To ensure credibility, quantitative evaluation should have ...

• A. Opaque methods.
• B. Transparent methods and data.
• C. Unverifiable results.
• D. Conflicting conclusions.

Answer: (B)

Credibility in quantitative evaluation hinges on transparency of methods and data. When the steps to collect and analyze data are clearly described—what was measured, how it was gathered, the models or statistical tests used, and the assumptions made—others can follow the exact route from data to conclusions. When the data and code are accessible with proper documentation, researchers can reproduce the work, verify results, and test whether findings hold under different conditions. This openness helps reveal and mitigate biases or errors and supports robust, trustworthy conclusions. Opaque methods make it hard to judge reliability, leaving results unverifiable. Conflicting conclusions become difficult to resolve when the underlying procedures and data aren’t openly shared. Therefore, transparent methods and data are what give quantitative evaluation credibility.