran Buku:
Anggota IKAPI
15,5 x 23
No. 341/JTI/ 2022
Tebal Buku:
SANKSI PELANGGARAN UNDANG-UNDANG
vii + 188 halaman TENTANG HAK CIPTA NOMOR 19 TAHUN 2002

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ii
KATA PENGANTAR

S
egala puji bagi Allah SWT, Tuhan Yang Maha Esa atas
rahmat dan karunia-Nya, sehingga penulis dapat
menyelesaikan buku ini. Tak lupa juga rasa terima
kasih kami ucapkan kepada DEWA PUBLISHING yang sudah
menyelenggarakan menulis buku bersama, sehingga buku
ini bisa terbit.
Adapun, buku kami yang berjudul ‘Buku Ajar
Metodologi Penelitian‘ ini telah selesai kami buat secara
semaksimal dan sebaik mungkin agar menjadi manfaat bagi
pembaca yang membutuhkan informasi dan pengetahuan
mengenai Metodologi Penelitian pada Mahasiswa, Dosen
dan Masyarakat.
Buku ini berisi 13 BAB dan setiap BAB dilengkami
konsep sehingga pembaca bisa lebih memahami dengan
materi yang ada didalam buku ini, penulis buku ini
merupakan Dosen berbagai institusi di Indonesia.
Kami sadar, masih banyak kekeliruan yang tentu saja
jauh dari sempurna tentang buku ini. Oleh sebab itu, kami
mohon agar pembaca memberi kritik dan juga saran
terhadap karya buku ini agar kami dapat terus
meningkatkan kualitas buku.
Demikian buku ini kami buat, dengan harapan agar
pembaca dapat mendapatkan wawasan tentang Metodologi
Penelitian. Terima kasih.

Tim Penulis

iii
DAFTAR ISI

KATA PENGANTAR .............................................................................. iii


DAFTAR ISI .............................................................................................. iv

BAB I RUMUSAN MASALAH DAN TUJUAN PENELITIAN1


A. Pengertian Masalah ........................................................... 1
B. Bentuk Rumusan Masalah............................................... 1
C. Langkah-Langkah Menemukan Masalah Penelitian... 3
D. Identifikasi Masalah .......................................................... 6
E. Merumuskan Masalah Penelitian ................................. 8
F. Merumuskan Judul Penelitian ....................................... 9
G. Tujuan Penelitian ............................................................... 9

BAB II PENELITIAN KUANTITATIF DAN KUALITATIF 11


A. Penelitian Kuantitatif ...................................................... 11
B. Penelitian Kualitatif ......................................................... 30
C. Rangkuman ......................................................................... 52

BAB III TINJAUAN PUSTAKA, KERANGKA KONSEPTUAL


DAN HIPOTESIS PENELITIAN ................................... 55
A. Definisi Tinjauan Pustaka.............................................. 55
B. Manfaat Menyusun Tinjauan Pustaka ...................... 56
C. Cara Membuat Tinjauan Pustaka ............................... 57
D. Sumber Tinjauan Pustaka ............................................. 59
E. Kerangka Teori dan Kerangka Konsep .................... 60
F. Kaidah Penyusunan Kerangka Konseptual ............ 61
G. Hipotesis .............................................................................. 61

iv
BAB IV DESAIN PENELITIAN ......................................................65
A. Pengertian Desain Penelitian....................................... 65
B. Jenis Desain Penelitian ................................................... 66
C. Contoh Desain Penelitian .............................................. 72

BAB V POPULASI, SAMPEL, BESAR SAMPEL DAN


SAMPLING ...........................................................................75
A. Populasi Penelitian .......................................................... 75
B. Sampel Penelitian ............................................................. 76

BAB VI VARIABEL DAN DEFINISI OPERASIONAL ............87


A. Definisi variabel ................................................................ 87
B. Jenis variabel ...................................................................... 88
C. Identifikasi, Variabel ....................................................... 92
D. Klasifikasi variabel ........................................................... 93
E. Definisi operasional......................................................... 94

BAB VII INSTRUMEN PENGUMPULAN DATA, VALIDITAS,


DAN RELIABILITAS.........................................................97
A. Instrumen Penelitian ...................................................... 97
B. Bentuk Instrumen Penelitian....................................... 98
C. Penyusunan Instrumen Penelitian ......................... 104
D. Pengujian Validitas dan Reliabilitas Instrumen 105

BAB VIII ANALISA DATA .............................................................. 110


A. Qualitative Analysis ...................................................... 111
B. Quantitative Analysis ................................................... 113
C. Kombinasi Qualitative dan Quantitative .............. 118
D. Analisis Regresi .............................................................. 120

v
BAB IX PENULISAN HASIL PENELITIAN ............................ 123
A. Beberapa hal yang perlu diperhatikan dalam
penulisan hasil penelitian .......................................... 124
B. Komponen Dalam Penulisan Hasil Penelitian .... 124
C. Tehnik penyajian hasil penelitian ........................... 125

BAB X PENYUSUNAN ABSTRAK ........................................... 134


A. Pendahuluan.................................................................... 134
B. Definisi ............................................................................... 134
C. Jenis..................................................................................... 135
D. Tujuan ................................................................................ 135
E. Struktur Dasar Abstrak ............................................... 136
F. Tips Penulisan Abstrak ............................................... 142

BAB XI ETIKA PENELITIAN ..................................................... 144


A. Dasar Etika Penelitian ................................................. 144
B. Sejarah Etik Penelitian ................................................ 145
C. Prinsip Etik Penelitian ................................................. 145
D. Standar Etik Penelitian ................................................ 147
E. Jenis Atau Tingkat Kaji Etik ....................................... 157

BAB XII DAFTAR PUSTAKA ....................................................... 158


A. Tujuan Menulis Daftar Pustaka ................................ 159
B. Penulisan Daftar Pustaka ........................................... 159
C. Penulisan Sumber Kutipan ........................................ 161
D. Hal yang Dapat Terjadi dalam Penulisan Daftar
Pustaka Buku................................................................... 162
E. Cara Menulis Daftar Pustaka dari Artikel Jurnal,
Koran dan Majalah ........................................................ 165
F. Cara Membuat Daftar Pustaka Secara Otomatis 168

vi
BAB XIII LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................ 172
A. Review ............................................................................... 172
B. Literature review........................................................... 172
C. Fungsi dan Tujuan penulisan literature review 174
D. Keutamaan Literature Review ................................. 177
E. Tipe Literature Review ............................................... 178
F. Kriteria pemilihan sumber literature review ..... 178
G. Langkah membuat Literature review .................... 179
H. Bagian bagian Literatur review ............................... 181

DAFTAR PUSTAKA .......................................................................... 185

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

BAB I
RUMUSAN MASALAH DAN TUJUAN PENELITIAN

A. Pengertian Masalah
Penelitian merupakan salah satu hal penting dalam
pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan dan Pendidikan, sekaligus
sebagai bagian yang penting dalam perkembangan
peradaban manusia. Tanpa penelitian suatu ilmu tidak akan
pernah berkembang, tidak ada suatu negara yang sudah
maju dan berhasil dalam Pembangunan, tanpa melibatkan
banyak kegiatan dalam penelitian (Sujarweni, 2014)
Proses penelitian pada dasarnya dilakukan dengan
tujuan untuk mendapatkan data yang selanjutnya akan
digunakan untuk memecahkan masalah (Sugiyono, 2018).
Masalah merupakan penyimpangan dari apa yang
seharusnya dengan apa yang terjadi, penyimpangan antara
teori dengan praktik, penyimpangan antara aturan dengan
pelaksanaan, dan penyimpangan antara pengalaman masa
lampau dengan yang terjadi sekarang (Sugiyono, 2014).

B. Bentuk Rumusan Masalah


Menurut (Pamungkas dan Usman, 2017), secara umum
bentuk rumusan masalah dalam penelitian di bidang
Kesehatan dibedakan menjadi 3 bentuk diantaranya:

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

1. Rumusan Masalah Deskriptif


Rumusan masalah deskriptif dapat didefinisikan sebagai
gambaran keberadaan variable secara mandiri baik
hanya pada satu variable atau lebih tanpa melakukan
perbandingan antar variable tersebut
Contoh:
Bagaimana gambaran kualitas hidup pasien Stroke di
Rumah Sakit Sukasehat?
2. Rumusan Masalah Komparatif
Rumusan masalah komparatif diartikan sebagai
rumusan masalah yang tujuannya adalah
membandingkan variable atau waktu yang berbeda.
Dalam rumusan masalah ini variabelnya lebih dari satu
sehingga hasilnya nanti merupakan hasil dari variable
yang telah dibandingkan.
Contoh:
Adakah perbedaan kadar gula darah pada penderita
diabetes yang melakukan diet makanan dengan yang
melakukan program olahraga
3. Rumusan Masalah Asosiatif
Rumusan masalah asosiatif dapat didefinisikan sebagai
rumusan masalah yang menggambarkan atau
menanyakan hubungan antara dua variable atau lebih.
Rumusan ini diklasifikasikan menjadi tiga bentuk yaitu:
a. Hubungan yang simetris
Rumusan masalah yang bersifat simestris yaitu
suatu hubungan antara dua variable atau lebih
secara bersamaan tanpa adanya hubungan sebab
akibat ataupun timbal balik.

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

Contoh:
Adakah hubungan antara tingginya Pendidikan
dengan tingkat pengetahuan perawat di Puskesmas
Kebunsari
b. Hubungan yang sifatnya kausal atau sebab akibat
Hubungan kausal adalah hubungan yang bersifat
sebab akibat yang menyatakan apakah variable
independent mempengaruhi variable dependen
sehingga hasil penelitiannya dapat diketahui
variable mana yang mempengaruhi variable yang
lainnya.
Contoh:
Adakah pengaruh metode kepemimpinan kepala
ruangan terhadap kedisiplinan perawat di
Puskesmas Kebunsari
c. Hubungan timbal balik
Rumusan masalah yang bersifat hubungan timbal
balik adalah hubungan yang saling mempengaruhi
di setiap variable namun tidak diketahuinya yang
mana variable independent yang mempengaruhi
dan variable dependen yang dipengaruhi
Contoh:
Adakah hubungan antara kedisiplinan dan motivasi
kerja perawat RSUD Dara

C. Langkah-Langkah Menemukan Masalah Penelitian


Langkah-langkah dalam menemukan dan menentukan
masalah penelitian menurut (Wibowo, 2014) dapat
diurutkan sebagai berikut:

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

1. Menentukan area penelitian


Area penelitian adalah bidang atau lapangan dari
masalah yang akan dipilih sebagai masalah
penelitian.Area sifatnya umum dan luas. Sebuah area
terpilih masih dapat diturunkan lagi menjadi area-area
yang lebih spesifik atau sub-area, di bidang Kesehatan
Masyarakat misalnya, area yang lebih spesifik adalah
administrasi Kesehatan, Pendidikan Kesehatan,
epidemiologi, Kesehatan lingkungan , biostatistik,
Kesehatan reproduksi, dan yang lainnya.
Penting menentukan area penelitian terlebih dahulu,
dan biasanya pemilihan area didasarkan pada
pengetahuan yang sudah dimiliki atau pekerjaan yang
sedang digeluti atau pengalaman terdahulu di bidang
tersebut. Namun demikian, seorang yang lama
berkecimpung di area Kesehatan lingkungan misalnya,
boleh saja memilih area baru untuk penelitiannya.
Seorang ahli Kesehatan Masyarakat yang kemudian
diangkat menjadi direktur sebuah rumah sakit, akan
berubah area penelitiannya dari Kesehatan masyrakat
menjadi perumahsakitan.
2. Menentukan topik penelitian
Topik penelitian adalah pernyataan inti yang akan
menjadi tema sentral dari masalah penelitian yang akan
dipilih. Topik yang diangkat dalam penelitian sebaiknya
memenuhi hal berikut, antara lain:
a. Topik harus menjadi minat dan hal yang menarik
bagi peneliti
b. Topik harus cukup sempit dan focus
c. Topik harus dikuasai oleh peneliti
d. Topik yang dipilih pada pelaksanaannya memiliki
cukup waktu dan dana
e. Topik merupakan isu yang masih hangat
f. Topik merupakan peristiwa-peristiwa nasional atau
international

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

g. Topik merupakan pengalaman pribadi yang


berbobot ilmiah.
Menurut (Sastroasmoro dan Ismail, 1995) dalam
(Nursalam, 2015), masalah riset keperawatan harus
mengandung unsur “FINER”, yaitu:
a. Feasible (Bisa dilaksanakan)
Tersedia subjek penelitian, tersedia dana, tersedia
waktu, alat dan keahlian
b. Interesting (Menarik)
Masalah hendaknya menarik untuk diteliti
c. Novel (Hal Baru)
Membantah atau mengonfirmasi penemuan
terdahulu, melengkapi dan mengembangkan hasil
penelitian terdahulu dan menemukan sesuatu yang
baru
d. Ethical (Etika)
Tidak bertentangan dengan etika, khususnya etika
keperawatan
e. Relevant (Relevan)
Bermanfaat bagi perkembangan iptek, dapat
digunakan untuk meningkatkan asuhan
keperawatan dan kebijakan Kesehatan, dan sebagai
dasar penelitian selanjutnya
3. Menegakkan masalah penelitian
Menentukan masalah penelitian adalah langkah yang
pertama yang harus dilakukan sebab masalah
penelitianlah yang akan mengarahkan semua tahapan-
tahapan berikut dari penelitian tersebut. Masalah
penelitian menjadi dasar utama setiap jenis penelitian,
mulai dari penelitian yang sifatnya hanya
menggambarkan, menjelaskan sebuah fenomena sampai

