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Qualitative versus quantitative research
Qualitative versus quantitative research
Qualitative versus quantitative research
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3.0. Methodology
This chapter presents the methodology that would be used in the study. The methodology covers issues that relate to the type of data that would be collected, how it would be collected, and how it would be analysed.
3.1. Mixed Method
In order to address the shortcomings of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, the researcher would use the mixed method (Byman, 2008). Johnson and Turner (2003) have argued that the fundamental principle of mixed methods research is that multiple kinds of data should be collected with different strategies and methods in ways that reflect complementary strengths and non-overlapping weaknesses, allowing a mixed methods study to provide insights not possible when
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To this end, Survey research being one of the types of quantitative approach will be used. Survey research is the systematic gathering of information from respondents for the purpose of understanding and/or predicting some aspects of the behavior of the population of interest. With respect to the type of survey, In-person interviews will be adopted. An in-person interview consists of an interviewer asking the respondent questions in a face-to-face situation. The interview may take place at the respondent's home or …show more content…
Qualitative Data Analysis
The interviews and FGDs shall be audio-recorded and will be transcribed after each day’s session. The transcription will be done in themes to reflect the study objectives. The data will be sorted out and organized for analysis. In the course of analysis direct quotations from respondents will be used to lay emphasis on the discussions being made.
3.9. Quantitative Data Analysis
With the questionnaires, they will be cleaned, organized and coded using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). Simple frequency tables will be used to illustrate respondents’ views; additionally bar charts and graphs will be produced to give quick visual impressions. Simple correlation and regression analysis will be conducted to show relationships between variables. 4.0. Ethical Consideration
Guided by the critical role of ethics in Social Science research, the researcher would be very careful to observe and acknowledge all protocols.
First and foremost, the researcher will obtain an Introductory Letter from the Department of Development Management of the Institute of Distance Education which will be duly signed by the Supervisor. This letter will facilitated the data gathering processes for the
In response to the question set, I will go into detail of the study, consisting of the background, main hypotheses, as well the aims, procedure and results gathered from the study; explaining the four research methods chosen to investigate, furthering into the three methods actually tested.
The two research methods, qualitative and quantitative, are dissimilar and according to Brewer (1999) controversy between the research methods have been about for decades regarding which research design delivers a more thorough and objective data (p. 245). Nevertheless, according to the literature reviewed, mix methods appear to be an appropriate solution to this subject matter. Mix methods combine qualitative and quantitative approaches and according to Abusabha and Woelfel (2003), combining both research designs has its advantages:
Three major types of methods used for this study are “Longitudinal Research Method”, “Cross- sectional Research Method” and “Cross Sequential Method” (A cohort form of Longitudinal and cross-sectional method). “Case Study Method” and “Survey Method” also have been used (Baltes, 1968).
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.”
In the previous chapters I discussed the problem of the lack of healthy eating promotion programs in schools are leaving parents and students uneducated about how to purchase healthy items which is leading to childhood obesity. I also discussed how the problem is being addressed, as well as the theory of social constructionism. In this chapter, I will discuss the specific methodology I plan to use and the three different types of data collection I plan to employ to carry out my study. This study will use a qualitative approach to study and address the issue of the lack of healthy eating promotion in schools. The three types of data collection I plan to use are: direct observation, focus groups and a questionnaire. These methods will be clarified later in this chapter.
Focusing on surveys and questionnaires, and quantitative research methods, it varies on the person getting questioned as to which method they prefer. Some individuals may prefer to fill in a questionnaire, as it is quick and simple for them, whereas someone else would rather have a face-to-face interview because they may find questionnaires to complicated. Giving people the choice gives the more chance of getting a response overall. It is important that the researchers are aware of the advantages and disadvantages because they will then be aware of what method to use, and will know what method is best to use. It is also an advantage to work with experienced researchers in order to find out the best results.
Data Collection and Analysis Questionnaire The research was carried out on both quantitative and qualitative approaches. It began with a quantitative approach—questionnaire. Bryman and Bell (2003) asserted that mail or postal questionnaires are the most popular forms of questionnaires. Another form—self-completion questionnaire—was also common because of the overlap with postal questionnaire to some extent.
In this paper, I will define quantitative and qualitative research methods and provide examples in the context of social issues which will hopefully provide insight into how this methods are properly applied.
The Advantages and Limitations of Social Surveys in Sociological Research To survey something, is to carry out a systematic overview so that a researcher can produce a comprehensive general report on it. Survey method is often used by positivist sociologists seeking to test their hypotheses, and to investigate causes and examine variables. As with every other sociological research, survey has its own advantages and limitations. Positivist research, which is in the scientific tradition, begins with a hypothesis that can be either confirmed or rejected according to the data collected. One of the significant advantages of survey method is that, it can be used to collect data that is a representative of a larger population.
According to the need of the study a formal interview with a structured questionnaire as well as an informal conversation regarding the topic is conducted to get as much information as possible.
This essay intends to compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of the quantitative and qualitative approaches to research which addresses young people and bullying using two journal articles. The first article (quantitative) aims to “establish the relationship between recurrent peer victimisation and the onset of reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in the early teen years” (Bond et al. 2001, p. 480) while the second article (qualitative) aims to “investigate the nature of teenage girls’ indirect aggression” (Owens et al. 2000, p. 70).The two articles will be critically compared in terms of research design, methods used, approach to data analysis, reported results and the plausibility and appropriateness of the conclusions and recommendations posed. The aim of this essay is thus to evaluate and assess the methods of social science research currently undertaken in published research.
….both quantitative and qualitative research are important and useful. The goal of mixed methods research is not to replace either of these approaches but rather to draw from the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of both in single research studies and across studies.
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.
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...
The responses gathered through the research instrument were entered numerically into SPSS 16 software. All the key variables were identified as scale measures in SPSS as the five point Likert scale used in the research instrument. All the cases were screened for missing values and ensure the completeness of the data. For negative questions in the questionnaire, recoded command was applied in SPSS to turn into positive way. Subsequently, data was arranged for the statistical analysis that discuss in coming sections.