If research and theory are inextricably linked, then one cannot understand the nature of theory without first understanding the nature of research. There are two types of research design in the scientific inquiry - qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative and quantitative research designs are the basis of the scholarly study utilized regarding the purpose of the research and recourses available for investigation. There are situations when researchers apply both types of design, as in cases when it is important to enhance internal and external validity, credibility, and reliability of the results. Both qualitative and quantitative designs have advantages and disadvantages that can either benefit the study or jeopardize the research if implemented incorrectly. Additionally, both research designs contribute to theory differently.
The quantitative research design is implemented when the researcher aims to analyze collected data with the help of statistical tools. It is important to mention that this research design is the most prevalent among scientists. Quantitative research design applies in case of different studies relying exclusively on information collected during the experiments and surveys (Duffy & Chenail, 2008). The
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Quantitative research design can contribute to theory by detecting the connections or lack thereof between variables. The purpose of quantitative design is to prove or disapprove a hypothesis. Such designs deal with cause and effect relationships, produce numerical data, and detect correlational relationships within collected data. In general, quantitative research is designed to test a theory. For a long time, the scientific community considered quantitative research as the only ‘true’ scientific method, suggesting that quantitative research design is utilized to verify scientific
Evidence-based practice utilizes research design analysis from arrays of studies design, it is imperative for research scholars to understand how to read, and how to comment on the quality of research design utilized. There is three major research designs, namely quantitative, qualitative and mixed method; however; mostly utilized in evidence-based practice are quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative and qualitative research designs are exclusive in the description and generate distinct outcomes. Quantitative research design explores relationship amongst independent design variables, the data compilation approach and design firmly controlled than the qualitative data compilation (Polit & Beck, 2017). The outcome of an
To fulfill accuracy in this research, the main strategy that is used is the mixed methods, which lies under the post-positivist philosophy. This strategy is mainly the result of the combination of the positivist and the anti-positivist philosophies. In their book Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, Creswell and Plano Clark (2011, p. 5) state that the mixed methods technique “[…] involves philosophical assumptions that guide the direction of the collection and analysis of data and the mixture of qualitative and quantitative data in a single study or series of studies.”
According to Smith (1983) quantitative research is to explain, predict and develop laws that can be universally applied and Qualitative research is the interpretation and understanding of what people give to their situation. The researchers clearly stated the purpose of their studies, aim, objectiv...
The father of quantitative analysis, Rene Descartes, thought that in order to know and understand something, you have to measure it (Kover, 2008). Quantitative research has two main types of sampling used, probabilistic and purposive. Probabilistic sampling is when there is equal chance of anyone within the studied population to be included. Purposive sampling is used when some benchmarks are used to replace the discrepancy among errors. The primary collection of data is from tests or standardized questionnaires, structured interviews, and closed-ended observational protocols. The secondary means for data collection includes official documents. In this study, the data is analyzed to test one or more expressed hypotheses. Descriptive and inferential analyses are the two types of data analysis used and advance from descriptive to inferential. The next step in the process is data interpretation, and the goal is to give meaning to the results in regards to the hypothesis the theory was derived from. Data interpretation techniques used are generalization, theory-driven, and interpretation of theory (Gelo, Braakmann, Benetka, 2008). The discussion should bring together findings and put them into context of the framework, guiding the study (Black, Gray, Airasain, Hector, Hopkins, Nenty, Ouyang, n.d.). The discussion should include an interpretation of the results; descriptions of themes, trends, and relationships; meanings of the results, and the limitations of the study. In the conclusion, one wants to end the study by providing a synopsis and final comments. It should include a summary of findings, recommendations, and future research (Black, Gray, Airasain, Hector, Hopkins, Nenty, Ouyang, n.d.). Deductive reasoning is used in studies...
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Now within the rest of this paper you will be finding a few different things getting discussed. Staring it off we will be discussing the articles that we have found to make our arguments and hypotheses. After wrapping up the literature reviews we will be discussing the hypotheses thus continuing onto our variables and indicators. Once we discuss our hypotheses we will be moving onto the research design. The research design will have our general issues, sampling, and methods.
As Leech and Onwuegbusie (2009) explain, mixed methods involves carrying out the whole research project, including collecting, analyzing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data in the same study (p. 265). However these authors contend that the
We believe it is clear that both qualitative and quantitative research have many benefits and many costs. In some situations the qualitative approach will be more appropriate; in other situations the quantitative approach will be more appropriate.
Stejskal, S.M. (2010) Quatiative and Qualitative Research Methods are not and should not be Mutually Exclusive, Grinn Verlag.
Research design is considered as one of the most important steps in the research process.it includes decision making regarding the purpose of the study,its location type,and the degree of manipulation and control by the research Sekaran(2003).It is the outline and specification of the whole research procedure which needs to be followed by the researcher in order to achieve the research objectives or test the hypothesis formulated for the study (McDaniel & Gates,1999).
Qualitative and Quantitative study designs both can be beneficial in research design. They both provide valuable options for researchers in the field. These techniques can either be used separately in a research study or they can be combined to achieve maximum information. This paper will define the terms qualitative and quantitative; describe the similarities and differences between each; discuss how qualitative and/or quantitative research designs or techniques could be used in the evaluation of my proposed research; and discuss why linking analysis to study design is important.
Qualitative and quantitative researcher’s exhibited conflicting ways of approaching a research. Some researchers prefer qualitative over quantitative and vice-versa. Also, it is common for qualitative and quantitative to be used together in a research. But, both methods when carried out correctly provide good research. Plus, both methods have their own unique differences and characteristics. In this paper I will define three of these characteristics in a quantitative and qualitative research design and discuss and compare their differences. (Smith & Davis, 2010)
Another option available to a researcher is mixed methods which focuses on collecting, analyzing, and mixing both qualitative and quantitative data in a single study; also, it is based on the premise that the use of quantitative and qualitative combination provides a better understanding of the research problem than either approach alo...
According to Mouton, research designs are tailored to address different kinds of research questions. Thus, when attempts are made to classify different kinds of research studies to different design types, they are classified by the kind of research questions they are able to answer. Research designs can be mapped out to the types of research questions (research problem) using four dimensions: 1) empirical versus non-empirical dimension, 2) using primary versus using secondary data, 3) the nature of the data (numerical versus textual data) and 4) the degree of control (structured (laboratory) conditions versus natural field settings)
Striating from the research idea to the culmination of the findings, the research process entails many segments, all of which are imperative. By choosing the research methodology, the researchers can formulate the path to be used in conducting the study and reporting the findings. The methodology helps in the search of literature, development of research questions and the creation of the most suitable study design. It also assists in the interpretation of the results and the publication of the findings in journals.