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

dengan penelitian yang sifatnya menghubungkan,


membandingkan, menganalisis, bahkan penelitian yang
sifatnya eksperimental sekalipun. Di dalam melakukan
analisis Pustaka yang perlu dijadikan focus adaalh
kesenjuangan yang ditemukan oleh hasil penelitian
terdahulu, atau ketiadaan informasi tentang fenomena
yang menjadikannya ingin tahu lebih dalam, atau tidak
lengkapnya informasi yang tersedia, atau adanya
pertentangan pendapat antar teori

D. Identifikasi Masalah
Hal-hal yang dapat menjadi sumber masalah menurut
(Suryabrata, 2015) antara lain:
1. Bacaan
Bacaan, bacaan terutama yang melaporkan hasil
penelitian, mudah dijadikan sumber masalah penelitian,
karena laporan penelitian yang baik tentu akan
mencantumkan rekomendasi untuk penelitian lebih
lanjut dengan arah tertentu. Hal yang demikian itu
mudah dimengerti, karena tidak pernah ada penelitian
yang tuntas. Kadang-kadang suatu penelitian
menampilkan masalah lebih banyak daripada yang
dihjawabnya. Justru karena hal yang demikian itulah
maka ilmu pengetahuan itu selalu mengalami kemajuan.
2. Seminar, diskusi dan pertemuan ilmiah
Seminar, diskusi dan pertemuan ilmiah juga merupakan
sumber masalah penelitian yang cukup kaya, karena
pada umumnya dalam pertemuan ilmiah demikian itu
para peserta melihat hal-hal yang dipersoalkannya
secara professional. Dengan kemampuan professional
para ilmuan, peserta pertemuan ilmiah melihat,
menganalisis, menyimpulkan dan mempersoalkan hal-
hal yang dijadikan pokok pembicaraan. Dengan

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

demikian mudah sekali muncul masalah-masalah yang


memerlukan penggarapan melalui penelitian
3. Pernyataan pemegang otoritas
Pernyataan pemegang otoritas, baik pemegang otoritas
dalam pemerintahan maupun pemegang otoritas dalam
bidang ilmu tertentu, dapat menjadi sumber masalah
penelitian. Demikianlah misalnya pernyataan seorang
Menteri Pendidikan Nasional mengenai rendahnya daya
serap murid-murid SMU, atau pernyatan seorang
Direktur Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi tentang kecilnya
daya tampung perguruan tinggi, dapat secara langsung
mengundang berbagai penelitian. Pernyataan ahli-ahli
Pendidikan dan ahli-ahli psikologi mengenai perlu dan
tidaknya serta tepat dan tidaknya penjurusan di SMU
seperti yang terjadi sekarang ini, dapat menjadi sumber
penelitian pula.
4. Pengamatan sepintas
Seringkali terjadi, seseorang menemukan masalah
penelitiannya dalam suatu perjalanan dan peninjauan.
Ketika berangkat dari rumah sama sekali tidak ada
rencana untuk mencari masalah penelitian. Tetapi
Ketika menyaksikan hal-hal tertentu di lapangan,
timbullah pertanyaan-pertanyaan dalam hatinya, yang
akhirnya terkristalisasikan dalam masalah penelitian.
Seorang tenaga Kesehatan dapat menemukan
masalahnya ketika melakukan perawatan kepada
pasien.
5. Pengalaman pribadi
Pengalaman pribadi sering pula menjadi sumber bagi
diketemukannya masalah penelitian. Misalnya seorang
tenaga Kesehatan terinspirasi dari penyakit yang
dialami oleh anggota keluarganya.

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

6. Perasaan intuitif
Tidak jarang terjadi, masalah penelitian itu muncul
dalam pikiran ilmuan pada pagi hari setelah bangun
tidur atau pada saat-saat habis istirahat. Rupanya
selama tidur atau istirahat itu terjadi semacam
konsolidasi atau pengendapan berbagai informasi yang
berkaitan dengan masalah yang akan diteliti tersebut,
yang lalu muncul dalam bentuk pertanyaan0pertanyaan
atau masalah

E. Merumuskan Masalah Penelitian


Perumusan masalah penelitian harus disusun sedemikian
rupa sehingga dengan mudah dipahami. Rumusan masalah
yang baik akan mempermudah langkah-langkah penelitian
berikutnya, seperti membuat tujuan penelitian dan
menentukan design penelitian.
Merumuskan masalah penelitian dapat dilakukan dalam
bentuk berikut (Putra, 2013):
1. Pernyataan masalah (problem statement)
Contoh: efektifitas penggunaan alcohol dibanding iodine
dalam perawatan tali pusat
2. Pertanyaan penelitian (research question)
Contoh: apakah terdapat perbedaan efektifitas antara
alcohol dan iodine dalam perawatan tali pusat?
Perumusan masalah penelitian juga harus menghindari
tiga hal, antara lain:
1. Rumusan masalah penelitian terlalu luas
2. Rumusan masalah penelitian terlalu sempit
3. Mengandung emosi, prasangka, atau unsur yang tidak
ilmiah

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

F. Merumuskan Judul Penelitian


Ada beberapa perbedaan persepsi di kalangan peneliti
terkait perumusan judul penelitian. Ada yang berpendapat
judul harus lengkap dan Panjang, namun aja juga yang
berpendapat judul harus dibuat singkat dan padat. Jika
pembaca ingin mengetahui maksud penelitian dapat dibaca
secara komprehensif di dalam penelitian yang telah disusun.
Menurut (Arikunto, 2013), judul penelitian yang
lengkap mencakup:
1. Sifat dan jenis penelitian
2. Objek yang diteliti
3. Subjek penelitian
4. Lokasi atau daerah penelitian
5. Tahun atau terjadinya peristiwa

G. Tujuan Penelitian
Setelah masalah penelitian ditetapkan, selanjutnya tujuan
penelitian dirumuskan. Tujuan penelitian hakikatnya adalah
suatu pernyataan tentang informasi (data) apa yang akan
diteliti melalui penelitian tersebut (Notoatmodjo, 2014)
Pada dasarnya penelitian memiliki tiga tujuan (Hidayat,
2017), antara lain:
1. Membuktikan teori
Adanya teori-teori yang lama yang telah ditemukan oleh
peneliti pendahulu, kadang-kadang memiliki kelemahan
apabila disesuaikan dengan perkembangan
pengetahuan dan teknologi pada zaman sekarang atau
saat ini, sehingga terdapat beberapa orang yang ingin
membuktikan apakah hasil penelitian atau teori yang
telah ada masih cukup relevan, untuk itu seorang
peneliti dapat membuktikannya dengan penelitian

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

2. Mengembangkan teori
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menitikberatkan pada
penyesuaian dengan perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan
dan teknologi, melalui pengembangan hasil penelitian
yang sudah ada, sehingga dapat mengembangkan dari
apa yang sudah diteliti, seperti penelitian rekayasa.
3. Menemukan teori baru
Tujuan ini dilaksanakan karena adanya tuntutan
perkembangan zaman atau kebutuhan yang ada, dengan
ditemukan teori atau produk yang baru akan
memudahkan bagi manusia dalam memenuhi
kebutuhan. Selain produk atau teori, penemuan juga
dapat berupa cara, Teknik, atau hasil ilmu pengetahuan
yang ada sehingga dapat dimanfaatkan manusia untuk
kehidupan.
Secara umum, tujuan penelitian dibagi menjadi 2 bagian
menurut (Swarjana, 2015), antara lain:
1. Tujuan umum (Study Goal/General Objective)
2. Tujuan khusus
Pada perumusan tujuan penelitian, terdapat beberapa
kata yang umum digunakan diantaranya untuk
mengidentifikasi, mengkaji, mendeterminasi, menguji,
mengevaluasi, membandingkan, dan mengklarifikasi.

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

BAB II
PENELITIAN KUANTITATIF DAN KUALITATIF

A. Penelitian Kuantitatif
Metode penelitian kuantitatif merupakan salah satu jenis
penelitian yang spesifikasinya adalah sistematis, terencana,
dan terstruktur dengan jelas sejak awal hingga pembuatan
desain penelitiannya. Definisi lain menyebutkan penelitian
kuantitatif adalah penelitian yang banyak menuntut
penggunaan angka, mulai dari pengumpulan data,
penafsiran terhadap data tersebut, serta penampilan dari
hasilnya. Demikian pula pada tahap kesimpulan penelitian
akan lebih baik bila disertai dengan gambar, table, grafik,
atau tampilan lainnya.
Menurut (Sugiyono, 2018: 13) data kuantitatif
merupakan metode penelitian yang berlandaskan
positivistic (data konkrit), data penelitian berupa angka-
angka yang akan diukur menggunakan statistik sebagai alat
uji penghitungan, berkaitan dengan masalah yang diteliti
untuk menghasilkan suatu kesimpulan.
Metode penelitian kuantitatif, seperti yang dijelaskan
oleh Sugiyono (2018: 13), didasarkan pada paradigma
positivistik yang menekankan pengumpulan dan analisis
data konkrit. Dalam metode ini, data penelitian berupa
angka-angka yang dapat diukur dan dihitung menggunakan
alat statistik. Pendekatan kuantitatif berkaitan erat dengan
tujuan mengukur dan menganalisis fenomena secara
obyektif, mengacu pada fakta yang dapat diamati dan

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

diukur. Data yang dikumpulkan dalam penelitian ini


memiliki karakteristik yang memungkinkan penerapan
teknik statistik sebagai alat untuk menguji hipotesis,
mengidentifikasi hubungan antara variabel, dan mengambil
kesimpulan berdasarkan analisis data yang objektif. Dengan
memanfaatkan metode kuantitatif, peneliti berupaya untuk
menghasilkan kesimpulan yang didasarkan pada bukti
empiris yang dapat diverifikasi secara ilmiah.
Pendapat lain menurut (Sugiyono, 2012: 7), Metode
penelitian kuantitatif dapat diartikan sebagai metode
penelitian yang berlandaskan pada filsafat positivisme,
digunakan untuk meneliti pada populasi atau sampel
tertentu. Teknik pengambilan sampel pada umumnya
dilakukan secara random, pengumpulan data menggunakan
instrumen penelitian, analisis data bersifat
kuantitatif/statistik dengan tujuan untuk menguji hipotesis
yang telah ditetapkan. Metode kuantitatif sering juga disebut
metode tradisional, positivistik, ilmiah/scientific dan
metode discovery. Metode kuantitatif dinamakan metode
tradisional, karena metode ini sudah cukup lama digunakan
sehingga sudah mentradisi sebagai metode untuk penelitian.
Metode ini disebut sebagai metode positivistik karena
berlandaskan pada filsafat positivisme. Metode ini disebut
sebagai metode ilmiah (scientific) karena metode ini telah
memenuhi kaidah-kaidah ilmiah yaitu konkrit, empiris,
obyektif, terukur, rasional dan sistematis. Metode ini juga
disebut metode discovery karena dengan metode ini dapat
ditemukan dan dikembangkan berbagai iptek baru. Metode
ini disebut metode kuantitatif karena data penelitian berupa
angka-angka dan analisis menggunakan statistik.
Sedangkan menurut (Sudarwan Danim, 2002: 35)
Penelitian kuantitatif merupakan studi yang diposisikan
sebagai bebas nilai (value free). Dengan kata lain, penelitian
kuantitatif sangat ketat menerapkan prinsip-prinsip
objektivitas. Objektivitas itu diperoleh antara lain melalui
penggunaan instrumen yang telãh diuji validitas dan

12
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

reliabilitasnya. Peneliti yang melakukan studi kuantitatif


mereduksi sedemikian rupa hal-hal yang dapat membuat
bias, misalnya akibat masuknya persepsi dan nilai-nilai
pribadi. Jika dalam penelaahan muncul adanya bias itu maka
penelitian kuantitatif akan jauh dari kaidah-kaidah teknik
ilmiah yang sesungguhnya.
Selain itu metode penelitian kuantitatif dikatakan
sebagai metode yang lebih menekankan pada aspek
pengukuran secara obyektif terhadap fenomena sosial.
Untuk dapat melakukan pengukuran, setiap fenomena sosial
di jabarkan kedalam beberapa komponen masalah, variable
dan indikator. Setiap variable yang di tentukan di ukur
dengan memberikan simbol-simbol angka yang berbeda–
beda sesuai dengan kategori informasi yang berkaitan
dengan variable tersebut. Dengan menggunakan simbol–
simbol angka tersebut, teknik perhitungan secara kuantitatif
matematik dapat di lakukan sehingga dapat menghasilkan
suatu kesimpulan yang belaku umum di dalam suatu
parameter. Tujuan utama dati metodologi ini ialah
menjelaskan suatu masalah tetapi menghasilkan
generalisasi. Generalisasi ialah suatu kenyataan kebenaran
yang terjadi dalam suatu realitas tentang suatu masalah
yang di perkirakan akan berlaku pada suatu populasi
tertentu. Generalisasi dapat dihasilkan melalui suatu metode
perkiraan atau metode estimasi yang umum berlaku
didalam statistika induktif. Metode estimasi itu sendiri
dilakukan berdasarkan pengukuran terhadap keadaan nyata
yang lebih terbatas lingkupnya yang juga sering disebut
“sample” dalam penelitian kuantitatif. Jadi, yang diukur
dalam penelitian sebenarnya ialah bagian kecil dari populasi
atau sering disebut “data”. Data ialah contoh nyata dari
kenyataan yang dapat diprediksikan ke tingkat realitas
dengan menggunakan metodologi kuantitatif tertentu.
Penelitian kuantitatif mengadakan eksplorasi lebih lanjut
serta menemukan fakta dan menguji teori-teori yang timbul.

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1) Pengertian Metode Penelitian Kualitatif


Menurut (Arikunto, 2019: 27) penelitian kuantitatif
adalah metode penelitian yang sesuai dengan namanya,
banyak dituntut menggunakan angka, mulai dari
pengumpulan data, penafsiran terhadap data tersebut,
serta penampilan hasilnya.
Penelitian kuantitatif merupakan angka atau bilangan
yang sudah pasti sehingga dapat dirangkai dan juga
memudahkan dalam membaca, serta mempermudah
peneliti untuk membuat sebuah pemahaman (Sunyoto
2016: 21).
Penelitian kuantitatif menurut (Creswell, 2016: 5)
adalah metode-metode untuk menguji teori-teori
tertentu dengan cara meneliti hubungan antarvariabel
dalam penelitian.
Pendekatan kuantitatif adalah upaya peneliti untuk
mengumpulkan data bersifat angka, Data angka-angka
tersebut selanjutnya diolah dengan menggunakan
rumus kerja statistic dan diturunkan dari variabel yang
sudah di operasionalkan, dengan skala ukur tertentu
seperti skala nominal, ordinal, interval, dan ratio
(Indrawan & Yaniawati, 2016: 141).
Penelitian kuantitatif adalah metode penelitian yang
didasari pada asumsi, kemudian ditentukan variabel,
dan selanjutnya dianalisis dengan metode-metode
penelitian yang valid, terutama dalam penelitian
kuantitatif (Kasiram, 2008: 149).
Metode penelitian kuantitatif, seperti dijelaskan oleh
Arikunto (2019: 27), adalah pendekatan yang secara
konsisten menggunakan angka dalam seluruh proses
penelitian. Mulai dari pengumpulan data hingga
penafsiran hasil, semua tahapan dalam penelitian ini
berkaitan dengan data berupa angka. Pendekatan ini
memungkinkan data yang telah terkumpul dapat diolah

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dan disajikan dengan cara yang sistematis,


memudahkan dalam pembacaan, serta membantu
peneliti dalam membangun pemahaman yang jelas
tentang fenomena yang diteliti, sebagaimana yang
diakui oleh Sunyoto (2016: 21). Dalam perspektif
Creswell (2016: 5), penelitian kuantitatif bertujuan
untuk menguji teori dengan menginvestigasi hubungan
antarvariabel dalam konteks penelitian. Pendekatan ini
mengarah pada pengumpulan data berbentuk angka
yang selanjutnya dianalisis menggunakan rumus
statistik sesuai dengan skala ukur yang telah ditetapkan,
seperti disampaikan oleh Indrawan & Yaniawati (2016:
141). Metode ini didasari pada asumsi yang kemudian
mengarah pada identifikasi variabel yang relevan dan
analisis yang valid, seperti dipaparkan oleh Kasiram
(2008: 149).
Secara keseluruhan, penelitian kuantitatif adalah
pendekatan penelitian yang secara eksklusif
menggunakan data angka dalam semua tahapan,
dimulai dari pengumpulan hingga analisis. Tujuan
utamanya adalah untuk menguji teori melalui eksplorasi
hubungan antarvariabel, sehingga memerlukan
pemilihan variabel yang tepat dan analisis statistik yang
valid. Pendekatan ini memfasilitasi penyajian data yang
terstruktur dan memungkinkan pembacaan yang jelas,
serta membantu peneliti dalam merumuskan
pemahaman yang kuat mengenai fenomena yang sedang
diteliti.
Metode penelitian kualitatif merupakan metode baru
karena popularitasnya belum lama, metode ini juga
dinamakan postpositivistik karena berlandaskan pada
filsafat post positifisme, serta sebagai metode artistic
karena proses penelitian lebih bersifat seni (kurang
terpola), dan disebut metode interpretive karena data
hasil peneletian lebih berkenaan dengan interprestasi
terhadap data yang di temukan di lapangan. Metode

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penelitian kuantitatif dapat di artikan sebagai metode


penelitian yang di gunakan untuk meneliti pada
populasi atau sampel tertentu, pengumpulan data
menggunakan instrument penelitian, analisis data
bersifat kuantitatif/statistic, dengan tujuan untuk
menguji hipotesis yang teleh di tetapkan. Metode
penelitian kualitatif sering di sebut metode penelitian
naturalistik karena penelitianya di lakukan pada kondisi
yang alamiah (natural setting), di sebut juga metode
etnographi, karena pada awalnya metode ini lebih
banyak di gunakan untuk penelitian bidang antropologi
budaya.
Beberapa metodologi seperti (Kirk & Miller, 1986),
mendefinisikan metode kualitatif sebagai tradisi
tertentu dalam ilmu pengetahuan sosial yang secara
fundamental bergantung pada pengamatan terhadap
manusia dalam kawasanya sendiri dan berhubungan
dengan orang-orang tersebut dalam bahasanya dan
dalam peristilahanya. Sedangkan menurut (Bogdan &
Taylor, 1975) dalam buku (Moleong, 2004: 3)
mengemukakan metode kualitatif sebagai prosedur
penelitian yang menghasilkan data deskriptif berupa
kata-kata atau lisan dari orang-orang dan perilaku yang
dapat diamati.
Menurut (Sukidin, 2002: 2) metode kualitatif berusaha
mengungkap berbagai keunikan yang terdapat dalam
individu, kelompok, masyarakat, dan/atau organisasi
dalam kehidupan sehari-hari secara menyeluruh, rinci,
dalam, dan dapat dipertanggungjawabkan secara ilmiah.
Metode penelitian kualitatif juga merupakan metode
penelitian yang lebih menekankan pada aspek
pemahaman secara mendalam terhadap suatu masalah
dari pada melihat permasalahan untuk penelitian
generalisasi. Metode penelitian ini lebih suka
menggunakan teknik analisis mendalam ( in-depth

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analysis ), yaitu mengkaji masalah secara kasus


perkasus karena metodologi kulitatif yakin bahwa sifat
suatu masalah satu akan berbeda dengan sifat dari
masalah lainnya.
Menurut teori penelitian kualitatif, agar penelitinya
dapat betul-betul berkualitas, maka data yang
dikumpulkan harus lengkap, yaitu berupa data primer
dan data sekunder. Data primer adalah data dalam
bentuk verbal atau kata-kata yang diucapkan secara
lisan,gerak-gerik atau perilaku yang dilakukan oleh
subjek yang dapat dipercaya, dalam hal ini adalah
subjek penelitian (informan) yang berkenaan dengan
variabel yang diteliti. Sedangkan data sekunder adalah
data yang diperoleh dari dokumen-dokumen grafis
(tabel, catatan, notulen rapat, dll), foto-foto, film,
rekaman video, benda-benda, dan lain-lainyang dapat
memperkaya data primer. Dengan demikian menurut
(Moleong, 1998), sumber data penelitian kualitatif
adalah tampilan yang berupa kata-kata lisan atau
tertulis yang dicermati oleh peneliti, dan benda-benda
yang diamati sampai detailnya agar dapat ditangkap
makna yang tersirat dalam dokumen atau bendanya.
Sumber data tersebutpun harusnya asli, namun apabila
yang asli susah didapat, maka fotocopy atau tiruan tidak
terlalu jadi masalah, selama dapat diperoleh bukti
pengesahan yang kuat kedududkannya. Sumber data
penelitian kualitatif secara garis besar dapat dibedakan
menjadi dua, yaitu manusia dan yang bukan manusia.
Namun ketika peneliti memilih manusia sebagai subjek
harus tetap mewaspadai bahwa manusia mempunyai
pikiran, perasaan, kehendak, dan kepentingan.
Meskipun peneliti sudah memilih secara cermat, sudah
merasa menyatu dalam kehidupan bersama beberapa
lama, tetap harus mewaspadai bahwa mereka juga bisa
berfikir dan mempertimbangkan kepentingan pribadi.
Mungkin ada kalanya berbohong sedikit dan

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menyembunyikan hal-hal yang dianggap dapat


merugikan dirinya, dalam hal ini peneliti harus lebih
pandai mengorek informasi menyembunyikan perasaan.
Dengan demikian mungkin data yang akan diperoleh
lebih bisa dipertanggungjawabkan.
Sehubungan dengan pengumpulan data tersebut
(Bogdan & Biklen, 1982) mengatakan bahwa dalam
penelitian kualitatif ini kehadiran peneliti sangat
penting kedudukannya, karena penelitian kualitatif
adalah studi kasus, maka segala sesuatu akan sangat
bergantung pada kedudukan peneliti. Dengan demikian
peneliti berkedudukan sebagai instrumen penelitian
yang utama (Moleong 1998). Begitu penting dan
keharusan keterlibatan peneliti dan penghayatan
terhadap permasalahan dan subjek penelitian, maka
dapat dikatakan bahwa peneliti melekat erat dengan
subjek penelitian. Jadi tujuan dari metodologi ini bukan
suatu generalisasi tetapi pemahaman secara mendalam
terhadap suatu masalah. Penelitian kualitatif berfungsi
memberikan kategori substantif dan hipotesis
penelitian kualitatif.
2) Perbedaan Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif dan
Metode Penelitian Kualitatif
Perbedaan mendasar dari metode penelitian kuantitatif
dengan metode penelitian kualitatif yaitu terletak pada
strategi dasar penelitiannya. Penelitian kuantitatif
dipandang sebagai sesuatu yang bersifat konfirmasi dan
deduktif, sedangkan penelitian kualitatif bersifat
eksploratoris dan induktif. Bersifat konfirmasi
disebabkan karena metode penelitian kuantitatif ini
bersifat menguji hipotesis dari suatu teori yang telah
ada. Penelitian bersifat mengkonfirmasi antara teori
dengan kenyataan yang ada dengan mendasarkan pada
data ilmiah baik dalam bentuk angka. Penarikan
kesimpulan bersifat deduktif yaitu dari sesuatu yang

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bersifat umum ke sesuatu yang bersifat khusus. Hal ini


berangkat dari teori-teori yang membangunnya.
Hamidi menjelaskan setidaknya terdapat 12 perbedaan
pendekatan kuantitatif dengan kualitatif seperti berikut
ini:
1. Dari segi perspektifnya penelitian kuantitatif lebih
menggunakan pendekatan etik, dalam arti bahwa
peneliti mengumpulkan data dengan menetapkan
terlebih dahulu konsep sebagai variabel-variabel
yang berhubungan yang berasal dari teori yang
sudah ada yang dipilih oleh peneliti. Kemudian
variabel tersebut dicari dan ditetapkan indikator-
indikatornya. Hanya dari indikator yang telah
ditetapkan tersebut dibuat kuesioner, pilihan
jawaban dan skor-skornya. Sebaliknya penelitian
kualitaif lebih menggunakan persepektif emik.
Peneliti dalam hal ini mengumpulkan data berupa
cerita rinci dari para informan dan diungkapkan apa
adanya sesuai dengan bahasa dan pandangan
informan.
2. Dari segi konsep atau teori, penelitian kuantitatif
bertolak dari konsep (variabel) yang terdapat dalam
teori yang dipilih oleh peneliti kemudian dicari
datanya, melalui kuesioner untuk pengukuran
variabel-variabelnya. Di sisi lain penelitian kualitatif
berangkat dari penggalian data berupa pandangan
responden dalam bentuk cerita rinci atau asli
mereka, kemudian para responden bersama peneliti
meberi penafsiran sehingga menciptakan konsep
sebagai temuan. Secara sederhana penelitian
kuantitatif berangkat dari konsep, teori atau
menguji (retest) teori, sedangkan kualitatif
mengembangkan ,menciptakan, menemukan
konsep atau teori.

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3. Dari segi hipotesis, penelitian kuantitatif


merumuskan hipotesis sejak awal, yang berasal dari
teori relevan yang telah dipilih, sedang penelitian
kualitatif bisa menggunakan hipotesis dan bisa
tanpa hipotesis. Jika ada maka hipotesis bisa
ditemukan di tengah penggalian data, kemudian
“dibuktikan” melalui pengumpulan data yang lebih
mendalam lagi.
4. Dari segi teknik pengumpulan data, penelitian
kuantitatif mengutamakan penggunaan kuisioner,
sedang penelitaian kualitatif mengutamakan
penggunaan wawancara dan observasi.
5. Dari segi permasalahan atau tujuan penelitian,
penelitian kuantitatif menanyakan atau ingin
mengetahui tingkat pengaruh, keeretan korelasi
atau asosiasi antar variabel, atau kadar satu
variabel dengan cara pengukuran, sedangkan
penelitian kualitatif menanyakan atau ingin
mengetahui tentang makna (berupa konsep) yang
ada di balik cerita detail para responden dan latar
sosial yang diteliti.
6. Dari segi teknik memperoleh jumlah (size)
responden (sample) pendekatan kuantitatif ukuran
(besar, jumlah) sampelnya bersifat representatif
(perwakilan) dan diperoleh dengan menggunakan
rumus, persentase atau tabel-populasi-sampel serta
telah ditentukan sebelum pengumpulan data.
Penelitian kualitatif jumlah respondennya diketahui
ketika pengumpulan data mengalami kejenuhan.
Pengumpulan datanya diawali dari mewawancarai
informan-awal atau informan-kunci dan berhenti
sampai pada responden yang kesekian sebagai
sumber yang sudah tidak memberikan informasi
baru lagi. Maksudnya berhenti sampai pada
informan yang kesekian ketika informasinya sudah

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_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

“tidak berkualitas lagi” melalui teknik bola salju


(snow-ball), sebab informasi yang diberikan sama
atau tidak bervariasi lagi dengan para informan
sebelumnya. Jadi penelitian kualitatif jumlah
responden atau informannya didasarkan pada suatu
proses pencapaian kualitas informasi.
7. Dari segi alur pikir penarikan kesimpulan penelitian
kuantitatif berproses secara deduktif, yakni dari
penetapan variabel (konsep), kemudian
pengumpulan data dan menyimpulkan. Di sisi lain,
penelitian kualitatif berproses secara induktif, yakni
prosesnya diawali dari upaya memperoleh data
yang detail (riwayat hidup responden, life story, life
sycle, berkenaan dengan topik atau masalah
penelitian), tanpa evaluasi dan interpretasi,
kemudian dikategori, diabstraksi serta dicari tema,
konsep atau teori sebagai temuan.
8. Dari bentuk sajian data, penelitian kuantitatif
berupa angka atau tabel, sedang penelitian kualitatif
datanya disajikan dalam bentuk cerita detail sesuai
bahasa dan pandangan responden.
9. Dari segi definisi operasional, penelitian kuantitatif
menggunakannya, sedangkan penelitian kualitatif
tidak perlu menggunakan, karena tidak akan
mengukur variabel (definisi operasional adalah
petunjuk bagaimana sebuah variabel diukur). Jika
penelitian kualitatif menggunakan definisi
operasional, berarti penelitian telah menggunakan
perspektif etik bukan emik lagi. Dengan menetapkan
definisi operasional, berarti peneliti telah
menetapkan jenis dan jumlah indikator, yang
berarti telah membatasi subjek penelitian
mengemukakan pendapat, pengalaman atau
pandangan mereka.

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10. Dari segi analisis data penelitian kuantitatif


dilakukan di akhir pengumpulan data dengan
menggunakan perhitungan statistik, sedang
penelitian kualitatif analisis datanya dilakukan sejak
awal turun ke lokasi melakukan pengumpulan data,
dengan cara “mengangsur atau menabung”
informasi, mereduksi, mengelompokkan dan
seterusnya sampai terakhir memberi interpretasi.
11. Dari segi instrumen, penelitian kualitatif memiliki
instrumen berupa peneliti itu sendiri. Karena
peneliti sebagai manusia dapat beradaptasi dengan
para responden dan aktivitas mereka. Yang
demikian sangat diperlukan agar responden sebagai
sumber data menjadi lebih terbuka dalam
memberikan informasi. Di sisi lain, pendekatan
kuantitatif instrumennya adalah angket atau
kuesioner.
12. Dari segi kesimpulan, penelitian kualitatif
interpretasi data oleh peneliti melalui pengecekan
dan kesepakatan dengan subjek penelitian, sebab
merekalah yang yang lebih tepat untuk memberikan
penjelasan terhadap data atau informasi yang telah
diungkapkan. Peneliti memberikan penjelasan
terhadap interpretasi yang dibuat, mengapa konsep
tertentu dipilih. Bisa saja konsep tersebut
merupakan istilah atau kata yang sering digunakan
oleh para responden. Di sisi lain, penelitian
kuantitatif “sepenuhnya” dilakukan oleh peneliti,
berdasarkan hasil perhitungan atau analisis
statistik.
Sedangkan menurut Sugiyono (2012: 9) perbedaan
antara metode penelitian kuantitatif dengan metode
penelitia kualitatif meliputi tiga hal, yaitu perbedaan
tentang aksioma, proses penelitian, dan karakteristik
penelitian.

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1. Perbedaan Aksioma
Aksioma adalah pandangan dasar. Aksioma penelitian
kuantitatif dan kualitatif meliputi aksioma tentang
realitas, hubungan peneliti dengan yang diteliti,
hubungan variabel, kemungkinan generalisasi, dan
peranan nilai.
1. Sifat Realitas
Aksioma Dasar Metode Kuantitatif Metode Kualitatif

Sifat realitas Dapat diklasifikasikan, Ganda, holistik, dinamis,


konkrit, teramati, hasil konstruksi dan
terukur pemahaman

Hubungan Sebab-akibat (kausal) Timbal-balik


peneliti dengan
yang diteliti

Kemungkinan Cenderung membuat Transferability (hanya


generalisasi generalisasi mungkin dalam ikatan
konteks dan waktu)

Peranan nilai Cenderung bebas nilai Terikat nilai-nilai yang


dibawa peneliti dan
sumber data

2. Hubungan Peneliti dengan yang diteliti


Dalam penelitian kuantitatif hubungan antara
peneliti dengan yang diteliti bersifat independen.
Dengan menggunakan angket maka peneliti hampir
tidak mengenal siapa yang diteliti atau responden
yang memberikan data.
Sedangkan penelitian kualitatif teknik pengumpulan
data yang digunakan observasi dan wawancara
maka peneliti harus mengenal betul siapa yang
diteliti.
3. Hubungan antar Variabel
Peneliti kuantitatif dalam melihat hubungan
variabel terhadap obyek yang diteliti lebih bersifat
sebab dan akibat, sehingga dalam penelitianya ada

23
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

variabel independen dan dependen. Dari variabel


tersebut selanjutnya dicari seberapa besar
pengaruh variabel independen terhadap variabrl
dependen.
Dalam penelitian kualitatif bersifat holistik dan
menekankan pada proses, maka penelitian kualitatif
melihat hubungan variabel pada obyek yang diteliti
lebih bersifat interaktif yaitu saling mempengaruh.
4. Kemungkinan Generalisasi
Pada umumya peneliti kuantitatif lebih
menekankan pada keluasan informasi (bukan
kejelasan) sehingga metode ini cocok digunakan
untuk populasi yang luas dengan variabel yang
terbatas. Data yang diteliti adalah data sampel yang
diambil dari populasi dengan teknik random.
Penelitian kualitatif tidan menggunakan
generalisasi tetapi lebih menekankan pada
kedalaman informasi sehingga sampai pada tingkat
makna.
5. Peranan Nilai
Dalam penelitian kuantitatif, peneliti tidak
berinteraksi dengan sumber data, maka akan
terbebas dari nilai-nilai yang dibawa
peneliti karena bersifat bebas nilai, jadi peneliti
menjaga jarak agar data yang diperoleh obyektif.
Peneliti kualitatif dalam melakukan pengumpulan
data terjadi interaksi antara peneliti dengan yang
diteliti. Dalam interaksi inti baik peneliti maupun
yang diteliti memiliki latar belakang, pandangan,
keyakinan, nilai-nilai, kepentingan, dan persepsi
yang berbeda-beda sehingga dalam pengumpulan
data, analisis, dan pembuatan laporan akan terikat
oleh nilai masing-masing.

24
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

6. Karakteristik Metode Penelitian Kuantitatif dan


Kualitatif
No Metode Kuantitatif Metode Kualitatif
1 1. Desain
a) Spesifik, jelas, rinci
b) Ditentukan secara mantap sejak
awal
c) Menjadi pegangan langkah demi
langkah
d) Desain
1. Umum
2. Fleksibel
3. Berkembang dan muncul
dalam proses penelitian
2 2. Tujuan
1. Menunjukan hubungan antar
variabel
2. Menguji teori
3. Mencari generalisasi yang
mempunyai nilai prediktif
4. Tujuan
a) Menunjukan pola hubungan
yang bersifat interaktif
b) Menemukan teori
c) Menggambarkan realitas
yang kompleks
d) Memperoleh pemahaman
makna
3 3. Teknik Pengumpulan Data
1. Kuesioner
2. Observasi dan wawancara
terstruktur
3. Teknik Pengumpulan Data
a) Participant observation
b) In depth interview
c) Dokumentasi
d) Triagulasi

25
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

No Metode Kuantitatif Metode Kualitatif


4 4. Instrumen Penelitian
1. Test, angket, wawancara
terstruktur
2. Instrumen yang telah terstandar
3. Instrumen Penelitian
a) Peneliti sebagai instrument
b) Buku catatan, tape recorder,
camera, handycam
5 5. Data
1. Kuantitatif
2. Hasil pengukuran variabel yang
diperasionalkan dengan
instrumen
3. Data
1. Deskriptif Kualitatif
2. Dokumen pribadi, catatan
lapangan, ucapan dan
tindakan responden,
dokumen, dll
6 6. Sampel
1. Besar
2. Representatif
3. Sedapat mungkin random
4. Ditentukan sejak awal
5. Sampel
1. Kecil
2. Tidak representatif
3. Purposive, snawball
4. Berkembang selama proses
penelitian
7 7. Analisis
1. Setelah selesai pengumpulan
data
2. Deduktif
3. Menggunakan statistik untuk
memguji hipotesis
4. Analisis
1. Terus menerus sejak awal
hingga akhir penelitian
2. Induktif
3. Mencati pola, model, thema,
teori
8 8. Hubungan Dengan Responden

26
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

No Metode Kuantitatif Metode Kualitatif


1. Dibuat berjarak, bahkan sering
tanpa kontak supaya obyektif
2. Kedududkan peneliti lebih tinggi
dari pada responden
3. Jangka pendek sampai hipotesis
dapat dibuktikan
4. Hubungan dengan Responden
1. Empati, akrab supaya
memperoleh pemahaman
yang mendalam
2. Kedudukan sama, bahkan
sebagai guru, konsultan
3. Jangka lama, sampai datanya
penuh, dapat ditemukan
hipotesis atau teori
9 9. Usulan Desain
1. Luas dan rinci
2. Literatur yang berhubungan
dengan masalah dan variabel
yang diteliti
3. Prosedur yang spesifik dan rinci
langkah-langkahnya
4. Masalah dirumuskan dengan
spesifik dan jelas
5. Hipotesis dirumuskan dengan
jelas
6. Ditulis secara rinci dan jelas
sebelum ke lapangan
7. Usulan Desain
1. Singkat, umum bersifat
sementara
2. Literatur yang digunakan
bersifat sementara, tidak
menjadi pegangan utama
3. Prosedur bersifat umum,
seperti akan merencanakan
tour/piknik
4. Masalah bersifat sementara
dan akan ditemukan setelah
studi pendahuluan
5. Tidak dirumuskan hipotesis,
karena justru akan
menemukan hipotesis
6. Fokus penelitian ditetapkan
setelah memperoleh data
awal dari lapangan

27
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

No Metode Kuantitatif Metode Kualitatif


10 10. Kapan Peneliti dianggap selesai ? 1.Peneliti dianggap
selesai ?
Setelah semua kegiatan yang Setelah tidak ada
direncanakan dapat diselesaikan data yang dianggap
baru/jenuh
11 11. Kepercayaan terhadap hasil 2.Kepercayaan
Penelitian terhadap hasil
Penelitian

Pengujian
Pengujian validitas dan realiabilitas kredibilitas,
instrumen depenabilitas, proses
dan hasil penelitian

7. Proses Penelitian
Penelitian kuantitatif bertolak dari studi
pendahuluan dari obyek yang diteliti. Masalah harus
digali melalui studi pendahuluan melalui fakta-fakta
empiris, sehingga peneliti harus menguasai teori
melalui membaca berbagai refrensi. Selanjutnya
masalah dirumuskan secara spesifik. Untuk
menjawab masalah yang bersifat sementara
(hipotesis) maka, peneliti dapat membaca refrensi
teoritis yang relevan. Kemudian untuk menguji
hipotesis peneliti dapat memilih
metode/strategi/pendekatan/desain penelitian
yang sesuai. Setelah metode penelitian yang sesuai
dipilih maka peneliti dapat menyusun instrumen
penelitian. Dan hendaknya instrumen penelitian
terlebih dahulu diuji validitas dan realiabilitasnya.
Pengumpulan data pada penelitian kuantitatif
dilakukan pada objek tertentu baik populasi
maupun sampel. Jika peneliti akan membuat
generalisasi terhadap temuanya, maka sampel yang
diambil harus respensif (mewakili). Setelah data
terkumpul, selanjutnya dianalisi untuk menjawab
rumusan masalah dan menguji hipotesis. Dalam
analisis akan ditemukan apakah hipotesis ditolak
atau diterima atau apakah penemuan itu sesuai

28
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

dengan hipotesis yang dajukan atau tidak.


Kesimpulanya berdasarkan metode penelitian
kuantitatif maka penelitian ini bersifat linear,
dimana langkah-langkahnya jelas, mulai dari
rumusan masalah, berteoti, berhipotesis,
pengumpulan data, analis data, serta kesimpulan
dan saran.
Sedangkan proses penelitian kualitatif adalah penelitian
yang belum memiliki masalah, atau keinginan yang jelas,
tetapi dapat langsung memasuki lapangan/objek penelitian.
Setelah memasuki objek penelitian tahap awal peneliti
kualitatif akan melihat segala sesuatu yang ada ditempat itu
, masih bersifat umum. Baru ketika pada proses penelitian
tahap ke dua yang disebut sebagai tahap reduksi/fokus,
peneliti akan memilih mana data yang menarik penting,
berguna, dan baru. Selanjutnya dikelompok menjadi
berbagai kategori yang ditetapkan sebagai fokus penelitian.
Tahap selanjutnya atau tahap ke tiga dalam penelitian
kualitatif adalah tahap selection. Pada tahap ini peneliti
menguraikan fokus menjadi lebih rinci. Kemudian peneliti
melakukan analis yang mendalam terhadap data dan
informasi yang diperoleh, maka selanjutnya peneliti dapat
menemukan tema dengan cara mengkonstruksikan data
yang diperoleh menjadi sebuah pengetahuan, hipotesis atau
ilmu yang baru.
Hasil akhir dari penelitian kualitatif ini bukan hanya
sekedar menghasilkan Data atau informasi seperti yang sulit
di cari halnya pada metode penelitian kuantitatif, tetapi juga
harus mampu menghasilkan informasi-informasi yang
bermakna, bahkan hipotesis atau ilmu baru yang dapat
digunakan untuk membantu mengatasi masalah dan
meningkatkan taraf hidup manusia.
Metode penelitian kualitatif adalah metode penelitian
yang sistematis, jelas, terencana sejak awal hingga akhir
penelitian. Di mulai dari peneliti yang menemukan sebuah

29
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

masalah dan mengembangkan masalahnya melalui


membaca beberapa referensi yang nantinya akan
memunculkan hipotesis yang akan di buktikan melalui
kuesioner/angket yang diberikan kepada responden atau
sampel dari beberapa populasi yang dipilih melalui random.
Sedangkan Hasil penelitian dari metode kuantitatif secara
umum akan berupa data-data/angka-angka. Pada metode ini
analisis data akan dilakukan setelah semua data terkumpul.
Sedangkan metode penelitian kualitatif adalah metode
penelitian yang dikembangkan berdasarkan hasil penelitian
di lapangan, secara langsung peneliti melakukan
penelitian kepada sumber data/responden. Hasil yang
diperoleh dalam metode penelitian kualitatif ini akan
berupa dokumen-dokumen, baik dokumen pribadi peneliti,
catatan lapangan, ucapan dan tindakan responden, dll.
Analisis dilakukan sejak awal hingga akhir penelitian.

B. Penelitian Kualitatif
Menurut (Sugiyono, 2018: 213) metode penelitian kualitatif
adalah metode penelitian yang berlandaskan pada filsafat
yang digunakan untuk meneliti pada kondisi ilmiah
(eksperimen) dimana peneliti sebagai instrumen, teknik
pengumpulan data dan di analisis yang bersifat kualitatif
lebih menekan pada makna.
Metode penelitian kualitatif, sebagaimana diuraikan
oleh (Sugiyono, 2018: 213), adalah sebuah pendekatan
penelitian yang mendasarkan diri pada prinsip-prinsip
filsafat tertentu. Metode ini cocok digunakan dalam konteks
penelitian yang cenderung bersifat ilmiah, dengan fokus
pada eksplorasi kondisi yang ada. Dalam metode ini, peneliti
bertindak sebagai instrumen utama dalam pengumpulan
dan analisis data, dengan teknik yang menekankan pada
aspek kualitatif dan makna dari fenomena yang diteliti.

30
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

Pertama-tama, metode penelitian kualitatif


menonjolkan penggunaan filsafat sebagai landasan utama.
Ini mengacu pada paradigma atau kerangka berpikir yang
menjadi dasar pemahaman dan pendekatan dalam
penelitian tersebut. Filsafat ini bisa berupa interpretivisme,
konstruktivisme, fenomenologi, atau paradigma lainnya
yang menekankan pemahaman mendalam terhadap
fenomena yang diamati.
Kedua, dalam metode ini, peneliti sendiri dianggap
sebagai instrumen utama. Hal ini berarti bahwa peneliti
memiliki peran yang aktif dalam pengumpulan data,
interpretasi, dan analisis. Peneliti harus memiliki wawasan
yang mendalam tentang konteks penelitian dan memiliki
kemampuan untuk merasakan, memahami, dan
menggambarkan nuansa yang terlibat dalam fenomena yang
diteliti.
Ketiga, teknik pengumpulan data dalam metode
kualitatif lebih berfokus pada mendapatkan pemahaman
yang dalam dan komprehensif. Teknik seperti wawancara
mendalam, observasi partisipatif, analisis dokumen, dan
sejenisnya digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data yang kaya
akan makna. Data yang diperoleh sering kali berupa teks,
narasi, atau gambaran verbal yang kompleks.
Keempat, analisis data dalam metode ini dilakukan
dengan penekanan pada aspek kualitatif. Ini berarti bahwa
peneliti akan mencoba menggali makna, pola, dan hubungan
yang ada di antara data yang terkumpul. Analisis kualitatif
dapat melibatkan pengkodean data, pembentukan tema,
pemetaan konsep, dan pencarian narasi yang
menggambarkan inti dari fenomena yang diteliti.
Secara keseluruhan, metode penelitian kualitatif adalah
pendekatan yang menggabungkan filsafat sebagai landasan,
peneliti sebagai instrumen aktif, teknik pengumpulan data
yang fokus pada pemahaman mendalam, dan analisis data
yang berfokus pada makna. Pendekatan ini cocok untuk

31
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

mengeksplorasi fenomena yang kompleks dan mendalam,


serta memberikan wawasan yang mendalam tentang
realitas yang diamati.
Pendapat lain menurut (Sugiyono, 2011), metode
penelitian kualitatif adalah metode penelitian yang
berlandaskan pada filsafat post positivisme, digunakan
untuk meneliti pada kondisi obyek yang alamiah, (sebagai
lawannya eksperimen) dimana peneliti adalah sebagai
instrumen kunci, pengambilan sampel sumber data
dilakukan secara purposive dan snowball, teknik
pengumpulan dengan tri-anggulasi (gabungan), analisis data
bersifat induktif atau kualitatif, dan hasil penelitian ini lebih
menekankan makna dari pada generalisasi.
Sedangkan menurut (Saryono, 2010), Penelitian
kualitatif merupakan penelitian yang digunakan untuk
menyelidiki, menemukan, menggambarkan, dan
menjelaskan kualitas atau keistimewaan dari pengaruh
social yang tidak dapat dijelaskan, diukur atau digambarkan
melalui pendekatan kuantitatif.
Menurut (Sugiyono, 2011), metode penelitian kualitatif
memiliki ciri-ciri yang khas. Pertama, pendekatan ini
berlandaskan pada filsafat post positivisme, yang
menunjukkan pemahaman yang lebih fleksibel terhadap
realitas. Metode ini digunakan untuk meneliti kondisi obyek
yang alamiah, berbeda dengan eksperimen yang lebih
terfokus pada pengendalian variabel. Dalam penelitian
kualitatif, peneliti sendiri berperan sebagai instrumen kunci
dalam mengumpulkan dan menganalisis data. Pengambilan
sampel sumber data dilakukan dengan metode purposive
dan snowball, yang memungkinkan peneliti untuk memilih
informan yang paling relevan. Teknik pengumpulan data
juga menggunakan triangulasi, yaitu kombinasi beberapa
metode seperti wawancara, observasi, dan analisis
dokumen. Analisis data bersifat induktif atau kualitatif,
dengan penekanan pada pemahaman mendalam dan makna

32
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

yang muncul dari data. Hasil penelitian kualitatif lebih


menekankan pada pemahaman makna dari pada
generalisasi, karena fokus utamanya adalah untuk
menggambarkan dan menjelaskan fenomena yang
kompleks.
Sementara menurut (Saryono, 2010), penelitian
kualitatif digunakan untuk menginvestigasi dan
menjelaskan kualitas atau keistimewaan dari pengaruh
sosial yang sulit dijelaskan, diukur, atau digambarkan
melalui pendekatan kuantitatif. Metode ini lebih
menekankan pada eksplorasi mendalam dan pemahaman
terhadap aspek-aspek kualitatif dari fenomena sosial.
Penelitian ini mencari jawaban yang lebih dalam mengenai
aspek-aspek yang tidak terukur, seperti norma, nilai, sikap,
dan dinamika sosial yang kompleks.
Secara keseluruhan, baik menurut (Sugiyono, 2011)
maupun (Saryono, 2010), penelitian kualitatif adalah
pendekatan yang bertujuan untuk menggambarkan,
menjelaskan, dan memahami fenomena sosial dari sudut
pandang yang lebih mendalam dan kualitatif. Pendekatan ini
memungkinkan peneliti untuk memahami aspek-aspek yang
sulit diukur dan menggali makna yang lebih mendalam dari
fenomena yang diamati.
Metode kualitatif sering dinamakan sebagai metode
baru, postpositivistik, artistic, dan interpretive research.
Metode penelitian kualitatif dinamakan metode baru karena
popularitasnya belum lama, dinamakan postpositivistik
karen berlandaskan pada filsafat postpositiivisme. Metode
ini juga disebut sebagai metode artistic karena proses
penelitian lebih bersifat seni (kurang terpola), dan juga
disebut sebagai metode interpretive karena data hasil
penelitian lebih berkenaan dengan interprestasi terhadap
data yang ditemukan di lapangan.
Menurut (Bogdan & Biklen, s, 1992: 21) Memahami jenis
penelitian kualitatif adalah langkah penelitian yang

33
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

menghasilkan data deskriptif berupa tulisan atau ucapan,


serta perilaku orang yang diamati. Jenis penelitian kualitatif
adalah bertujuan mendapatkan pemahaman yang bersifat
umum terhadap kenyataan sosial dari sudut pandang
partisipan.
Menurut (Moloeng, 2007: 6) Memahami jenis penelitian
kualitatif adalah penelitian dengan tujuan untuk memahami
fenomena mengenai apa yang dialami subyek penelitian
secara menyeluruh dengan cara deskripsi. Entah dalam
bentuk kata-kata serta bahasa, pada konteks khusus yang
dialami serta dengan memanfaatkan berbagai metode
ilmiah.
Menurut (Cresswell j, 1998: 24) Memahami jenis
penelitian kualitatif adalah menghasilkan penemuan, di
mana penemuan tersebut tidak dapat dicapai dengan
langkah-langkah statistik atau cara lain dari kuantifikasi
atau pengukuran. Jenis penelitian kualitatif adalah bisa
dipakai untuk meneliti tentang kehidupan sosial, sejarah,
perilaku, dll.
Menurut (Sugiono, 2012: 9) Memahami jenis penelitian
kualitatif adalah didasarkan pada filsafat postpositivisme,
yang mana digunakan untuk meneliti kondisi objek alamiah.
Di sini posisi peneliti sebagai instrument kunci, kemudian
teknik pengumpulan data dengan triangulasi, analisa data
bersifat kualitatif, dan hasil penelitian menekankan pada
makna dibandingkan generalisasi.
Menurut (Nasution, 2003: 5) Memahami jenis penelitian
kualitatif adalah mengamati orang dalam lingkungan,
melakukan interaksi dengan mereka, serta menafsirkan
pendapat mereka mengenai dunia disekelilingnya.
Menurut (Nana Syaodih Sukmadinata, 2005: 60)
Memahami jenis penelitian kualitatif adalah menjabarkan
serta menganalisa baik fenomena, kejadian, kegiatan sosial,
sikap kepercayaan, pandangan, serta pemikiran oranf baik
secara individu maupun kelompok.

34
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

Menurut (Perreault & McCarthy, 2006: 176) Memahami


jenis penelitian kualitatif adalah bertujuan untuk menggali
informasi secara dalam dan terbuka pada berbagai
tanggapan. Jenis penelitian kualitatif adalah mencoba untuk
mengemukakan berbagai pikiran mereka tentang suatu
topik tanpa memberikan banyak pedoman atau arahan pada
mereka.
Menurut (Koentjaraningrat, 1993: 89) Memahami jenis
penelitian kualitatif adalah desain penelitian yang memiliki
tiga format. Ketiga format tersebut meliputi penelitian
deskriptif, verifikasi dan format Grounded research. Jenis
penelitian kualitatif adalah salah satu penelitian yang lebih
cocok digunakan untuk penelitian yang tidak berpola.
Karena berpola, kamu bisa menggunakan desain ini untuk
membantu dalam penelitian.
Menurut (David Williams, 1995) Memahami jenis
penelitian kualitatif adalah upaya peneliti mengumpulkan
data yang didasarkan pada latar alamiah. Tentu saja, karena
dilakukan secara alamiah atau natural, hasil penelitiannya
pun ilmiah dan dapat dipertanggungjawabkan.
Menurut (Saryono, 2012) Memahami jenis penelitian
kualitatif adalah untuk menyelidiki, menemukan dan
menggambarkan objek yang diteliti. Selain itu, dapat
digunakan untuk menjelaskan atau menuliskan
keistimewaan dari pengaruh sosial yang kemudian
dijelaskan dan diukur menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif.
Menurut (Danim, 2002) Memahami jenis penelitian
kualitatif adalah termasuk konstruktivisme yang
beranggapan bahwa realita memiliki dimensi jamak dan
interaktif. Dapat pula diartikan sebagai upaya pertukaran
pengalaman sosial yang dapat didevinisikan lewat hasil
penelitian. Jenis penelitian kualitatif adalah beranggapan
bahwa kebenaran itu bersifat dinamis dan dapat ditemukan
melalui kajian terhadap orang melalui interakasi ataupun
lewat situasi sosial.

35
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

Beberapa definisi tentang jenis penelitian kualitatif dari


berbagai ahli dan sumber memiliki titik-titik persamaan
yang menggambarkan pendekatan, tujuan, dan karakteristik
umum dari metode ini:
1. Bogdan & Biklen (1992): Jenis penelitian kualitatif
bertujuan untuk menghasilkan data deskriptif dalam
bentuk tulisan, ucapan, dan perilaku. Tujuan utamanya
adalah memahami kenyataan sosial dari perspektif
partisipan.
2. Moloeng (2007): Penelitian kualitatif bertujuan untuk
memahami fenomena dengan mendeskripsikan
pengalaman subjek penelitian secara menyeluruh.
Metode ini menggunakan kata-kata dan bahasa serta
berbagai metode ilmiah.
3. Cresswell (1998): Jenis penelitian kualitatif
menghasilkan penemuan yang tidak dapat dicapai
dengan pendekatan statistik. Metode ini dapat
digunakan untuk meneliti kehidupan sosial, sejarah,
perilaku, dan fenomena lainnya.
4. Sugiono (2012): Penelitian kualitatif didasarkan pada
filsafat postpositivisme dan fokus pada pemahaman
kondisi objek alamiah. Peneliti berperan sebagai
instrumen utama, dengan teknik pengumpulan data
melalui triangulasi dan analisis data yang menekankan
pada makna.
5. Nasution (2003): Penelitian kualitatif melibatkan
observasi, interaksi, dan interpretasi terhadap
pandangan subjek penelitian terhadap dunia sekitarnya.
6. Nana Syaodih Sukmadinata (2005): Jenis penelitian
kualitatif mencakup analisis dan jabaran fenomena
sosial, termasuk sikap, pandangan, dan pemikiran
individu atau kelompok.
7. Perreault & McCarthy (2006): Penelitian kualitatif
bertujuan untuk mendalami dan membuka wawasan

36
_Buku Ajar Metodologi Penelitian_

dengan menggali tanggapan individu atau kelompok


terhadap suatu topik.
8. Koentjaraningrat (1993): Jenis penelitian kualitatif
melibatkan format penelitian deskriptif, verifikasi, dan
Grounded research. Metode ini cocok untuk penelitian
yang tidak mengikuti pola tertentu.
9. David Williams (1995): Penelitian kualitatif berusaha
untuk mengumpulkan data berdasarkan latar alamiah,
menghasilkan hasil yang ilmiah dan dapat
dipertanggungjawabkan.
10. Saryono (2012): Jenis penelitian kualitatif dapat
menyelidiki, menemukan, dan menggambarkan objek
penelitian, serta bisa digunakan untuk menjelaskan atau
mengukur dengan pendekatan kuantitatif.
11. Danim (2002): Penelitian kualitatif beranggapan
bahwa realitas bersifat jamak dan interaktif, serta
memandang kebenaran sebagai dinamis dan ditemukan
melalui interaksi sosial.
Dari berbagai definisi tersebut, dapat disimpulkan
bahwa penelitian kualitatif adalah pendekatan penelitian
yang berfokus pada pemahaman dan deskripsi mendalam
tentang fenomena sosial melalui pengumpulan data yang
melibatkan interaksi dengan subjek penelitian. Metode ini
mencari pemahaman mendalam tentang pandangan,
pengalaman, dan makna dari perspektif subjek yang diteliti,
dengan berbagai metode pengumpulan data yang tidak
terbatas pada angka dan statistik.
Dalam penelıtıan kualitatif yang berlandaskan pada
postpotivitisme, suatu realitas atau objek tidak dapat dilihat
secara parsial dan dipecah ke dalam beberapa variable.
Penelitian kualitatif memandang objek sebagai sesuatu yang
dinamis, hasil kontruksi pemikiran dan interprestasi
terhadap gekala yang diamati serta holistic karena setiap
aspek dari objek tersebut memiliki satu kesatuan yang tidak

37
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"He doesn't know what a privilege he has just had," she said laughing. Then
she looked down at the child, "I do hope he will be a good man like his father,"
she murmured.

"So thank God, she still loves her absentminded husband as much as ever!"
thought the Bishop, but he felt he could have shaken him. To possess such a
treasure and not take more care of her was in his opinion reprehensible in the
extreme. They were a blind pair! He to her lovely self-forgetfulness, and she to
his absentmindedness. Well, he was thankful that she was still devoted to him.

Rachel laughed when she discovered that the Bishop had made her bovril
himself! It was luxury to be looked after and taken care of.

Before he left, he made her promise to have medical advice.

"It would never do for me to see a doctor," she expostulated, "and I have no
time in which to be ill. What do you suppose Luke would do with an invalid
wife, and little Pat with a useless mother! No, it won't do to give in and it was
only the sudden sight of you that made me so stupid."

"It is only right to both your husband and child that you should consult a
doctor," returned the Bishop. "Possibly all you need is a tonic; anyhow, as I
consider I stand in the position of a father to you, you must do what I say. And
you must certainly curtail your work."

And so Rachel gave way and promised, and the Bishop left the house with a
heavy heart. Besides the state of Rachel's health he had learnt for the first
time of their extreme poverty of which he had had no idea. He did not suppose
that Rachel's family knew the state of their finances, as Gwen would certainly
have enlarged upon it in her letter to him had she known. No doubt Rachel
had hidden the fact from her mother partly to save her pain, and also to
prevent her from blaming Luke for marrying her when he could not provide for
her. Something must be done. He was unwilling to give Luke too sudden a
shock by telling him what he thought of his wife's health, but as Mrs. Greville
was now getting stronger, he decided to enlighten her quickly about the
matter. He would write directly he got home; and meanwhile, the thought that
this was only one case of extreme poverty that existed among the clergy in his
diocese, lay on his heart like lead.

But the doctor told Mrs. Greville of the serious state of Rachel's health before
the Bishop's letter reached her.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE DREAM OF HIS LIFE.

Rachel did not hurry to see a doctor, but having promised to do so she knew
she must keep her word, so the second day after the Bishop's visit, knowing
that Luke would be away at a clerical meeting in the country, she wrote a note
to the doctor who had been attending her mother-in-law asking him to come
and see her. She did not suppose that there was anything seriously the matter
with her notwithstanding the fact that she felt so ill; and after all, she thought
to herself, she need not follow out his injunctions if they were inconvenient.

She was quite unprepared for his verdict. He told her that both her heart and
her lungs were affected, and that it was absolutely necessary that she should
give up all parish work and if possible take a thorough rest. To Mrs. Greville,
he gave a still more serious account.

"She should leave this place at once," he said, "and live as far as possible an
open air life. A sanatorium would give her the best chance. But if this is
impossible she should go into the country or to the sea. Of course she has
been doing the work of two or three women. She must drop all that and what
is more she should be fed up. She is not properly nourished."

"Do you mean to say you think that she has not had enough food?" asked
Mrs. Greville very much distressed.

"I am afraid not. She has not looked after herself at all. I made her tell me
what she had had in the way of food yesterday, and when I heard I was not
surprised at her state of health.

"I am afraid it will be an awful blow to my son," said Mrs. Greville.


"I'm afraid it will, but if he wants to keep her he must make some other
arrangement for her. I won't be responsible for her life unless she is removed
as soon as possible, and is given the opportunity of changing entirely her way
of living."

Mrs. Greville so dreaded telling Luke the news she had received from the
doctor that she did not ask him to come round to see her that evening. So she
sat and brooded over the news, and in her heart she blamed Rachel for
neglecting herself as she had evidently done. Of course people would lay the
blame on Luke; but how could you expect a man whose every moment was
filled in with his parish duties to notice when his wife looked pale, or lost her
appetite. And what a terrible hindrance to his work to have an invalid wife!
Moreover, it was easy for the doctor to prescribe a different climate and
complete rest; but how his plans were to be carried out she did not know.

Meanwhile Rachel quite unconscious of the doctor's visit to Mrs. Greville, after
the first shock of the news, determined to behave as if he had never been.
She was resolved not to become an invalid and a hindrance to her husband,
an hour before it was positively necessary. And after all doctors often made
mistakes. She would drink more milk, a matter on which he had laid great
stress, and there she would leave it.

When Luke returned home from the clerical meeting he was in good spirits.
The paper he had read had been well received and the discussion that had
followed had been intensely interesting. Rachel was as interested in all that
had happened as she always was in his concerns, and he did not notice that
she was looking unusually tired and worn.

The next day two letters lay on the hall table for Luke. But he had to hurry off
directly after lunch to an appointment, and so he put them in his pocket to
read in the tram on the way.

It was only after taking his seat that he remembered them. One he saw at
once was from the Bishop, the other had the London postmark. He opened
the second first as being more interesting to him; and he could scarcely
believe what he read. It was the offer of a living in a crowded part of London,
where he would have the charge of 16,000 souls. He could have shouted for
joy. It was exactly what he had been longing for. It was true that financially it
was not much better than his present living, but money had very little
attraction or indeed meaning for Luke, and he dismissed from his mind that
part of the news in the letter almost without a thought. It was the work that he
craved, and work in the very centre of the universe, as he liked to think of
London. At last the dream of his life was coming true. He felt he could hardly
get through his work, so anxious was he to tell the news to Rachel and to his
mother.

He felt that his mother would rejoice with him almost more than Rachel. Now
that he came to think of it his wife had never taken much to the thought of
London; though he knew that she would do nothing to prevent him going. Had
she not said when they had been talking about the possibility of him one day
being offered a church there, "Where thou goest I will go?" But the
remembrance of her words about London and her dislike of it, for a moment or
two rather damped his spirits; but he knew she would not fail him now that the
dream of his life was coming true.

So full was he of the news the letter contained, that he forgot there was
another one in his pocket till he was in the tram again on his way home.

To his amusement, he found that this one was also an offer of a living; but one
in the country. It was a good one, much better than the one offered to him in
London; but this did not weigh with him in the least, and the fact of it being in
the country at once made him dismiss it from his mind. In fact, he scarcely
took in the Bishop's letter in which he said, that he felt sure a country life
would be beneficial both for his wife and his son, adding that when he called
at his house he had thought Rachel looking very tired and worn.

Rachel was always so bright in her husband's presence that he supposed the
Bishop must have called at an inconvenient time and that unfortunately
Rachel had not been able to conceal the fact. He had not noticed anything
wrong in her looks himself, and he did not recollect her once complaining of
even a headache ever since her marriage. The Bishop evidently had got a
wrong impression of her from his call. He would write and thank him for his
kind thought of them but decline the country living and tell him why. Then he
thrust the Bishop's letter into his pocket and made his way joyfully toward his
mother's rooms.
CHAPTER XXIII.
LUKE SEES HIMSELF.

Luke, full of his great news, ran upstairs to his mother's room, with the letter
from London in his hands.

He found her crouching over the fire in the big horsehair chair, the only
armchair in the room. He was surprised that she did not look round at the
sound of his footsteps and give him her usual smile of welcome. Instead, she
stretched out her hand to him with averted eyes.

"Mother what is it?" he asked. He knew she must have bad news of some kind
and wanted to express her sympathy before she broke it to him.

"My poor boy," was all she said.

Luke took a chair by her and looked anxiously at her. She had been so much
better lately, was able to walk a little and was getting altogether stronger, that
her action perplexed him. Had the doctor given her a depressing account of
herself, he wondered? Mrs. Greville's first words confirmed this fear.

"Dr. Fleming has been here."

"And surely he thinks you much better? Don't let him make you nervous about
yourself, mother."

"It isn't about myself," said Mrs. Greville in a strained tone of voice, "it's about
Rachel."

Luke's face cleared at once.

"Oh well," he said laughing, "you may make your mind easy about her. I left
her this morning in good spirits."

He was much relieved.

"My poor boy!" said his mother again, "You must prepare for a great blow."
He began to wonder if the slight stroke his mother had had, affected her brain.
He put his hand caressingly on hers. "Let's have it out," he said with a smile. "I
don't think what ever it is that it can affect me as much as you imagine."

"Rachel is not well," said his mother watching his face anxiously. "She saw the
doctor yesterday."

"Not well!" said Luke astonished. "Why, what is the matter with her? She was
quite well anyhow this morning. Has she had an accident?"

"No. It is worse than an accident. The doctor thinks very seriously of her."

Luke rose and stood before his mother. All the colour had left his face.

"Tell me outright what you mean," he said sharply. "What is wrong with her?"

"Both her heart and her lungs."

Luke stood quite still and silent. He was always silent and unnaturally quiet
when agitated in his mind.

"When did she see the doctor?" he asked at last.

"Yesterday."

"Yesterday!"

"Yes. The Bishop, you remember, called on her. He made her promise to
consult him."

"And why didn't she tell me?" said Luke. And the agonised expression in his
eyes showed his mother how intensely he was moved.

"I don't know, except that she wanted to save you anxiety. She has not told me
either and I don't suppose that she has any idea that Dr. Fleming came round
to see me about her."

Luke dropped into a chair. Then he looked up again at his mother.

"Did he give any directions or say what should be done?" he asked.

"I'm afraid he did my dear boy. He mentioned something about a Sanatorium,


but anyhow, he said it was absolutely necessary for her to have perfect rest
and a change of air and environment. In fact Luke," she added, and her voice
trembled, "he seemed to think it a matter of life and death."

Luke groaned and covered his face with his hands.

"He says," continued his mother, "that she has evidently been doing too much
and has not taken care of herself. He particularly dwelt on her thinness.
Apparently she has not had nourishing food."

Luke groaned again.

"I feel Rachel is greatly to be blamed for having been so careless about her
health," added Mrs. Greville.

Luke looked up, and his mother was startled by the stern expression of his
face.

"Rachel to be blamed!" he repeated. "I am to be blamed, not Rachel."

There was anguish in his tone of voice. He picked up the letter from London
which had fallen to the ground, ramming it into his coat pocket. Then he
sprang up and looked at his watch.

"I shall go and see the doctor at once," he said. And without another word, he
hurried away.

His visit confirmed his worst fears, and the doctor seemed surprised that he
had never noticed the gradual change in his wife's appearance. Even he had
seen it, casually meeting her in the street.

Luke walked home as if in a dream. The letters in his pocket were absolutely
forgotten; his one thought was Rachel.

He opened the door of the house softly and went up into his study. He felt he
could not meet his wife till he had looked the terrible truth in the face. The
thought that he might possibly lose her was too painful to him to be able to
bear calmly, and yet he knew that he must not give her any hint as to his
fears.

He shut the door of his study after him and sank into the large armchair by the
fire burying his face in his hands.

The fire! Even that seemed to cry out in condemnation of his selfishness. Of
course Rachel had lit his fire so that his room might be warm and comfortable
for him, while she probably had had no fire to sit by except that in the kitchen.
He had been so preoccupied with his own interests and concerns that he had
scarcely given a thought to hers. His mother had said, that the doctor gave it
out as his opinion that she had not eaten enough. How was it that this fact had
never been noticed by him! She always supplied him with plenty, and it had
not struck him to notice what food she had provided for herself. Husband and
child had never wanted for anything.

The doctor had said that she was thoroughly overworked. And yet he had
never noticed how she was getting thin and pale! How often had he asked her
to do things for him so that he might go off to some meeting or other, and it
had never crossed his mind that the anxiety of leaving Pat with inexperienced
Polly must have added to the strain.

Then he had never shared in the care of the child; in fact he had at times
asked Rachel to do what she could to keep him quiet as his crying somewhat
disturbed him working. Not many weeks after his birth he had moved his bed
into his dressing room, as the child's restlessness prevented him sleeping,
and he felt his sleep to be all important to his work. He had never realised that
Rachel also wanted an occasional night's rest.

And what had she not given up for him! Her luxurious home, where she had
every comfort; her mother and sisters who had petted and loved her; her out
of door pursuits; her flowers which she loved so passionately; her ease and
her friends. And what had he given up for her in return? Nothing! Nothing!

In exchange for all her home comforts, he had given her a pokey little house,
poverty, overwork, and strain!

He was indeed in the Valley of Humiliation!

Then he suddenly rebelled at his thoughts and he started up and began to


pace the room. Given her nothing! He had given her his heart's love. All the
love that he knew how to give. Next to his God was his love for his wife; and
he knew that in this sudden reaction of thought Rachel would be one with him.
Though poor compared to her love for him he had given her his best. She
knew she was all the world to him. Life without her was unthinkable. He
paused as he reached his writing table, looking down absently at his Sunday
sermon which he had already begun. The text of it faced him.

"'These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'"
The words gave him a shock. They so exactly described him, and yet he had
been so unconscious of his delinquencies that he had actually intended to
preach to his people about theirs.

"'These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'" The Word
of God condemned him. He had forgotten that preaching and visiting were not
the only duties to be done for God, or the only work. Did not St. Paul lay a
special stress on the home life?

He realised now that though he loved his wife so devotedly, he had been so
engrossed in his own affairs that he had neglected her. He suddenly paused in
his walk. That was Rachel's voice. Evidently little Pat was restless and his
mother was singing him to sleep. Luke could hardly bear the sound of her
dear voice. It pierced his heart like an arrow. He pictured just how she was
looking, walking up and down in her bedroom with the child in her arms. He
had often heard her sing the words that he now heard, but he remembered
how even the sound of her singing at times had disturbed him, and he had
asked her to stop. But this evening, he listened and wept.

"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,


The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head,
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay."

"The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,


But little Lord Jesus no crying He makes.
I love Thee Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,
And stay by my side until morning is nigh."

"Be near me Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay


Close by me for ever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there."

The voice grew softer and softer; then it ceased altogether and Luke knew Pat
was asleep.

He so dreaded to meet Rachel that he stayed up in his study till he heard her
footstep outside. When she opened the door she found him sitting over the
fire in an attitude of deep depression, and knew at once that somehow he had
learnt the news about her. Kneeling by his side she laid her head on his
breast.

"You mustn't worry about me dearest," she said, "I think myself that Dr.
Fleming is a pessimist and has made a mistake. Anyhow I don't mean to act
as if what he said was true. I shall just go on as I have done before; that is to
say after a little rest. I suppose I must have that."

Luke was silent. He hardly thought that she could be aware of her serious
condition.

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked after a pause. There was a tone of
reproach in his voice.

"I didn't want to worry you, you have so much to trouble you. Besides, I don't
suppose there is anything really the matter with me. Doctors make such
mistakes."

He took up one of her hands and looked at it. He was shocked to notice how
thin it was.

He held it to his lips and kissed it. The unusual action almost broke Rachel's
self-control.

She rose saying, "I must go now and see after the supper. Polly will wonder
where I am." But once out of the room her tears began to flow.

"Oh, I mustn't be ill," she gasped, as instead of going into the kitchen, she
sank into a chair in the drawing-room. "I shall be no good to Luke, only an
anxiety. Oh God show me what to do. Don't let me be a burden to him."

Luke, after Rachel had left, sat sunk again in deep depression.

Then suddenly he remembered the letters in his pocket. He had completely


forgotten them, and now when he opened for the second time the Bishop's
letter, it suddenly dawned upon him that here was the way out of his difficulty.
To accept the country living meant that Rachel could live in the garden, and
her strenuous life at Trowsby would be over. She would go to the place as a
known invalid and would not be expected to take up parish work. The cloud on
his face lifted, and the weight on his heart grew lighter. Moreover, the struggle
with poverty of which Rachel had been more conscious evidently than he had,
would be over, for the stipend was unusually good.
With a feeling of great thankfulness, he closed the letter and opened the one
from London intending to answer them both that night. Of course the London
living must be refused. There was no question about it. But as he read over
again the description of the work a feeling of intense disappointment took
possession of him. He had been longing for this offer! It was, as he had once
said to Rachel, the dream of his life.

And here it was within his grasp and yet he was unable to accept it. Instead of
preaching to a large congregation and ministering to their souls needs, he
would have to vegetate in the country! It would be a living death to him.

During the first year or two of his present charge he had tasted what it was to
be able to move people by his oratory; it was only the extra-ordinary craze for
amusements that had spoilt it all. It was then he began to long for a wider
sphere, and though the parish in which was the church that had been offered
to him was in a poor part of London, the congregation consisted of many who
had been drawn there by the preaching of the former Vicar. The Trustees
were most anxious to secure a good preacher to succeed him. One of them
had visited St. Marks on purpose to judge of Luke's preaching, and was much
struck by it. This was why the living had been offered to him notwithstanding
the fact that he was somewhat young for such an important post. All this was
mentioned in the letter that Luke held in his hand, and the fact that he had to
decline it filled him with the keenest disappointment. So keen was it that he
decided not to tell Rachel that night about either letter. He would wait to
answer them till the next day. It was never a good thing to do anything in a
hurry.

Luke's silence at supper did not surprise her. She knew that it was a sign that
he had some problem to solve. The problem of course, this evening, she knew
must be what to do about her. Once or twice she tried to make him smile as
she recounted some event of the day; but she was so unsuccessful that she
felt it was better to leave him to his thoughts. She was trying herself to unravel
the difficulty that had arisen, but so impossible did she find it that she came to
the conclusion that the only thing was to leave it in Higher Hands. God had
always provided for them and would do so still. Was He not a very present
help in time of trouble?

Luke sat up late that night. He was standing before the Bar of his own
conscience. He had to face the fact that he was feeling rebellious; struggling
against the Will of God. To bury his talents in a village was a repugnant
thought to him. How could he endure the quiet and dullness of it? Would it not
tend to make him indolent in work? What would be the good of reading all the
new thought of the day in order to help those who were troubled by it, if there
was no-one who had even heard of the false teaching. How could he spend
his time in preparing sermons suitable to men and women whose brains had
never been taught to work. He pictured himself preaching to a congregation,
the half of which were asleep and the other half on the verge of going to
sleep. Then he suddenly remembered how his Lord had spent time over the
soul of one poor woman, the Lord of whom it was said, "Never man spake like
this man." Had He not taught again and again, both by his words and actions,
the value of one individual soul?

Luke's disinclination for a village congregation made him look into his own
motives. Had all his work been at Trowsby been done for the glory of God?
Had not the first year or two of his great popularity somewhat intoxicated him?
Was the wish to preach to large audiences to win them to the service of the
Lord? Or was it the delightful sense of power to sway their minds, that
attracted him? Was the disappointment and the longing for a larger sphere
caused at all by the fact that he was conscious that he had lost hold of his
people? That they no longer hung on his words as of yore; that instead of
looking up to him, as formerly, with admiration, they looked down on him as
out of date?

Sitting by his fire that night, looking at the dying coals, he saw himself for the
first time in the light of one who had been weighed in the balances and found
wanting. He was right down in the Valley of Humiliation, and in agony of soul.

It was late when he went to his room. Then he dreamt that he was a Bishop
preaching in St. Paul's Cathedral. He looked down at the sea of faces, and
was conscious of a thrill of emotion as he saw the vast congregation before
him. He felt triumphant and elated as among the number he noticed some of
his parishioners at Trowsby, who had left his Church because they did not
consider him up to date.

He heard his fine voice echoing down the aisles as he gave out his text, and
was congratulating himself on its texture, when the whole congregation rose
to its feet, saying solemnly and slowly, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and
art found wanting." Then they filed out of the Cathedral till he was left standing
alone in the pulpit, with the condemning words still echoing among the pillars.

He awoke trembling with horror, and knew, in the anguish of his soul, that it
was true of him. He had been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

The cry of his little son in the adjoining room reached him; and he heard
Rachel's soft voice singing:
"Be near me Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay
Close by me for ever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there."

He rose and opened the door softly, and took the child from her arms. Rachel,
almost too tired to smile or feel any surprise, lay down and slept.

"Perhaps," said Luke to himself, "To take care of my little son, may be more to
God's glory than to preach in St. Paul's Cathedral."

He wrote the next morning before breakfast to refuse the London living and to
accept the one in the country; and he never told his wife nor his mother that
he had had a chance of experiencing the dream of his life and had put it away.

CHAPTER XXIV.
FOR LUKE'S SAKE.

Luke paced up and down the lawn of his pretty Rectory. The moon was
shedding its silver light on grass and trees; the flowers were flinging their
perfume around him; a nightingale trilled out its song from a tree in the
distance; but it all meant nothing to Luke. His soul was crying out for crowds of
human beings; for his fellow men; for the rush and excitement of city life; for
the tumult and whirl of London.
The silence of this summer night broken only by the song of the nightingale
was almost unbearable. The thought of his village church sparsely filled with
farmers and their wives, and labourers, who listened to him with their mouths
open in astonishment at the oratory of their new "parson," the remembrance of
the cottages nestling on the hill below the Rectory, with their walls covered
with roses and honey suckle, and whose occupants he had already visited
several times during his short stay among them, had no charm for him.

He longed for strenuous work in courts and alleys, for congregations of people
who could appreciate his sermons; he pined for London platforms and
enthralled listeners to his eloquence. He felt he was wasted, utterly wasted in
this quiet village on the hill that Rachel so loved.

Yes, Rachel loved it. That was the only compensation. Gradually it seemed
that her health was returning. The open air life and comparative rest from
worry were doing their work; and only a few minutes before, she had left him
rejoicing in all the beauty of their surroundings, its peace and quietness. She
revelled in the flowers and trees and soft green grass.

When Luke had told her two months ago of the Bishop's offer of Stagland, the
news had struck her as so wonderful that she had burst into tears. She knew
that a few more months in Trowsby would mean that she would have to say
goodbye to husband and child and leave them to get through life alone; and
the lifting of that burden seemed almost too good to be true. Moreover, living
at Stagland meant an end to the perpetual struggle of keeping within their
means, an end too of housework, for which she was entirely unfit. She
decided before many hours were over to take the faithful little Polly as
nursemaid and to help in the house, with another general servant. They would
be able to grow their own vegetables and fruit, and no doubt Luke would do a
certain amount of work in the garden with a man to help. The whole plan
seemed ideal to Rachel. She lay awake thinking of it at night and panting for
the fresh air of the country.

At times, however, she wondered if she ought to let Luke sacrifice himself to
the extent of living in the country. Would he be able to endure it? Would he
have enough to occupy his time? Was it right that a young and strong man
should take a country living and spend his best years among fields and
hedges instead of courts and alleys?

She looked anxiously at his face when he did not know that her eyes were
upon him, and was afraid that she detected a shade of sadness in its
expression. Luke, however, was very careful not to let her know by his words
how almost unbearable the thought of the country was to him. But when
Rachel was not with him he gave way to his miserable thoughts.

He had been inexpressibly touched by the warmth of feeling displayed by


some of the members of his congregation at Trowsby when they heard that he
was leaving them. As is often the case, he learnt then for the first time that
which would have immensely encouraged him had he known it before, that he
had helped so many of them spiritually. It made leaving them all the harder,
though at the same time it warmed his heart to find that he had been used far
more than he had imagined for the good of their souls. The last two Sundays
at Trowsby, the Church had been full to overflowing, and he had again the
wonderful feeling of being able to sway men's minds.

As he paced up and down in the moonlight, he lifted his eyes to the starlit sky
and cried to God to forgive all his past unsatisfactoriness and to make him
once more of use in the world.

As for Rachel she was in a dream of happiness. In fact it seemed as if life had
suddenly opened to her in all its rich fulness. The presence of her husband,
her child, the country air laden with all sorts of perfume; the feeling of rest and
quiet after the strain and stress of Trowsby; and the consciousness that she
was getting her strength back and had not to be always thinking of ways and
means, filled her with thankfulness. Moreover, she had a most faithful
nursemaid in Polly who she counted distinctly as one of her blessings. Polly's
devotion to Pat showed itself in many ways; and Rachel felt that she could
trust the child perfectly to her when she was feeling unable to make any effort
on his behalf. For though she knew she was gradually getting stronger she
was conscious that her amount of strength was at present very small and that
any unnecessary effort was bad for her.

"I am going to Trowsby," said Luke one morning. "I am not happy about my
mother. Her letters strike me as rather depressed."

"I am afraid that she must miss you very much," said Rachel.

"I fancy that is what is making her depressed. Anyhow I shall go and find out. I
shall rather like to be in Trowsby again," he added.

"You mustn't like it so much that you'll want to be back again," said Rachel.

Luke laughed. He would have given the world to be back again, but he did not
tell her so. Anyhow it would do him good just to have a look at the people. And
if he started quite early in the morning, by 7.30, he would have a long day
before he need return by the 8 o'clock train.

The streets of Trowsby did for him what the trees and flowers did for his wife.
He felt he could breathe again, and the depression that had weighed him
down rolled away. His first visit was to the church. It was empty. After kneeling
in prayer, he sat down and lived over again the Sundays he had spent there.
He remembered the crowded building, the earnest listeners, the hearty
singing, and compared it with his present village Church.

Then with a sigh he rose and made his way to his mother's rooms. That she
was missing him terribly, he saw at once.

"You must come and live with us," he said. "Why not?"

"My dear I could not do that," she answered. "If Rachel asked me that would
be another thing. But she is not likely to do that."

"But why not?" said Luke. "I am quite sure she would be delighted. I can't think
why the plan was not thought of before."

Mrs. Greville smiled.

"Have you ever come across a daughter-in-law who would welcome such an
idea? I haven't. No, it would not answer."

"Perhaps not with most people; but you are different. I can't imagine Rachel
not liking the suggestion. Of course she would be only too delighted."

Mrs. Greville shook her head. "It is impossible," she said. "I like Rachel and
admire her in many ways, but I am perfectly sure that our feelings for one
another would be strained and uncomfortable. I don't know if you are aware
she has never once called me mother. I am Mrs. Greville to her and nothing
more."

"What?" exclaimed Luke.

Mrs. Greville, seeing her son's astonishment, was sorry that she had
mentioned the fact to him.

"Oh it really does not signify," she hurried to say. "I daresay it has never struck
her. And I have not a word to say against her. She is a very nice girl and an
excellent wife. But you see the kind of footing we are on. She would not
welcome me I am quite sure."
"I am convinced that you are mistaken," said Luke. The idea had never
entered his mind, that his wife and mother were not on the closest of terms
with one another. His mother, he felt sure, was depressed from her late illness
and was looking at things through dark spectacles.

"You must put those ideas quite away from you," he said, "and you must come
and live with us. Wouldn't you like it?"

"I have never liked the thought of the country. But of course it would be far
less lonely and I suppose I could find enough to do in the village."

"Of course you would. You could start all sorts of things which Rachel is not in
a fit state to do."

"Well I shall not come unless I am definitely asked by your wife," said Mrs.
Greville, "as I am convinced that I should not be welcomed. Neither do I think
it at all wise for a mother-in-law to take up her abode with her son and his
wife. You will see that I am right."

Luke made the best of his time in Trowsby. He visited every member of his
men's Bible class; had tea with Mrs. Stone, looked up the district visitors and
finally found himself just in time to spring into the 8 o'clock train as it was
moving out of the station.

Meanwhile Rachel had had a lovely day in the garden. Little Pat was in his
perambulator by her side, crowing and happy. The birds were singing in the
trees above her. The gardener was cutting the grass in another part of the
garden with a scythe; that most delicious of all sounds; an occasional heavily
laden cart passed in the lane near by. She rejoiced in every sight, sound, and
smell, and the quiet and peace were as balm to her spirit.

When baby was taken away to be put to sleep for the night Rachel still lay on
under the trees, and was fast asleep herself when Luke opened the gate.

"Have you had a nice day?" she said, as she awoke at the sound of his
footstep. But she saw the question was unnecessary. His face was radiant.

"First-rate," he said, taking a seat by her side. "I enjoyed every minute of it."

"How is your mother?"

For the moment Luke had forgotten about his suggestion to his mother; and
the sudden remembrance of her words made him hesitate before answering;
then he said:

"Of course she misses me terribly. I don't feel happy at her being so far away."

He was so afraid of seeing by the expression on his wife's face that his mother
was right in her judgment, that he kept his eyes on the tree above him. Rachel
was silent. A sudden presentiment filled her mind and made her heart flutter.

Was Luke wanting his mother to live with them? Was it possible that such a
thought had entered his mind! How could she bear it? She had grown to like
Mrs. Greville, indeed to love her in a way.

Her devotion to little Pat was almost pathetic and had drawn them together.
But to have her in the house, for the peace to be interrupted by her restless
activities; to hear her loud voice disturbing the quiet of the home and garden!
How could she bear it! And yet—yes she was sure from the look on Luke's
face as he gazed up into the tree, that this was what he wanted to propose
and for some reason felt nervous of doing so. She was silent; then mastering
herself she said quietly:

"Of course she must miss you terribly. What a pity Trowsby is so far away."
With a fear lest he should then and there propose to her what she believed
would wreck the happiness and peace of the home, she added quickly, "I think
it is getting a little damp and chilly. Will you bring in my chair dear."

Luke was all concern in a moment. Rachel must not get cold. He folded up the
chair and followed her into the house. He was just a little surprised that Rachel
had not caught his thought. She was generally so quick at discovering his
meaning; but evidently the idea of his mother living with them had never
crossed her mind. He must try and broach the subject again later on. Had it
not been for his mother's words he would not have felt the slightest hesitation
in doing so; but what she had said was making him find it a little difficult for the
first time to tell Rachel his wish.

"What is the time?" asked Rachel as she paused at the door of the drawing-
room.

"Half past nine."

"Then I shall go straight to bed," she said. "Polly has laid your supper in the
dining-room. I must wait to hear all about your day till to-morrow, then I shall
be fresher."
On reaching her bedroom Rachel locked the door and sank into a chair. The
shock of the discovery of what was in Luke's mind made her feel quite faint.
Was her cup of happiness to be taken from her? She had so enjoyed having
her husband and child to herself—and so thankful that for a time, at least, the
subject of economy could be put on one side—that she need not worry any
more over eggs being 4d each or that margarine was cheaper than butter.
She hoped that she had left all that behind in Trowsby for ever; but she was
convinced that if Mrs. Greville lived with them the subject of economy would
continually crop up whether it were needful or not. Ways and means were too
interesting a topic to her mother-in-law to allow of her dropping it for long.

Then there were the servants. Polly had a rooted objection to Mrs. Greville,
and as for her new maid she was one who disliked any interference. Rachel
felt that she would certainly lose her, and if it were not for Polly's devotion to
little Pat and herself, there would have been small chance of keeping even
her. Anyhow the peace and the intense happiness would be gone. She would
feel that she had lost both husband and child. Mrs. Greville would dominate
them all and would rule the house. Rachel knew by this time, moreover, that
her ideas on the bringing up of children were in direct opposition to her own.

What should she do if Luke asked her outright to invite her mother-in-law to
live with them? Should she tell him of the difficulties which would certainly
arise? Would it be possible to talk them over together without hurting him too
much? But no. She knew that Luke would not in the least understand them. It
would only make matters worse. She must either put her foot down and say
decidedly that it could not be, or give way.

Rachel in her distress knew there was only one thing to do. Only one answer
to give. She must just pray for strength to do what she knew was her duty; and
to take up the cross without murmuring.

Luke was spared the ordeal he had begun to dread; for at breakfast the next
morning Rachel looked at him across the table with a smile.

"I have been thinking about your mother," she said. "Why not ask her to come
and live with us. Would she like it?"

Luke's whole face lit up.

"That is exactly what I should wish, dearest," he said. "But will it put more on
you? Happily we have Emma, and two servants ought to be able to work the
house well."
"Anyhow," said Rachel, "we might try the experiment."

"I'll write this morning," said Luke joyfully. "No, it would come better from you.
And Rachel," he said, with a little hesitation, "call her 'mother' will you? That
would bring her I know. She would feel we really wanted her."

Rachel laughed. Had she not laughed she would have cried.

"All right," she said. "You shall see my letter before it goes."

Luke was overjoyed. He was so glad that he had been right. There was
evidently no feeling whatever against his mother's coming in Rachel's
judgment. In fact she was evidently pleased at the suggestion. He would write
also and tell his mother that she had been quite wrong in imagining that his
wife would not like the plan.

Rachel dashed off her letter as quickly as she could lest her heart should fail
her, and showed it to Luke.

"Dear Mother," she wrote;


"Why not come and live with us? You would
like this place and would feel much less
lonely than living on in Trowsby. We do not
like to think of you there by yourself."
"Your affectionate daughter-in-law,"
"Rachel."

Rachel pointed to the beginning as Luke took it in his hands, saying, "I have
called her mother for love of you."

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